USA > Ohio > Hamilton County > Cincinnati > Cincinnati, the Queen City, 1788-1912, Volume II > Part 3
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This is but another illustration of the fact that Dr. Wise had conceived the idea of the Hebrew Union College years before any other man in America ever dreamed of it.
In October, 1870, the New York conference of rabbis indefinitely postponed the Wise proposition for a union and college. Nevertheless, the Israelite contin- ued to print editorials calling upon congregations to meet in conference. On December 9, 1870, the Israelite announced that Mr. Henry Adler, of Lawrence- burg, had consented to give $10,000 to Cincinnati Congregation Bene Yeshurun (Dr. Wise) for the establishment of a college, thereby "rendering his name im- mortal in the history of American Judaism."
The year 1871 was to witness a great change in the history of American Juda- ism. Jn June, 1871, a conference of rabbis met at Cincinnati. Dr. Lilienthal, in his inaugural address, stated that the establishment of a rabbinical college de- manded most serious consideration. At this conference Dr. Wise succeeded in securing the adoption of his plans to bring about a union of congregations and the establishment of a college. He introduced a plan for the establishment of a Hebrew Congregational Union, to preserve and advance the union of Israel, to take proper care of the development and promulgation of Judaism, to establish and support a scholastic institute for the education of rabbis, preachers and teach- ers in religion.
In the catalogue of the Hebrew Union College, issued in May, 1906, in mem- ory of the founder, the story of the college is told from the beginning, in 1875, to the date of the catalogue.
America was among the latest to carry the plan of a systematic rabbinical education into effect. Although as early as 1846 attempts were made in this di- rection, the difficulties were manifold, arising from the lack of cohesion between the recently formed congregations and from the critical internal conditions due to the religious controversies growing out of the introduction of reform. While many tried to perpetuate their ideas by raising a young ministry on American soil, it remained for the strong individuality of Isaac M. Wise to carry these at- tempts into effect. Moritz Loth, president of Congregation Bene Yeshurun of Cincinnati, in his annual message, October 20, 1872, recommended that Cincin- nati join in an appeal to their sister congregations to appoint a committee to con- sider the calling of a general conference of all the congregations of the west, south and northwest in an appeal for a union of American congregations which should, among other objects, support a theological seminary. Appeals were sent to the various congregations, and in the following July thirty-four congre- gations were represented at a convention held in Cincinnati. This convention
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drew up a constitution for a regular organization, which held its first council in Cleveland, July 14, 1874, when fifty-six congregations responded to the call. Moritz Loth was elected president of the new organization and to him belong's a large part of the merit of having effected the first organized representative body of American Israel. Mr. Loth served in this capacity until 1889, when he was succeeded by Julius Freiberg, cf Cincinnati, who was reelected at each succes- sive council, until advanced years compelled him to decline reelection in 1903, two years prior to his death. He was succeeded by Samuel Woolner, of Peoria, Ill., who holds that office at the present time.
The first substantial encouragement was given to the institution by Henry Adler, brother of the Chicago rabbi, Liebmann Adler, a man of modest means, who handed to Dr. Wise a sum of $10,000 for this purpose. Henry Adler always remained a faithful friend of the institution, and on the occasion of his golden wedding, February 15, 1889, added $1,000 to his former gift. He died, deeply mourned, at the age of eighty-three, February 10, 1892. The minimum sum estimated for the maintenance of such an institution was $60,000, and the funds had by no means reached that figure when the second council, convened at Buf- falo, N. Y., July 17, 1875, at which seventy-two congregations were represented, resolved to open the college, which was done October 3, 1875.
