News Brief

Pittsfield, located in the heart of the beautiful Berkshire Hills, has one of the oldest Jewish settlements in Massachusetts. Jewish life in Pittsfield traces its origins to the arrival of three of its pioneers, Joseph R. Newman, Moses England and Louis England in the year 1857. This small group was later augmented by the arrival of other Jews of German origin who soon numbered eighteen or more families and who founded the first Jewish congregation of Pittsfield, the Society of Ansha Amonim, in the year 1869. For some years the members of this group met in each others homes for religious observance until the year 1882, when the society occupied rooms at the corner of North and Fenn Sts. The congregation continued to worship in various halls, which they had furnished as a synagogue until February of 1927, at which time the growth of the congregation made possible the establishment of its own synagogue building. The services of the society were conducted in Hebrew but since 1904, the Union Prayer Book has been used. Rabbi Harry Kaplan is the spiritual leader of the congregation.

This original settlement later grew with the coming of the successive waves of Russian-Jewish immigration. The new arrivals organized the Orthodox congregation, Kenesseth Israel, in the year 1894 and occupied their present house of worship in 1906. Another Orthodox congregation Ahavath Sholom, was founded in 1911 and established its synagogue in 1915. Rabbi Morris Fuhrman ministers to both of the Orthodox congregations.

The present Jewish population of Pittsfield is estimated as 1500. The Jewish citizens are active in all phases of civic and communal life and are numbered among the city’s leading men. Simon England is prominent in the Pittsfield Community Chest, is a member of the City High School Commission, a member of the board of the Y.M.C.A. and is also treasurer and one of the organizers of the Jewish Community Chest. George A. Newman, the present president of the Society Ansha Amonim. is also active in the work of Boy Scouts and is a member of a special advisory committee on vocational education and guidance. James Rosenthal, one of Pittsfield’s leading attorneys, is active in the work of the Boys’ Club and is a member of the Pittsfield City Planning Commission. Daniel England has served as a former mayor of Pittsfield while Michael I. Eisner was in the State Legislature for one term.

Dr. Nathan Finkelstein is a well-known Genito-Urinary specialist; Dr. Maurice Eisner is known as a surgeon and among the physicians are Dr. Albert England and Dr. Garvey Adeson.

Jay Rosenfeld is concertmaster of the Pittsfield Symphony Orchestra.

Pittsfield has a local Jewish Community Center known as the Hebrew Alliance Building. Here are the headquarters of the Y. M. and Y. W. H. A. and here too are held the sessions of the local Talmud Torah.

The Hebrew Ladies Aid Society, meets at the Hebrew Alliance Building and the Temple Aid Society connected with the Temple Ansha Amonim are two women’s organizations.

The young people are organized in the Maccabaen Society and the Daughters of Israel. Pittsfield, too, is the home of Adullam Lodge of the Independant Order of Bnai Brith.

Local and national needs of the Jewish Community are met by a Jewish Community Chest with the following officers: George A. Newman, president, Samuel E. Bloomberg, vice-president, Simon England, treasurer and George Margolin, secretary. The fund which is governed by a board representing all the local Jewish institutions administers its funds to sixteen local and national Jewish Organizations.

Jewish education is dealt with by the Sunday School of the Temple Ansha Amonim which also conducts Hebrew classes on Saturday morning and an extra week-day session of the confirmation class on Thursday afternoon; by the Talmud Torah, meeting at the Hebrew Alliance building, by a Sunday School conducted by the Orthodox congregations and by private teachers.