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Philipp Bloch.

It is with admiration and honor that we wish a veteran of reform Judaism congratulations on the completion of his 80^th year. Philipp Bloch, born on May 30, 1841, is a child of the German East and has lived his entire live in the German East except for a short stint as School Director in Munich. He spent his student years in Breslau. From 1871 to 1920, so almost a half century, he was the rabbi of the Brüdergemeinde in Posen. Here he found a good religious understanding and  knowledge of the reform tradition, paired with modern education and a modern attitude. Bloch was eminently suited to care for and foster these traditions. During his studies in Breslau he met Geiger who was at the height of his work. He himself was able to achieve so much at his post through his deep scholarliness, his comprehensive general education, his lively, effervescent spirit and the deep inner religiosity of his personality. The inner strength of the congregation and its influence grew significantly during the Bloch era. During his appointment the Posener Brüdergemeinde was taken over by the Synagogal Congregation and its temple became the congregations temple with Professor Bloch as the lead rabbi.

Bloch’s name has been mentioned among the leading reform Jewish theologians for decades. During his student days he found friendship and a common perspective with Vogelstein (Stettin), with whom he founded the Association of Liberal Rabbis of Germany [Vereinigung liberaler Rabbiner Deutschlands]. Since Vogelstein’s death he has lead the organization for decades and now, with his retirement from this position, he has been named Director Emeritus. He has headed the Association’s rabbinical examination committee for years.

The past years since the collapse [Zusammenbruch] have been brought him difficulties. The political situation threatened the existence of his congregation and his life’s work. He himself held out in his beloved homeland as long as he could until the intolerable circumstances of autumn, 1920 forced him to retire and move to Berlin.

We wish the highly estimable man who has enriched Jewish knowledge through countless historical and religious philosophical works a peaceful retirement spent in spiritual renewal and robust health with undisturbed familial happiness.

Jewish-Liberal Youth Organization, Breslau
Monday, June 5^th 1921, 8 pm:
Social Get-together
in the South Park.
See the program of summer activities on the last page.

Jewish-Liberal Youth Organization, Berlin
Sunday, 5^th of June, 1921
Morning Outing to Wannsee, Potsdam.
Meet at 9 o’clock at the commuter rail platform at the
Zoological Garden train station with a ticket to Wannsee.
Cruise with the Potsdam youth group.
Tuesday, 7^th of June, 1921:
Get-together 8 o’clock, Schloß Wannsee, at the Beelitzhof
(Train station Nikolassee)

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Members’ Meeting of the Union of Liberal Rabbis of Germany,
May 17^th 1921 at Frankfurt a. M.

On Tuesday, May 17^th, the Union of Liberal Rabbis of Germany met in the Frankfurt Lodge.  Of the Union’s 85 members, the following 46 rabbis attended: [See graphic below.]

The head of the union, Bloch (Posen), did not attend due to his advanced age, so the meeting was opened by Seligmann (Frankfurt). Following his proposal, Vogelstein will be the acting leader of the meeting, Goldmann the secretary, Appel and Steinhal will lead the protocol, Salzberger and Kronheim (Bielefeld) will serve as treasurers. A committee was formed to prepare for the election to choose new leadership. Appointed to the committee are Dienemann, Jacob and and Norden.

Following these proceedings, the Counselor Dr. Blau greeted the rabbis on behalf of the Frankfurt Jewish congregation, the Medical Counselor D. Ettlinger on behalf of the Free-thinking Association for Jewish Congregational Life, Dr. Erwin Seligmann on behalf of the Jewish-Liberal Youth Organization, and Dr. Eduard Strauß on behalf of the Frankfurt and Hermann Cohen lodges.