It was a bold undertaking in view of the many obstacles and with the meagre financial resources available. Many declared it impossible that American-born young men would take up the study of Jewish theology. Others opposed the in- stitution because they were opposed to the religious views of the founder from personal motives, but nothing could daunt the energy of Isaac M. Wise. With the Sabbath-school rooms of congregation Bene Israel as class-rooms (later on changed to those of Bene Yeshurun), with a few books obtained by friends, and assisted by a single teacher, the late Solomon Eppinger, he refuted all doubts by going to work, and he had the satisfaction of gathering around him a class of seventeen students. The plan of instruction which had been agreed upon by the rabbis of the leading congregations, occasionally changed in detail, but remained in its essential idea the same. It was intended to give young men, receiving secular instruction in the Cincinnati schools, instruction in theological branches during their free hours. Consequently the college was to have two departments, one preparatory, for those who attended the high school, the other academic, for those who attended the university, each of these departments comprising a course of four years. The only change of importance was the addition of one year to the collegiate department under the name of third collegiate class, pro- posed by Isaac M. Wise in 1896, and carried into effect under his successor in 1904. A Semitic department, planned as part of the University of Cincinnati, and consisting of courses given by the instructors of the college, was announced in 1897. Its object was to overcome the difficulty created by the demand of a tuition fee by the university from the students of the Hebrew Union College, who had formerly been admitted free. This department, however, was never instituted.
The administration of the college was placed in the hands of a board of gov- ernors, appointed by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations. As the first president of this board, immediately preceeding the opening of the college,
ISAAC MAYER WISE
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Bernhard Bettmann was selected and he is still serving in this capacity. The first secretary was Adam A. Kramer, who in the following year was succeeded by Jacob Ezekiel, who served until advanced age forced him to retire in 1896, when his place was filled by Isaac Bloom, who was appointed clerk of the board.
The work was crowned with success, manifested by the approval of public opinion. The committee of examiners, consisting of Rabbi S. H. Sonneschein, Rabbi Lipman Mayer and Lewis N. Dembitz, stated in their report that their "anticipations were more than realized."
The next scholastic year saw twenty-three students, and a new teacher was required. As such Emanuel Loewenthal was engaged, who after a few months was succeeded by the Rev. Abraham Harris, who served during the remainder of the year 1876-7 and during the scholastic year 1877-8, when he was succeeded by Louis Aufrecht. From the second year of the college, Dr. Max Lilienthal, rabbi of Congregation Bene Israel, participated in the work of the college by giving instruction in Jewish history.
In this way every year a new class was added, until in the fall of 1879 the first class of the collegiate department was opened, and Dr. Moses Mielziner, then at the head of a private school in New York, was elected professor of Talmud, which position he held until his death, February 18, 1903.
Another important event was the acquisition of a home for the college by the purchase of a magnificent private residence on West Sixth street, Cincinnati, at the price of $25,250, which, with the cost of the necessary alterations, was in- creased to about $30,000. The dedication of the building took place with great solemnity April 24, 1881, the governor of Ohio and the dean of Cincinnati Uni- versity assisting. A room in the college was furnished as a chapel by Mrs. Nan- nie Fechheimer, and since December 17, 1882, religious services have been held every Sabbath afternoon in the chapel, at which the students alternately read the prayers and preach. The year 1882 brought severe losses to the young institu- tion. Dr. Max Lilienthal died April 2, and Louis Aufrecht July 25. The loss of two members of the teaching staff was felt the more keenly as one of the most devoted members of the board of governors was taken away in the person of Solomon Levi, May 2 of the same year, and with a ring of sadness the president said in his monthly report, dated May 5, 1882: "It appears to me like frosty autumn, the leaves falling from the tree chilled by the cold storm. The host of the noble ones decreases."
While the institution was struggling, owing to its limited means, and had to fill the vacancies in its teaching staff by the appointment of advanced students as assistant teachers, moral encouragement was given to it by the congregations who invited the students to preach from their pulpits and offered them positions before they graduated. Ignatz Mueller and Henry Berkowitz, students of the college, taught during the remainder of the school year 1882-3, the latter continu- ing in the same capacity up to the end of the scholastic year 1883-4. With the beginning of the scholastic year 1882-3, Morris Goldstein, cantor of Congregation Bene Israel, taught liturgical music, continuing for several years. In December, 1882, a rule about degrees was passed, granting to the graduates of the prepara- tory department the degree of B. H. (Baccalaureus Hebraicorum) to the grad- uates of the collegiate department of the rabbinical title, and opening to graduates
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two years after their graduation the right of applying for the title of D. D. (Doc- tor Divinitatis). The first honorary degree of D. D. was bestowed on Solomon Eppinger on the occasion of his seventieth birthday, January, 1883.
