RHODE ISLAND JEWISH HISTORICAL NOTES VOLUME 11 NOVEMBER 1993 NUMBER 3 PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Seebert J. Goldowsky, M.D., Chairman Stanley A brams Sidney G oldstein, Ph.D. Geraldine S. Foster E leanor F. H orvitz Bonnie N. Goldowsky Terry Kantorowitz Shaffer Jerome B. Spunt The Library of Congress National Serials Data Program (NSDP), Washington, D.C. 20540, which operates the U.S. Serials Data System, has assigned the following International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) to the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes, a publication of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association: ISSN 0556-8609. F ront C over Marcus family at Block Island, on beach at Block Island, 1900s. See Summers along Lower Narragansett Bay: Block Island and Newport,” p. 275. Seated, Mollie Marcus (Glaser), Peter Marcus. Standing, Louis Marcus, Anna Vaille Marcus, Harry Marcus, Joseph Marcus. RHODE ISLAND JEWISH HISTORICAL NOVEMBER, 1993 VOLUME 11, NUMBER 3 Copyright © 1993 by the RHODE ISLAND JEWISH HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 130 SESSIONS STREET, PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND 02906-3444 RHODE ISLAND JEWISH HISTORICAL NOVEMBER, 1993 VOLUME 11, NUMBER 3 Copyright © 1993 by the RHODE ISLAND JEWISH HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 130 SESSIONS STREET, PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND 02906-3444 RHODE ISLAND JEWISH HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION 130 Sessions Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02906 David Charak Adelman (1892-1967), Founder EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Stanley Abrams...... ......................President Bernard K usinitz .... ... First Vice President Aaron Cohen ........... Second Vice President Sylvia F actor......... ......................Secretary A lfred Jaffe, D.D.S .................... Treasurer Honorary M embers of the E xecutive C ommittee Bonnie N. Goldowsky L ynn Stepak Past Presidents Geraldine S. F oster B enton H. Rosen Seebert J. Goldowsky, M.D. Beryl Segal (1898-1980) Robert A. Kotlen Jerome B. Spunt M arvin Ptiterman, Ph.D. E rwin Strasmich M embers-at-large of the E xecutive Committee Herbert Brown T oby R ossner Sidney G oldstein, Ph.D. A lvin R ubin Jeremiah J. Gorin E dith Salhanick Rosalind Gorin L illian Schwartz Sidney D. L ong Selma Klitzner Stanzler Charlotte I. P enn Samuel J. Stepak Herbert Rosen M elvin L. Z urier Judith W eiss C ohen, Editor Seebert J. G oldowsky, M .D., Editor Emeritus E leanor F. H orvitz, Librarian-Archivist Printed in the U.S.A. Published for the Association by Dow C ommunications, Palm Bay, Florida FROM THE EDITOR NOTES ON THE NOTES New readers of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes may be surprised by one of the sections in this issue, “Jewish Organizations in Newport and Their Officers — 1894-1928.” Not a narrative article like the other sections, it is a list of names and dates. Such a compilation was part of the original concept of the Notes as a repository of materials for future historians as well as ajournal of historical papers. In fact, David C. Adelman, founder of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Associa­ tion and first editor of our publication in 1954, used the name Notes rather than calling the publication a journal. He envisioned the publication as one that would contain notes for future writers rather than one that only contained articles. With this issue, I hope we can begin again to publish such lists again, though population growth will never allow us to use such lists as Adelman’s lists in early issues of all the Jews in court records from 1739 to 1860, all Rhode Island Jews naturalized to 1906, or the whole Jewish population of Providence in 1878. Compiling the Newport organization list for this issue was a monumental task by Bernard Kusinitz, first vice president of the Association and Newport historian. He and I issue a challenge to residents of other communities in Rhode Island to begin compiling such a list for their towns or cities. Future historians, as well as relatives and friends of people listed, will be grateful for any such efforts. This issue includes the third and last of the series by Geraldine S. Foster and Eleanor F. Horvitz on “Summers Along Narragansett Bay,” but we will reserve space in the next issue for an “Afterword” we hope some of our readers will supply. We are often asked why a particular family or person is not included in articles such as these. One reason is that there is no way we can know about the experiences of everyone who vacationed at Block Island, Narragansett Pier, or Oakland Beach. Another reason is that it is physically impossible for the writers to interview every single person. The “Afterword” in the 1994 issue will provide an opportunity for more people to be included. If you have an interesting anecdote about one of the Jewish summer vacation places, please