The meeting’s leader thanked all the speakers for their heartfelt words and then delivered a report spanning from 1912 to 1921. He commemorated the members who had passed on, especially Maybaum. Guttmann, Guttmann, Appel and Rülf for which the assembly stood. He thanked the rabbis  who served as military chaplains for their sacrifice and blessed service during the war and proposed naming the current leader [Philipp Bloch] as the union’s leader emeritus in honor of his 80^th birthday which would be at the end of the month. The assembly enthusiastically and unanimously agreed. A telegram with news of this election will be sent to Bloch in Berlin. Then the meeting’s leader went on to illustrate in detail the motives, fate, and prospect of the direction of a program for liberal Judaism.

This was followed by the lectures and reports.

Dienemann (Offenbach) presented a lecture on the “Meaning of the Irrational for Liberal Judaism” that was very deep and thoughtful. He described the concept of the irrational as that part of our soul that presumes itself to be a given, that presents itself apart from any thought process and sees itself as holding sway regardless of choices. Dienemann south to show how this irrational is a deciding characteristic of our times, opposes the last questions, not because of rational thought and scientific processing, but because of primitive drives and the unexplainable.

… [translation is still being worked on]

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Aus dem Reich.

Departures from Judaism

The “Berliner Tageblatt” writes in an overview of the departures from the various Jewish confessions the following:

Before the war the number of people declaring themselves to not be Jewish was regularly reported Berlin’s Jewish congregations. Various difficulties have prevented the continued preparation of perfect statistics. In Berlin where some 180,000 Jews lived: in 210 237 left Judaism, in 1912 228, in 1913 180 and in 1917 some 150. Even here, at the start of the revolution, the wave of departures was noticeable. It lasted from about the beginning of 1919 to the mid-year. During this time, the number of departures was at least twice as much as during the pre-war years. The wave ebbed at the end of 1919 but as we were told by an informed source, the current number of these departures a third greater than before the war. Connected with this movement of departures is the fact that fewer study theology as before the war. Even so there is no shortage of religious because many religious have emigrated from the occupied areas and are waiting for assignments. – As was emphasized, the tax burden for many employed Jews, who earn relatively little, is the reason for their declaration of departure.

Lyck (East Prussia). [now Elk, Poland] The police administration published the following announcement in the “Lycker Zeitung”:

The agitation against our Jewish citizens perpetrated by certain circles has for a while now taken a form that must be decisively condemned. The various city administrations are determined to bring all means to bear against this “Unfug” Through this announcement we warn against the continuation of these hetzenden activities and ask the citizenry in the spirit of the great People’s Voe, in which the Israelite citizens of Masur were true to the Fatherland and helped us gai the glorious victory of German identity in order to preserve peace. Should the actions against Jews continue despite this warning, we will punish especially those who hang and distribute pamphlets. In consideration of our citizenry, we expect that we will not have to resort to such punishments.

Hamburg. From the Segeberg Children’s Home. On the 22 of the previous month [May] the Segeberg Children’s Home celebrated the tenth anniversary of its founding. Countless foreign and local supporters were present among the crowd of children and board members of the Israelite humanitarian Womens Association which founded and maintains the home to celebrate the occasion. Among the attendees, one noticed among others Baron van Beverrode, the Dutch Consul in Hamburg Flaes, Mayor Stolten, State Minister Dr. Köster and president of the board of the railway Schneider (Altona).

Miss Sidonie Werner, the director of the Home thanked all supporters, doors, and workers after providing a short retrospective of the institution’s development. After her spoke Mayor Stolten on behalf of the city senate, Consul Flaes and Rabbi Dr. Leimdörfer, who had dedicated the home ten years ago.

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Breslau.

Representatives‘ Meeting, May 27, 1921.

[Translator’s note: The following is not an exact translation, but is more than a synopsis.]

