One is never too old to become an American citizen is the claim of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Rosen of Mountaindale who are 105 and 101 years old respectively. Despite their great age they want to become naturalized but on the ground that they are too old to learn to read and write English their applications have repeatedly been refused.
When the naturalization court reconvenes in October, Isidore Smith, justice of the peace, will try again to obtain citizenship for the aged pair. The centenarians argue that they are not too old to learn English. Mr. Rosen, who is a synagogue caretaker, takes a cold shower daily, while Mrs. Rosen was never ill a day until she had pneumonia in 1923.
As the Year Turns, Support the Journalism You Trust. JTA covers the stories shaping Jewish life around the world — with the depth this moment calls for. As you reflect on the year ahead, consider a gift that keeps independent Jewish journalism strong.
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.
