J.D.B. News Letter

(By Our Spokane Correspondent)

Although numbering only about eight, tenths of one per cent of the total population of Spokane, the Jewish community contributes about 5 per cent of the income of the Community Chest Besides they maintain the Jewish Welfare Community Chest for Jewish institutions not affiliated with the the general community chest.

The Jewish community of Spokane has been practically at a standstill for a number of years with a possible tendency toward falling off because the community is more or less isolated. There now seems to be an awakening, however, new faces are appearing and many Jewish people from the East and other parts of the country are showing interest in Spokane.

The city is experiencing an industrial change. As an evidence of his faith in Spokane, L. N. Rosenbaum, New York capitalist, is building a new $1,000,000 theatre in the heart of the city and will build a $2,000,000 office building for doctors and dentists during the year.

For the first time in the history of Spokane, the District Grand Lodge Convention of the B’nai Brith will be held here in June. All lodges on the Pacific Coast including Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Montana will be represented when from 250 to 300 delegates and members of the Ladies’ Auxiliary will assemble at the Davenport Hotel according to tentative arrangements.

It is claimed that the B’nai Brith of Spokane numbering 200 members is one of the strongest in the country in proportion to the population. Sidney J Ostroski is president and Lawrence Selter secretary. The lodge appears to be more of a unit than in some other places, there being fewer outside interests.

Jewish women of the city take an active hand in all philanthropic work carried on in Spokane.

Mrs. B. Copeland is also president of the Council of Jewish Women and Mrs. Ralph Mackoss is president of the local womens’ auxiliary to the B’nai Brith. Among other activities the Council sponsors a student’s loan fund for Jewish college students.

The Jewish community of Spokane is divided about equally between the Orthodox and Reform element with a sprinkling of Zionists. The problem at the present time confronting Temple Emanu El, Reform congregation is the building of the temple which will be completed this year. The cost will be about $75,000. A few days ago the old temple was given by the Galland estate to the Unitarian church. Julius Galland, who died about a year ago, left half a million dollars to charity, eighty per cent of which is to go to Jewish institutions. Plans for completion of the temple are held in abeyance until Adolph Galland, one of the trustees and brother of the late Julius Galland, returns from Europe this spring when the temple will be completed.

Election of officers for the year 1908-1929 of the Training School for Jewish Social Work, New York, will take place at the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees on February 28.

The present officers: are Louis E. Kirstein, Boston, president: Lee K. Frankel, New York, vice-president; P. Edwin Goldwasser, New York, treasurer: Solomon Lowenstein, New York, secretary: Felix M. Warburg, chairman of Executive Committee: Maurice J. Karpf, director and Frances N. Harison, assistant director.

The Board of Trustees consists of Cyrus Adler, Mrs. Sidney C. Borg, Fred M. Butzel A. Richard Frank, Lee K. Frankel, Julius Glaser, Harry L. Glucksman, I. Edwin Goldwasser, Mrs. Siegmund S. Herzog, David M. Heyman, Sidney Hollander, Louis E. Kirstein, Irvin F. Lehman, Irving Lehman, Solomon Lowenstein, George Mosbacher, Julius Rosenwald, William J. Shroder. Mrs. M. C. Sloss, Fred M. Stein, Horace Stern, M. J. Stroock, Frances Taussig, Felix M. Warburg and Ralph Wolf.

The annual Oratorical contest of the Metropolitan League of Jewish Community Associations, composed of the principal Y. M. H. A.’s, Y. W. H. A.’s, and Jewish Community Centers in Greater New York, was held at the Bronx Y. M. H. A. on Washington’s Birthday. Twelve organizations were entered with their most talented speakers.

The first prize, a gold medal was won by Irving Libenson of the Mt. Vernon Y. M. H. A. The second prize was awarded to Clifford Leinwand of the Harlem Hebrew Institute. Third prize was won by David Bublick of the Borough Park Y. M. H. A. Honorable mention was given to Henry Gezunterman of the Bronx Y. M. H. A., who spoke on “Palestine and the Jew.”

The chairman of the evening was Samuel Leff, field secretary of the Jewish Welfare Board, and the judges were Miss Helena Weisberg, Rabbi Abraham Burstein, and Dr. Edward Herbert.