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ANNISTON, ALA.
CARS
TIRES
king MOTOR CO.
HEADQUARTERS
ANNISTON, ALA.
SERVICE
VULCANIZING
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ALABAMA
DRUG CO.
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B. C. L.
DRUG CO.
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THE PALACE
DRUG CO.
ANNISTON, ALA.
NIXON
TRANSFER
& COAL CO.
fireproof Warehouse
Phone 72
^or Taxi and Baggage
Phone 598
ANNISTON, ALA.
A. J. GOODWIN &
COMPANY, Inc.
REAL ESTATE AND
INSURANCE
A- J GOODWIN w. H. BRYANT
J- THOMAS MARTIN
Te| *69 16 East 11th St.
ANNISTON, ALA.
AUTO PARTS
New and Used
Any Mode! Car or Truck
Big Savings
Hood Tires and Tubes
National Batteries
Phone 33
B U C K’S
AUTO WRECKING
PLACE
• 10th St. and Moore Ave.
ANNISTON, ALABAMA
Tn
SOUTHERN ISRAELITE *
Mishkan Israel-A Tale of Jewish Survival
Congregation Mishk;
In the South
Special lo Tiik Soutiikn I 9R ab.it k
, . Un Israel, in the
course of „ s |„ ng hist ,' h "
pom, the Selma Jewish eommu^
has helped crystallize and mould liberal
Jewish life in America. It happened
that the Jews who settled
In
in Selma prior to ami
during the Civil War
were largely of Germanic
extraction. Evidently they
had already come into
contact with the new Re
form movement in the
fatherland. When they or
ganized their congrega
tion in the year 1865 they
were determined even at
that early date to stress
the principles of liberal
Judaism. In the present
constitution of the congre
gation is a paragraph
copied verbatim from the
first charter of the group.
It tells us that, “The ob
ject of this congregation shall be to pre
serve, cherish, and promote the doctrines
and precepts of modern Judaism.” The
term “modern” was evidently used in the
absence of a more specific word as the
Reform movement had barely begun in
America at that time. During all the
flux and change of sixty-seven vears
Mishkan Israel has striven to maintain
Jewish life for a small community in
terms that are compatible with modern
life.
The first president of the congregation
was Mr. Adolph Elkin. .Since the group
did not possess a building of its own the
first services were held in the homes of
members, among them Mr. Joseph Meyer,
M. J. Meyer, and in a room above the
first Jewish club on the main street of
the city. Following Mr. Elkin as lav-
leader were a group of men who, like
the first president, were elected for life.
Starting with the year 1922, the term of
office was shortened to a maximum of
two years. At the present Mr. Walter
Bloch occupies that position, the ninth
president to serve the congregation with
distinction.
The history of the Selma rabbinate is
interesting as well as varied. During its
life the congregation has been served by
laymen, unordained cantors, and gradu
ates of three of America’s rabbinical
seminaries—the Jewish Theological Sem
inary, the Hebrew Union College, and the
Jewish Institute of Religion. I he initial
services were conducted by laymen who
organized the congregation. In 1870
Cantor Rosenberger was engaged. He
occupied the pulpit for ten years, until
he was succeeded by Rabbi Kaufman.
The latter resigned after five years of
service, and no one was immediately en
gaged to take his place, although the
famed Henry Berkowitz, later of Phila
delphia, visited the community and oc
cupied the pulpit. During the interim
from ’85 to ’87 Mr. Jacob Roth-child con
ducted the services and served in lieu of
a rabbi. Following his election in 87.
R \iiiii Joseph II. Gumbiner
Sflma, .-11a.
Mr. E. S. Levy officiated for a period of
twenty years. Dr. Jacob Kaplan, now of
Miami, Florida, served from ’07 to '13.
He was followed for a period of one year
Rabbi Israel Hirsch, a graduate of
. the Schechter seminary.
In 19 14 Rabbi I s i d o r
Isaacson, now of Holly
wood, came to Selma im
mediately following his
graduation from the He
brew Union College.
Rabbi Simon Cohen
served for three years, to
be followed by Israel
Klein for a brief time.
Rabbi Jerome Mark came
in 1926 and remained
until his departure in
1930 to serve the new lib
eral Jewish community of
Melbourne, Australia.
Rabbi John Tepfer, a
graduate of the Wise In
stitute in New York, of
ficiated until the winter of 1930. He was
succeeded at Passover in 1931 by the
present incumbent of the pulpit, Rabbi
Joseph Gumbiner, a graduate of the He
brew Union College.
The congregation was housed in its first
synagogue, purchased from a local church,
in 1879. In 1899 the present structure was
erected as a permanent home for the com
munal life of Selma Jewry.
Naturally in the course of these many
years great changes have come in the
form of worship and life of the people.
The congregation began by using the
Minhag America prayer b<M>k, the cre
ation of Isaac M. Wise. 'Phis was
changed later for the Jastrow prayer
book of Temple Emanu-EI. Today, in
keeping with most Reform congregations
in this country, Mishkan Israel employs
the Union Prayer Book for its worship.
An attempted colonization of East Eu
ropean brethren in Selma around 1891
forms one of the most fascinating chap
ters in the community’s history. 'ITiese
folk were refugees from the cruel po
groms then breaking out sporadically in
Eastern Europe. A group of families
found their way to Selma, where they
were provided with shelter, provisions,
medical care, and employment whenever
possible. Among them were painters, cap
makers, silversmiths, and a number who
attempted to till the soil. The strange
climate and environment were too much
for them, however, and each family in
time left Selma for a different home.
Today the community, although smaller
in numbers than in past years, is carry
ing on the traditions of liberal Judaism.
In addition to the regular weekly services
there is a religious school with sessions
each Sabbath, some classes during the
week, and a special children’s service on
Saturday morning. The National Council
of Jewish Women has an active chapter
in Selma, under the able leadership of
Mrs. Maurice Bloch. Phis group main
tains an excellent nutrition project at one
(Pleas f turn tn patjr 24)
SELMA, ALA.
PURE MILK CO
M. HANSEN, President
2410 7th Avenue, S.
BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
Phone 4-3873
CHAS. A. PATTERSON
General Insurance Agency
108-10 LAUDERDALE ST. PHONE S03
SELMA, ALA.
KKYNOLn HUDSON
Distributor
•
TEXACO CAS AND Oil.
e
SELMA, ALA.
TILLMAN DRUG CO., Inc.
Prescription Druggists
100 Broad Street
SELMA, ALA.
CENTRAL CITY
LAUNDRY
l'R.\ \ K HAKIM HILLY UOHKIHOK
1310-12 \ I ji ho nut Avr. I'honr 369
SELMA, AI.A.
Coca-Cola Bottling Co.
M. W. BROWN, Manager
SELMA, ALA.
DRESSLEIN BROS.
HI1SEKAL DIRECTORS
SELM A, ALA.
HENDRICKS
& TATE
SELMA, ALA.
MILTON L. WOOD
INSLROR
SELMA, ALA.
HOLLIS - VAUQHAN
OIL CO.
SELMA. ALA.
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