call or write one of writers or the editor and write down your recollections for us to include in the next issue. Special thanks for help with the editor’s job this year are due to loyal members of Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association Stanley Abrams, Aaron Cohen, Maurice B. Cohen, Jack Cokin, Geraldine Foster, Bonnie and Seebert Goldowsky, Rosalind Gorin, Eleanor F. Horvitz, Toby Rossner, Alvin Rubin, Anne Sherman, Lynn and Samuel Stepak, and Lynn Tesler. I also thank the volunteer writers of articles in the Notes and the many people who provided information. Judith Weiss Cohen TABLE OF CONTENTS Tribute: Rabbi E li A. Bohnen........................................................................................272 by Stanley Abrams Summers Along L ower N arragansett B ay: B lock Island and N ewport.............................................................................................275 by Eleanor F. Horvitz and Geraldine S. Foster Jews at B rown.................................................................................................................... 292 by Martha Mitchell T he First Jewish Students at Brown University................................................... 296 by Seebert J. Goldowsky, M. D. The Bureau of Jewish Education: The E arly Y ea r s............................................ 315 by Geraldine S. Foster Cantors, Choirs, and Choral Societies..................................................................... 335 by Eleanor F. Horvitz Christians, Jews, and the Hebrew L anguage in Rhode Island History..........344 by Shalom Goldman 100th Anniversary of B ’nai Israel, W oonsocket: 1993..................................... 354 by Geraldine S. Foster The First 100 Years of the N ational Council of Jewish W om en.................... 359 by Naomi Brodsky Jewish O rganizations in N ewport and T heir Officers: 1894-1928..................370 by Bernard Kusinitz Book Reviews The Jewish People in America, Henry F. Feingold, general editor..............381 by Howard P. Chudacoff A Pictorial History of the New England Orthodox Rabbinate..................... 384 by Eleanor F. Horvitz The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia.......................................................385 by Lillian Schwartz Reflections and Recollections I Remember Ruby — by Eleanor F. Horvitz.................................................. 386 How School House Candy Started — by Samuel Rosen..............................388 Bibliographical N otes................................................................................................... 394 by Seebert J. Goldowsky, M. D. Thirty-ninth Annual M eeting of the A ssociation................................................. 397 Necrology............................................................................................................................399 E rrata and Addenda....................................................................................................... 406 Funds and B equests..........................................................................................................406 L ife M embers of the A ssociation.................................................................................407 272 Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes A TRIBUTE: RABBI ELI A. BOHNEN, 1909-1992 by Stanley A brams President, Rhode Island Jewish Historical A ssociation Eli A. Bohnen, Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Emanu-El, Providence, died on December 1,1992, at the age of 83. His distinguished career is cited in the Necrology on page 400. A number of tributes to Rabbi Bohnen were offered at the time of his death and during his lifetime of service to the religious and secular communities. It is fitting that Rabbi Bohnen be recognized and honored by the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association. He served as a member of the Executive Committee of the Association and as an honorary member of that committee from 1972 until his death. He contributed two articles to Notes which reflect two major components of his life — a reverence for scholarship and a deep-felt appreciation of history. In 1959 Rabbi Bohnen authored a review of the translation of The Midrash of Psalms [Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes, Vol. 3, No. 2, October 1952, pp. 83­ 86], He wrote that the scholarly work by his fellow rabbi and neighbor, Rabbi William G. Braude, “has brought glory to our Jewish community. ... and will be recognized throughout the world wherever there are scholars who will seek to study the Midrash on Psalms.” Rabbi Bohnen’s second article in the Notes is apersonal account of his World War II experience as a chaplain in the United States Army [Rhode Island Jewish Historical Notes, Vol. 8, No. 2, November 1980, pp. 81-90]. He served in Europe with the 42nd “Rainbow” Infantry Division and was awarded the Bronze Star medal for meritorious service. Rabbi Bohnen