J.D.B. News Letter

(By our Hartford correspondent)

Though Hartford Jewish activities progressed slowly over a period of fifty years the past year has witnessed astounding increases in building and general communal activities. During the past and in the course of the coming year more than $600,000 will have been spent for new buildings.

Among the buildings, synagogues and structures which are about completed, or will be started in the near future are the Emanuel Synagogue, the Temple Beth Israel, the Hebrew Ladies Orphan Asylum, Congregation Ados Israel, the Garden Street Synagogue, the Y. M. and Y. M. H. A., the Garden Street Talmud Torah, the Talmud Torah, the Talmud Torah of the North-end, and the South-end Talmud Torah.

The Emanuel Synagogue was completed a few days previous to the high holidays and it was estimated would cost more than $300,000 when all fixtures and other materials are placed properly. The structure was built opposite one of the finest parks in the city and is located in the center of a large plot of land. Rabbi silverman was called to take charge of the synagogue from a congregation in Brooklyn, N.Y. and today it is one of the largest in the city. It was the first synagogue in New England to have women on the board of trustees, the first in the country to create a college club for men and women throughout the country and among the first to have a junior congregation for whom services are rendered exclusively every Saturday morning.

The Temple Beth Israel now located near the site of the famous Charter Oak tree, noted in the history of Connecticut, will soon start its building, a super structure on Farmington avenue, according to latest advices. The Temple Beth Israel is one of the oldest in the city and its members include many prominent in social and political life in Connecticut. The present building was erected in 1876 and enlarged in 1898. The building was dedicated May 26, 1876.

The Hebrew Ladies Home was founded more than 30 years ago by a handful of women of Hartford who created the organization with weekly dues of five cents. After years of effort the organization finally purchased a building on Fairfield avenue which has since become noted because of its welfare and charitable work. The organization recently purchased a large site on the outskirts of the city and will in the near future erect a building to cost $150,000.

After many years of sojourning from one building to another the combined Y.M.H.A. and Y. W. H. A. recently moved into its new home of three floors containing libraries, gymnasiums, auditorium and other rooms equipped to give a real community service. A building fund is being created to assist the organization to enlarge its present headquarters.

Hartford has suddenly turned to Talmud Torahs and their use as community centers. As a result three Talmud Torahs will soon be located in various sections of the city with buildings occupied exclusively by the various community centers. The Northend Talmud Torah will be completed within a few weeks and occupies a site near the Emanuel synagogue. It is a new brick structure, four floors high. The Southend Talmud Torah recently announced it would also build in that section of the city.

Hartford’s Jewish community dates back more than a hundred years ago and the first Kosher meat market about 40 years ago. It was then that Sam Antupitsky opened the first meat market in accordance with the dietetic laws. Mr. Antupitsky subsequently left the meat business but hundreds have entered the field to cater to the large Jewish community in Hartford consisting of more than 15,000 families.

With Mr. Antupitsky there came to Hartford at practically the same time Moses Wise and Isadore Fox. Both of these two latter men founded the nucleus of what has proven to be one of the largest department store businesses in New England.

Recently an organization of women made plans to erect a Mikvah, purchased a site and retained architects to draw specifications. The site was in a residential section of the city and when application for a building permit was made the zoning commission after due deliberation granted such to the organization. This met with the almost instant disapproval of neighbors and an action was brought into the Common Pleas Court asking a restraining order against such a program. The court decided however that the building was proper and not an enterprise by which an individual or company would derive a profit and advised the women to proceed with their building.