The crowning of the work of the college, a memorable event in the history of American Israel, took place July 11, 1883, when four members of the senior class, Israel Aaron, Henry Berkowitz, Joseph Krauskopf and David Philipson, received their rabbinical diplomas. One member of the class, Frederick Hecht, had unfortunately died in April, only a few weeks before the honors of gradua- tion could be conferred upon him. The congregation showed at once that the desire for rabbis of American training, on which Isaac M. Wise had based his expectations when he founded the college, was generally felt. Already before the official graduation three of the candidates were elected as rabbis by prominent congregations-Israel Aaron in Fort Wayne, Ind., Joseph Krauskopf in Kansas City, Mo., and Henry Berkowitz in Mobile, Ala. The fourth graduate, David Philipson, remained connected with the college as preceptor until 1884, when he was elected to the pulpit of Har Sinai Congregation in Baltimore. Students came in unexpected numbers, and in 1885 for the first time all eight classes were in operation. Nor was endorsement from competent quarters and theological au- thorities wanting. The committee of examination, consisting of Revs. Dr. K. Kohler, Benjamin Szold and George Jacobs, stated in their report that the classes displayed an amount of knowledge that afforded the examiners great pleasure, and the words spoken by Dr. G. Gottheil, who delivered the baccalaureate ad- dress to the first graduating class of the college, were a testimony to the inspira- tion which the older members of the ministry felt in seeing the assurance of the continuation of their work.
The resignation of Rabbi Philipson, and the still existing vacancy caused by the death of Dr. Lilienthal, necessitated an addition of two members to the teach- ing staff of the college. Rev. Siegmund Mannheimer, then in Rochester, N. Y., was called as preceptor in exegesis, and began his work in January, 1884. He still continues as the oldest member of the faculty both in years and in service. The vacancy in the chair of homiletics, formerly held by Dr. Lilienthal, was temporarily filled by Dr. S. H. Sonneschein, of St. Louis, who came to Cincin- nati regularly to deliver lectures on that subject. As Dr. Sonneschein felt that he could not do justice to his chair, another chair had to be created. With the beginning of the scholastic year 1884-5, Dr. Henry Zirndorf was called to the college from Detroit as professor of history and Jewish literature, teaching also homiletics, and continued his work until 1890, when he retired, remaining in Cincinnati as rabbi of Congregation Ahabath Achim until his death, December 17, 1893. Infirmities of age forced the oldest member of the faculty, Dr. Solo- mon Eppinger, to retire February 1, 1886. Dr. Eppinger was succeeded by Rabbi David Davidson, of the Schearit Israel congregation in Cincinnati, who was elected preceptor in Talmud and exegetical literature in 1886. He continued to the end of the scholastic year 1891-2, when he was called to the pulpit of Mont- gomery, Ala. At the same time Ephraim Feldman, a student of the college, was made assistant preceptor, being raised to the position of instructor in 1895, and made professor in 1898. In 1889 Dr. David Philipson was called to the pulpit of Congregation Bene Israel, and offered his services to the college as instructor of
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Semitic languages. Since 1891 he has also been teaching homiletics. Simultane- ously with Dr. Philipson Rabbi Charles S. Levi was called by Bene Yeshurun Congregation as assistant to Dr. Wise, and, like his colleague, volunteered his services as instructor of history, serving in this capacity until 1898. The retire- ment of Dr. Zirndorf, in 1890, created a vacancy in the chair of history and literature, which was filled in 1891 by the election of Dr. Gotthard Deutsch, then rabbi of Bruex, Bohemia, who entered upon his duties in December of the same year.
