Evening Star Newspaper, December 16, 1934, Page 94

6 e THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, DECEMBER 16, 1934. HEBREWS Eighth Street Tem- ple Gave High Place to Congre- gation— Corner Stone Laying and Dedication of Cen- tral Presbyterian Church—Site of Methodist Church South and Later Civil War Hos- pifal. BY JOHN CLAGETT PROCTOR. E, ON this side of the Atlantic Ocean, can know but little of the troubles of the Jews of the Old World, except that, from our idea of religious freedom, we naturally feel that in some places they are being severely persecuted. How- ever, regarding the Jews of Washington, we can speak more intelligently, for here we have known many from childhood, have grown up with them, have associated with them for many years in civic and fraternal organizations and in business enterprises, and are naturally familiar with their sterling qualities and all the attributes that go toward the making of good citizens. It is not an easy matter to trace the coming of the Jews—or Hebrews, if you prefer the racial name—to the District of Columbia. Others, more familiar with the subject than is the writer, have tried it and failed, except to state as a fact that a fairly strong colony was here as early as 1847, these being mostly young men, clerking in stores and going to Baltimore for the main holiday service. Dr. Abram Simon, that learned and schol- arly rabbi of this city, says in his “Notes on Jewish Interests in the District of Columbia,” that he could find but two Hebrew names in the Washington directory of 1834, and that these were Capt. Alfred Mordecai and E. A. Cohen, and then proceeds to quote Miss Rosa Mordecai, who stated to him that when her brother Frank died here in 1841 her father found it impossible to reach any Jews who could be called to attend the funeral rites. E. A. Cohen & Co., referred to by Dr. Simon, is said to have published the directory men- tioned. Nine years later the same source discloses but two Cohens living here, Robert H., a shoemaker, and Mrs. S. J, boarding house keeper. Mordecai was then an Army captain, residing on the north side of Penn- sylvania avenue between Nineteenth and Twen- tieth streets, which was probably in one of the “Seven Buildings” in that block. OWEVER, the earliest authoritative date of the coming of Jews to the District is given by Mr. Justice Hagner in his opinion in the Ebbinghaus-Killian case, decided in Dr. Abram Simon, the present rabbi. : .~—Photograph by Harris & Ewing. <3 HeRy o ot d R AIDED IN DISTRICT’S GROWTH Interior view of the new temple, the corner stone of which was laid September 15. ° 1881, in which he makes the following re- marks: “It appears from the proof that about the year 1832 a large number of Germans found themselves domiciled in the City of Wash- ington, which then contained no church where the services were performed: in their own tongue. The bond of nationality proved stronger than devotion to religious forms and they all, from time to time, assembled in common worship conducted in the German language by some of their members, and the testimony discloses the rather remarkable fact that this company of foreigners, composed of Jews, Roman Catholics, Lutherans and Cal- vinists, for a considerable time continued in harmony to attend the same religious exercises. “About the close of the year, at one of these religious meetings, it was mentioned by some one present that he understood there were two lots of ground in the western part of the city, which had been set apart by a certain Jacob Funk for the benefit of German religionists. It was therefore decided that inquiry should be made to ascertain the facts. The result of the investigation disclosed that on the assessment books of the city there stood in the name of ‘D. Reintzel, for Lutheran Congregation,’ a lot at the corner of Twentieth and G streets, and in the name of ‘Reintzel, for Calvinist Society,’ a lot at the corner of Twenty-second and G streets. * * °* “But shortly afterward they took possession of the lot at the corner of Twentieth and G streets, and by the joint efforts of all, the Protestant Germans, a church was erected for their common use; the Jews and Roman Cath- olics having previously withdrawn and allied themselves with congregations of their own faith.” Commenting on this statement, Dr. Simon says that at this date (1832) * * * “It is not likely that there could have been more than half a dozen;” meaning that number of Jewish persons in the District; “yet it is impossible,” he continued, “to identify every one.” SSUMING Judge Hagner's statement to be correct, that the Jews did for a while wor- ship with other German-speaking congrega- tions, naturally this must have been unsatis- factory, though it was the best they could do under the circumstances, and so, if this condi- tion ever existed—and there appears to be some doubt—it did not continue after 1852, when the Washington Hebrew Congregation was or- ganized, April 25, of that year, and first met at the home of W. Jacobi, on Pennsylvania avenue, between Nineteenth and Twentieth streets— probably also in one of the “Seven Buildings.” The officers chosen at this time were: Presi- dent, Solomon Pribram; vice president, Jacob Saqui; treasurer, Jonas Gluck; secretary, Albert Horwitz, and the membership, from both sides of Rock Creek, included Leopold Oppenheimer, Moritz Fischer, Herman Lissberger, Levy Whet- field, Moses May, Leopold Gassenheimer, W. Jacobi, Feist Hanlein, Sam Wallach, A. Bern- stein, Sam Bien, Moses