“We Mourn His Loss-Joseph Barondess.” To these six words engraved on white cards, displayed on one hundred and fifty cars, fifteen thousand men and women gave poignant articulation yesterday as the funeral cortege of Joseph Barondess passed. throgh the streets of New York.
Simplicity marked the last rites of the man whom speaker after speaker characterized as a child in his boundless love and faith in his fellow men.
For two days surrounded by a guard of honor, the body had lain in state at the Riverside Funeral Parlors, 76th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Thousands passed the coffin.
Thousands fought for a place in the Funerai Parlors to hear the tribute of Rabbi Stephen S. Wise and Reuben Brainin at the first service. But it was in East New York, that the tribute reached its climax. From Fourteenth Street until Fourth on Second Ave the street was crowded with people who discarded glowering skies and discomfort for this last farewell. At the Public Theatre where public rites were held, a line two blocks long, had fought for entrance since early morning.
Workers, women, actors of every rank, representatives of New York’s literati, composed the crowd that thronged the streets.
The funeral services began promptly at eleven o’clock from the Riverside Funeral Parlors Cantor Kwartin intoned the prayers for the dead. Hespedim were made by Rabbi Stephen S. Wise and Reuben Brainin. “Joseph Barondess was like a child in his great love. Like a child he did not measure the spending of his love. He served all humanity, great and small alike,” said Rabbi Wise.
This thought was reechoed by all the speakers at the services in the Public Theatre.
From the Riverside Parlors the cortege wound its way past the Actors Club which was draped in black. One hundred organizations with which he was affiliated were represented at the services.
Mr. William Edlin, former Editor of the Day was the Master of Ceremonies at the Public Theatre. Addresses were delivered by former Mayor John F. Hylan, Abraham Cahan, Editor of the Forward, Rev. Z. Masliansky, Reuben Brainin. Dr. S. Margoshes, Editor of the Day, Ab.Goldberg, Gedaliah Bublick, Reuben Guskin, representing the Actors Union, Judge Gustave Hartmann, Morris Feinstone, representing the United Hebrew Trades, Dr. S. Meriminsky, Dr. S. Mosesohn of Palestine, and Maurice Schwartz of the Yiddish Art Theatre.
Cantor B. Chagi chanted the “Eil Moleh Rachmim.”
Mr. Hylan in his address declared that all New York mourns the passing of Joseph Barondess who was a friend of all humanity regardless of denominations.
“He was the heart and soul of the immigrant Jew in America,” declared Dr. Margoshes.
“If it were not for the existence of a Joseph Barondess, I would be pessimistic for the future of Socialism,” said Mr. Cahan, who extolled the part Barondess played in the founding of the Yiddish press.
“Joseph Barondess left no enemies, at the time of his passing. Many were the foes he made in his varied career. But all came to realize the greatness of the man and the justness of his pleading,” said Abe Goldberg.
Cables of condolence were received from Felix Warburg. Louis Marshall and Dr. Chaim Weizmann.
Interment took place at the Mount Carmel Cemetery. On its way to the cemetery, the funeral cortege passed the Yiddish newspaper offices in whose founding he played so large a role, and Boro Park where he made his home.
Cantor Israel Brieh officiated at the cemetery. Mrs. Anna Barondess, his widow, two sons, Ben and Edward, and two daughters. Jean and Sue, survive.
Further expressions of grief on the death of the late Joseph Barondess were made.
David A. Brown, National Chairman of the United Jewish Campaign: “We have lost a splendid leader, a devoted coworker, one whom we have learned to rest on heavily. He possessed a rare devotion for the well being and progress of Jewry”
James N. Rosenberg, vice-chairman Joint Distribution Committee: “My latest contact with Mr. Barondess was at the Philadelphia conference of September 1925 where he was a tower of strength toward acomplishing the unity and harmony in the work in which we American Jews are engaged toward helping our fellow Jews overseas. His efforts have always been for brotherhood and a spirit of mutual help”
Joseph C. Hyman, secretary of the Joint Distribution Committee: “Always a devoted worker for the welfare of his fellowmen, Joseph Barondess was at all times an active figure in Jewish relief undertakings of this city and country.”
Mrs. Dorah Shapiro, president Deborah Consumptive Relief Society: “Joseph Barondess, our chairman, was one whose name is illustrious in many fields of endeavor, whose activities were encountered in many walks of life in the arena of business, in the fields of social work and in the realms of literature and art.
“What is more striking to me at this time and this moment is that he has been one of the best friends of the Deborah Sanitorium, the man we so deeply mourn. He expressed to me, on Saturday, June 16th, when I visited him at the Mount Sinai Hospital, that he was sorry he could not attend the breaking of ground for our new building to be erected at Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, but he hoped that he would be able to be with us at the laying of the cornerstone.”
A conference of Lithuanian Jews of America will be held in New York City at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria on June 24.
The purpose of the conference is to consider the formation of an organization of American Jews of Lithuanian birth or descent, in order to keep in constant touch with their brethren in Lithuania, and to cooperate win them in meeting their economic and educational problems.
At this conference full details of the present situation of the Jews in Lithuania will be presented.
The conveners of the conference are Edward M. Chase of Manchester, N.H., Dr. Louis I. Dublin, Henry Hurwitz, Professor M. M. Kaplan, Judge William M. Lewis, Israel Matz of Brooklyn, and Professor L. L. Silverman of Dartmonth.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