Because the congregation’s representatives had not met for 2 months, there were 26 items to consider, many of which concerned the cemeteries, namely deciding to allow 3 burials in one plot and improving the drainage and the building at Antonienstraße 6 and funding more telephone connections.  Members of the charitable aid committee were elected. Another important topic was religious instruction which received more funds to cover the reorganization of instruction for the upper classes. Rabbi Dr. Vogelstein and Counselor Hirschberg were able to align the curriculum for these upper classes with that of the province’s. There was a long debate about paying for new library books. Apparently, many books had been missing. These were found to be in the hands of scholars who used them for their research and many requests for their return had gone unheeded. The debate included additional funds to cover paying library aids (all women) for overtime. The contribution to the Jewish “Kurhospital” [modern equivalent would be “rehab”] in Warmbrunn [now Cieplice Slaskie Zdroja, PL] was increased from 400 to 600 marks. The budget of the M. S. Leipzig Foundation was reviewed. The regional traveling library received some funding. In the future the funds of the Reander Mueller Foundation will go to support support Jewish psychological patients and to cover the significant costs of supplying matzah for the recent Passover. The representatives then went into a private session during which it was decided to use congregation funds for a grave memorial for the deceased Rabbi Dr. Rosenthal.

For Your Consideration.

Forest Sanitorium Obernigk

The German Nationalist Protection and Defiance Federation Obernigl chapter published in the May 4^th issue of the “Boten aus den Kreisen Trebnitz, Militsch-Trachtenberg, Wohlau, Anzeiger für Bad Obernigk” an announcement that was signed by Dr. Fritz Kontny as its leader. Dr. Kontny invites all who want to join the Protection and Defiance Federation to  come to him at the Waldsanitorium Obernigk.

This fact deserves to be noted because Dr. Kontny through his activity as the leader of the defaming and agitating Protection and Defiance Federation, makes it quite clear that he does value Jewish guests in his Sanitorium.

The German Nationalist Protection and Defiance Federation’s list of businesses. The Otto Kowatsch & Co., producers of lighting fixtures and metalwork, Breslau 5, 6-8 Reydigerstraße reports that it distances itself completely from any antisemitic activities and has repeatedly asked the German Nationalist Protection and Defiance Federation to take them off the list.

Cabaret Kaiserkrone. The June program is very interesting. The enormously fat Otto Mücke [gnat] (paradox!), the gorgeous Elsa Felsen and the singers Herrmann Torf and Albrecht Hoffmeister, and the Krönlein-Tima duet will deliver the best entertainment. Take note especially of the dancer Dolly Gerd who performs her folk dances with a good technique, musicality, and authenticity. It’s truly worthwhile to see the June program.

The living maze, which will be set up on the fairgrounds of the Breslau Luna Park in Morgenau delights all visitors with its labyrinthian hedges. Neo-Impressionist statues, large concave and convex mirrors and a friendly fountain in the middle of the maze add an artistic aspect and increase the pleasure of visitors to this magical garden setting. It’s far better than the maze that was set up in the Scheitniger Park in previous years.

[Schedule of services that lists the Confirmations at the Old Synagogue, Saturday, June 4: Ernst Günther Karpe (Father Siegmund K., Schuhbrücke, 19/21 and Albert Loewy (Father Leo L., Neue
Graupenstraße 11] At the New Synagogue, Saturday, June 4: Gerhard Glaser
(Father Leo G., Augustastraße 133).

The Gotthelf Foundation is giving scholarships to Jewish students of Medicine or Law who had been born in the provinces of Silesia or Posen. Applications accompanied by a birth certificate and grades/recommendations will be accepted until June 20^th of this year.
The Board of the Synagogue’s Congregation.

The Foundations of Jakob and Charlotte Krebs, City Councilor Fedor and Charlotte Pringsheim, Biller Sina and the Lady von Pilot will assist deserving local Jewish brides with their trousseaus. Applications accepted until the first of September.

It is a proud duty of all Jewish fellow citizens [female] to belong to the Israelite aid to the sick and Funerary Society (Chewra kadischa) and so support the Israelite Hospital which is in dire need thanks to the war and its economic consequences.

Non-members of the Chewra Kadischa must pay double the burial fee in case of their death and the death of their dependents.

Membership applications can be made at the office of the Israelite Hospital, Hohenzollernstr. 96 (Tel. ring 6716-18)