Friedenwald, Abraham Strassburger and N. A. Schlors. For the use of the new congregation, a Sepher Torah was borrowed from Nathan A. Schloss of George- town, then in the dry goods business, on Bridge (now M) street, where he also resided. The first services, from 1852 to 1854, we are told, were held in homes of H. Lissberger and M. Lully, and then over the home of L. Cohen. The name of Lissberger does not appear in the city directory for 1843, '46, '50 or '60. The city directory for 1850 carries the name of “H. Lissbregan, confectioner, s. side Pa. av., btw. 17 and 18 w,” and this is probably the name intended. In 1860, Menoc Lully was in the clothing business at 389 Seventh street north- west, and resided at the same address, which, according to the present numbering of houses, was on the west side of the street above H. Levi Cohen resided at the corner of H street and Pennsylvania, “between eighteenth and nineteenth streets,” and from here the little band took up their quarters in a rented room on Four-and-a-Half street and Maryland ave- nue southwest, then to Seventh street near D northwest. “In 1854,” according to Dr. Simon, “Mr. Sam Herman * * * came from Baltimore and was the first officially elected Chazan, serving also in the capacity of secretary for one year. Dur- ing his year the services were held in the home of the president, Isaac Herzberg, on the avenue, between Third and Four-and-a-Half streets.” THE Rev. Solomon M. Lansburg came here in 1857, and assumed leadership of the con- gregation, which was, in 1860, at 369 Fourth street, west (old numbering). Later we find the members meeting at the corner of Ninth and D streets northwest, and at the time the moVe was made to the present location on Eighth street between H and I streets, they were meeting in Harmony Hall, on D street, be- tween Twelfth and Thirteenth, which quite likely had previously been known as Finkman’s Hall, and into which they moved on September 4, 1861, as recorded in The Star of September 5, which says: “* * * There was a very large at- tendance at the new synagogye on D, negr Thirteenth street (late Harmony Hall), which was first opened as a place of worship by the congregation.” The present site on Eighth street is of his- toric interest, since, before it’ became the prop- erty of the Washington Hebrew Congregation, here worshiped the members of the Central Presbyterian Church; then it became the meet- ing place of the Methodist Protestant Church Scuth and during the Civil War, from July, 1862, to March, 1863, it served as an Army hospital. The corner stone of the Presbyterian Church was laid early in July, 1845, and the National Intelligencer of July 4 of that year, gives the following account: “The corner stone of the new Presbyterian Church intended for the Rev. Septimus Tustin and his congregation, was laid on Wednesday evening with appropriate solemnity. The site Is upon Eighth street, between H and I streets; and the stone was laid by the Grand Lodge of Masons of the District of Columbia, Dr. W. B. Magruder, grand master, officiating. The open- ing prayer was made by the Rev. Mr. Samson, and the other ceremonies were performed by the Rev. H. Smith, Rev. Mr. Eggleston of Bal- timore, and the Rev. Dr. Muller of this city. The Rev. Septimus Tustin also delivered an im- pressive address.” EARLY a year later the church was dedi- cated, when the Intelligencer of June 3, 1846, said: *“The Dedication of ‘The Central Presbyterian Church,’ Washington.” “The dedication of this chaste and beautiful building took place on last Sabbath morning, in the preseace of a iarge and deeply interest- ing audience, among whom were the President of the United States, the mayor of this city, the Hon. Mr. Dunlap of Maine, the Hon. Mr. Collamer of Vermont, the Hon. Mr. Yost of Pennsylvania, and other distinguished citizens and strangers. The edifice stands on Eighth street, immediately in the rear of the Patent Office, on the site generously given about a year since by the late Gen. Van Ness. “Its dimensions are fifty by seventy feet, and Its neat and unpretending architecture reflects the highest credit on the taste and judgment of its enterprising and generous projector, Mr. C. L. Coltman, and on the skill and liberality of the artisans who were employed on its erection. Bo many of our worthy mechanics and other citizens have sided to a greater or less extent towards the erection of this edifice that it would be impracticable in a notice of this kind to mention all who have generously contributed of their labor and means. Their names, however, are registered upon ‘the memory of the heart.” and will be long and gratefully cherished by the pastor and members of this infant congre- gation. “We cannot, however, withhold the need of deserved praise from our worthy fellow citizen, Mr. James B. Phillips, plasterer, to whose skill and liberality the edifice is largely indebted for the chaste and elegant workmanship with which the interior is enriched and beautified. It is due to him to say that this portion of the building is the subject of universal admiration. “The Venetian blinds, made by Mr. Noel of this city, both by their neatness and excellent quality, are in good keeping with the internal finish of the church, and reflect credit upon the mechanical skill of that worthy citizen. Nor would we omit to mention the name of Mr. Reese, the upholsterer, who, without any charge, has added much to th~ b>~u‘v of the Rev. Louis Stern, who served as rabbi from 1872 to 1904. —Photograph by Bachrach.