In the following year Dr. Max L. Margolis, who held a fellowship in the Semitic department of Columbia College, was called as instructor of exegesis, and held his post until 1897, when he was called to a chair in the University of California, returning to his former post as professor of exegesis in the beginning of the scholastic year 1905-6. The growing number of students repeatedly re- quired temporary arrangements in the course of instruction, and during 1894-5 Rev. Jacob Mandel, then rabbi of congregation Ahabath Achim, gave instruction in biblical subjects for several hours a week. In the following year his place was filled by the appointment of a regular instructor in the person of Mr. Casper Levias, up to that time fellow in the Semitic department of Johns Hopkins Uni- versity, of Baltimore. He continued at his post until his retirement at the end of the scholastic year 1905. The place of Dr. Margolis, who left for California in 1897, was filled by the appointment of Dr. Moses Buttenwieser, who shortly be- fore had arrived in New York from Germany, and who since that time (1897) has continued as instructor in the biblical department. The number of students increased until in 1898-9 it reached the record number of seventy-seven students enrolled. In the beginning of the scholastic year 1898-9 Rabbi Charles S. Levi left Cincinnati to accept a call as rabbi in Peoria, Ill., and Dr. Louis Grossman, called to the pulpit of Congregation Bene Yeshurun by the side of Dr. Isaac M. Wise, offered his services as professor of theology, a chair which he has filled since. In January, 1900, Dr. Henry Malter, then in Berlin, was called as in- structor in Talmud and philosophical literature, and was in 1904 raised to the rank of professor of philosophical literature.
On the 26th of March, 1900, death removed the most conspicuous factor in the history of the Hebrew Union College, and, one might well say, in the religious history of American Israel. On Saturday, March 24, Isaac M. Wise had taught his class at the college as usual, when at the end of the recitation he was seized with sudden illness, and removed to his home, where he expired two days later. It was a beautiful end of a remarkable career, especially fitting in view of the fact, that in spite of many other activities, the Hebrew Union College had always been Dr. Wise's most cherished creation. As president he was succeeded by the oldest member of the faculty, Dr. Moses Mielziner, who, in spite of his advanced years and the increasing debilities of age, remained at his post for nearly three years, until his death, February 18, 1903. During the last month of Dr. Miel- ziner's life, and after his death, Dr. Deutsch was acting-president until the begin- ning of the scholastic year 1903-4, when Dr. Kaufmann Kohler, formerly rabbi of Congregation Bethel, of New York, elected president of the Hebrew Union College, February 25, 1903, entered upon his office. His formal introduction to office took place, with due solemnities, October, 1904.
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After the death of Dr. Mielziner, Dr. J. Leon Magnes was appointed in- structor and held his office until the end of the scholastic year 1904, when he was succeeded by Dr. Max Schloessinger, who then was working on the literary staff of the Jewish Encyclopedia, in New York. Upon the retirement of Casper Levias, Dr. Max L. Margolis returned to the college, after an absence of eight years, as professor of exegesis.
For years the support of the college had presented a grave problem. Its in- come depended on the dues of congregations forming part of the union, paying one dollar a year per member, and on voluntary contributions from individuals, while the sinking fund which was to be collected before the college opened had not reached the sum then estimated as necessary when the institution celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary of its existence. The death of Isaac M. Wise stimu- lated activity in this direction. His many admirers declared their willingness to create such an endowment fund for the perpetuation of his memory, and in May, 1900, a circular was issued asking for contributions. The result was only partly encouraging, and in 1901 "The Isaac M. Wise Memorial Fund National Com- mittee" was created for the purpose of bringing the fund up to the required amount of $500,000. In 1903 this committee called to its assistance Dr. Joseph Krauskopf, of Philadelphia, who entered upon this labor of love with charac- teristic energy and sound sense. At this writing there has been collected over three hundred and thirty thousand dollars.
Another important problem grew out of the necessity of providing a new home for the college. The property acquired in 1881, which according to the views of the authorities would suffice for many years have now become unsatis- factory. The character of the neighborhood has changed, compelling both teach- ers and students to lose much time in going to and from the college; the grow- ing library could not be advantageously shelved, and the facilities for physical exercise so necessary to those who have to spend far more time indoors than the average student of an academic institution, were entirely lacking. Finally, March 5, 1905, a committee was appointed to secure a proper location for new buildings, and November 18, 1905, a site on Clifton avenue, seven hundred feet front by thirteen hundred feet deep, was acquired. Plans for the buildings are under consideration.
