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The Beginnings | |
The Synagogue on French Street | |
Growth | |
The Center | |
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At this time in Brith Sholom's history the congregation was still Orthodox in its traditions. Accordingly, this new building seated about 140 men and around 100 women upstairs in the balcony.
Erwin A. Levick, who served many years as secretary of the Board of Directors, tried to recall the Brith Sholom history in a letter to his granddaughter Helene:
In the early years, 1900-1907, the minyans were held at various homes. A hall located on 18th Street near Parade was rented for the high holidays and it became the small congregation's permanent home until the shul was built. As we did not have a Rabbi, Peter (Pesach) Levick was the davenot and also blew the Shofar. In the hall there weren't many prayer books and only one little Torah. The members had their own talisim. The committee purchased Festival and Holiday prayer books. They were in Hebrew with no English translation. A member donated a Torah to the congregation in honor of a happy occasion. The women made the Torah Cover and curtains for the Oren Kodesh. Other members donated religious items and Sam Dietch built a mikva in back of his home on East 11th Street so the men and women could go there for their ritual baths. I also recall that when I was a young boy, 7 or 8 years old, Reverend Atlas taught the boys who were 12 years of age Hebrew and prepared the for their Bar Mitzvah. They would go to his home.
Two painted lions of David adorned the wall about the Aron Kodesh, a filigree eternal light hung between them. The bima, dressed in red velvet, was flanked on three sides with dark wood pews. Two narrow staircases curled from the entrance lobby to the women's section upstairs. Only a few women could read the prayer books and they were surrounded by other women who listened attentively as they read.
Seats were sold in various years; people tended to sit in the same areas of shul whether they purchased seats or not. Honors for the High Holidays were auctioned off. It should be noted here that the men, while separated from their wives, were tolerant of their little girls and allowed them to sit downstairs with them, usually braiding the fringes on their father's or grandfather's tallitot. Some men wore high silk hats and silk suits to holiday services; others sat in their fedoras, few wore kipot until the move to the new Brith Sholom synagogue in 1950.
Life was more difficult but simpler in the first half of the century, a social life revolved around the congregation. Happiness and griefs were shared. Funerals were usually conducted from the home of the deceased. Simchat Torah was one of the highlights of the year, as described here by Ishur Levick:
After a brief service the proceedings started. The officers would take out the four Torahs and each man was honored by carrying the Torah around the aisles. Pesach Levick was the Cantor and had a "Top Hat." The youngsters were given Jewish flags and marched around. When they arrived at the front of the bima they would sing Hebrew songs and wait for four more men to carry the Torah. This went on until every man or young boy had his turn.
A young boy would always get a new suit for his Bar Mitzvah, another joyous event for Brith Sholomites. After the service members were invited to lunch, hosted by the family, in the basement of the shul. The usual fare was challah, kichel, herring, wine, and whiskey; sometime gefilte fish and kugels were added with pop and cookies for the children. A simple kiddush lunch was also served to celebrate a bridegroom's oufrouf, or the naming of a baby girl. A mohel was engaged to come in from Pittsburgh or Cleveland, Youngstown later, to perform a bris for the baby boy.