Congregation Beth Israel – Part 3 Written by Carolyn M. Kaplan By 1920 the House of Israel was feeling cramped. In January, under the leadership of Hymon H. Kronick, the Knights of Pythias pledged $20,000 toward the purchase of the old Bijou Theater on Center Street from Guglielmo Lattanzi* for $25,000. The building was renovated to become a synagogue with the Daughters of Israel Aid Society contributing handsomely to this endeavor. On December 22, 1922, the group was incorporated as the United House of Israel under the directorship of Hymon H. Kronick, Morris Kronick, Samuel Richton, Max Feder, Louis Salkin, William Less, David Bashevkin, Barnet Ark and Jacob Lenhoff. One year later on December 27th the United House of Israel was able to burn its mortgage. On January 16, 1925 they were able to engage its first Rabbi, Irving Miller, however he only remained for one year and was not replaced until 1936. On September 3, 1931, fire destroyed much of the Hebrew Community Building. Through the generosity of Grover Bowman, Superintendent of Schools, the city of North Adams offered the Drury High School auditorium for its High Holiday Services. In 1936, the United House of Israel elected Moses Mecheloff as its second rabbi. He remained for two years followed by Rabbi Morris Stiskin who stayed in North Adams until 1942. During the early days of WWII, the North Adams Lodge of B’nai B’rith was organized. This philanthropic organization, along with its women’s Auxiliary No. 417, supported humanitarian causes. The first challenge faced by the Women’s Auxiliary was furnishing social activity for more than 1,000 trainees at the Naval Training Program at Williams College. This group of women established a Canteen for the young men on Saturday evenings in the Lodge rooms over Sam Hirsh’s drug store on the corner of Center and Eagle Streets. They invited girls of good background and of all faiths as dancing partners for the boys. This endeavor was so successful that one night more than 1,200 young men signed the guest book. Rabbi Joseph Rothstein, who was hired in 1944, initiated a variety of activities including Friday Night Forums, Junior Congregations, a Sunday Morning Breakfast Club and the first evidence of a community bulletin. His efforts to stimulate the community were rewarded when his Congregation brought the Reverend Montague Isaacs from England to assist him. Rabbi Rothstein rekindled interest in improving the Center Street facility. His proposed remodeling of the façade graced the frontispiece of the Fiftieth Anniversary Book, illustrating his hopes for the future of the Congregation. His efforts were instrumental in obtaining a $1,000 gift from Herbert B. Clark toward this end. * Guglielmo Lattanzi was the parish priest from St. Anthony’s Church. Father Lattanzi purchased the Center Street building in 1911 from the Father Matthew Total Abstinence Society. His hopes were to begin an Italian based school for the children of his parish but that plan never came to fruition. The following photos show the front of the House of Israel on Center Street, the Pine Room and the main worship area.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 10:37:45 +0000
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