The success of the Hebrew Union College was not attained without serious trials. In the eastern states, where the bulk of the Jewish population of the county always lived, Cincinnati was not considered a well-selected place for a rabbinical college, and another institution was started under the name of Jewish Theological School of Temple Emanuel. The council of the Union of American Hebrew congregations, held at Milwaukee in 1878, effected a mutual understand- ing, and the New York institution was placed under the care of the board of governors of the Hebrew Union College, as a preparatory institution, and re- mained so until it was closed in 1885. In the same year another crisis threatened the young institution. A rabbinical conference, convened at Pittsburg, November, 1885, adopted a very liberal platform, endorsing Sunday services and suggesting the abolition of the Abrahamic rite for proselytes. As Dr. Wise was one of those who had participated in the conference, the cry of heretical teaching was raised against the college, and Mr. Bettmann, as president of the board of gov-
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ernors, found himself compelled to declare it an erroneous impression that the "tenets of any platform other than Judaism pure and simple are permitted to be taught, directly or indirectly, in the Hebrew Union College."
In spite of these assurances the opposition to the college constantly gained ground, and succeeded in the establishment of the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York, in 1885, chiefly through the efforts of Dr. Sabbato Morais, of Philadelphia. This institution, devoted to the interests of orthodox Judaism, was in 1902 merged into the newly established Jewish Theological Seminary of America, under the presidency of Dr. Solomon Schechter. From the start well endowed, it is another important testimony to the work done by Isaac M. Wise and the Hebrew Union College in arousing interest for the cause of Jewish learn- ing in the new world.
An important part in the work for Jewish culture was done by the establish- ment of the library of the college, which was the first large library of its kind in the United States. Originating with a few insignificant donations, and with sporadic purchases as occasion suggested, without any regular appropriation, it received finally some valuable donations, the greatest of which was the bequest of Dr. Samuel Adler, of New York, and finally an appropriation of one thousand dollars annually from the funds of the college. In the year 1905 the library of Dr. M. Kayserling, of Budapest, was, at the suggestion of the president of the college, purchased by Julius Rosenwald, of Chicago, and generously donated to the college. This library is especially valuable in helping to make possible scien- tific work done by members of the college faculty.
Of the many joyous celebrations which united the alumni and well-wishers of the Hebrew Union College and showed their spirit of solidarity, mention may be made of the seventieth and eightieth birthday anniversaries of Isaac M. Wise in 1889 and 1899, of the inauguration of President Kohler, 1903, and of the seventieth birthday anniversary of B. Bettmann, 1904. The alumni of the He- brew Union College form an association, and their interest in the cause of the college, as well as the work done by them in their congregational, sociological and literary activities, has helped to bring the college to its present standard in Ameri- can Israel.
THE LIBRARY.
Max Schloessinger, Ph. D., librarian; Abraham Cronbach, Max Reichler, as- sistants.
The library of the Hebrew Union College contains over sixteen thousand vol- umes, devoted to the study of Judaica, Hebraica, Semitica, and various cognate branches. Through constant donations and purchases the number of volumes is rapidly increasing, a recent donation of great value being the Kayserling library of over three thousand volumes, presented to the college by Julius Rosen- wald, of Chicago.
More than ninety periodicals, treating of matters in which the college is in- terested, are regularly received.
The reference alcove of two hundred and fifty volumes contains all of the works most frequently referred to in the pursuit of Jewish studies.
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Besides the main collection of books kept in the library proper, there are in the several class-rooms smaller collections consisting of works needed for in- struction in the several departments.
The library also supplies the students with text-books and is open every day excepting Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 2 p. m. to 6 p. m. The circula- tion department is open every day between 2 p. m. and 3 p. m., also with the exception of Saturday, Sunday and holidays. During vacations the library is open from 2 p. m. to 4 p. m.
THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS FOR 1906-1908.
Rev. Dr. Henry Berkowitz, 1539 North Thirty-third street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Bernhard Bettmann, Cincinnati, Ohio, president.
Alfred M. Cohen, southwest corner Third and Walnut streets, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Nathan Drucker, 901 Broadway, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Maurice J. Freiberg, 216 East Front street, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Samuel Grabfelder, Hotel Walton, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Simon Greenbaum, Spring Grove avenue and Rawson street, Cincinnati, Ohio. Edward L. Heinsheimer, 326 Walnut street, Cincinnati, Ohio, vice president. Harry M. Hoffheimer, 2335 Grandview avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio.
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