(Jewish Daily Bulletin)
The significance of the ground breaking for the new Temple Beth-El here this week lies in the possibilities the new synagogue will hold for Jewish activities among students at Cornell University.
This was disclosed in the remarks of speakers at the ceremony in which Rabbi Louis J. Schwefel of Washington, D. C., took a principal part. The ceremony took the form of a municipal undertaking with the city and community leaders voicing their pleasure at the project, especially as it will benefit Jewish youth at the university.
Participants in the ceremony included Louis P. Smith, president of the Chamber of Commerce; Joseph F. Hickey, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce; the Rev. J. H. Gagnier, pastor of the First Baptist Church, S. Bruce Wilson, secretary of the Young Men’s Christian Association: Mayor Fred B. Howe, Professor Charles L. Durham.
Joseph B. Urband, president of the temple, presided. Henry Blostein was chairman of the program committee. Rabbi Schwefel offered prayer and handed a silver spade to Robert H. Treman.
Mayor Howe declared the new temple is necessary not only to the Jewish community of Ithaca but to the Jewish students at Cornell. William A. Boyd who was called “the leader and father of the project” was also one of the speakers.
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