RIJHA NEWSLETTER
Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association
The Olympic Club on Benefit Street: A legacy of brotherhood and service
BY JAIME WALDEN
While preparing for a recent veterans’ event at Temple Emanu-El, I uncovered a fascinating chapter of Providence’s Jewish history: In May 1927, eight spirited boys, ages 8 to 10, formed a club at 65 Benefit St., in the first home of the Jewish Community Center Their names –Louis Yosinoff, Jack Jacobson, Joslyn Presser, Nathan Schwartz, Erolle Haas, Haskell Wallick, Ira Stone and Jack Rotenberg – may be familiar to some readers.
The name of the boys’ club evolved over the years, starting as The Loyals. Then it became The Young Frats, before eventually transforming into the William Gates Cutler
Olympic Club
IN THIS ISSUE
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT THE OLYMPIC CLUB ARCHIVE UPDATE
FINDING LOVE AMONG THE BAGELS
MYSTERY PHOTO
Gates, their mentor, was a guiding force, shaping the group’s direction and inspiring its growth
organization, even teaching them to run their weekly meetings using Robert’s Rules of Order He also organized mock congressional sessions, where the boys introduced, debated and voted on legislation
Beyond their meetings, the club embraced spirited competition, striving to outshine other groups at the Jewish Community Center in their quest to win the coveted Jules P. Goldman Trophy for the JCC’s all-around club.
After Gates left Rhode Island in 1933, DONATIONS & GRANTS
Gates taught the boys the principles of leadership and
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The William Gates Cutler Olympic Club, 1932.
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leadership of the group passed to Jack Alperin, Max Levin and Harold Stanzler.
The boys in the club came from humble beginnings, many being first-generation Americans from underprivileged families
Most of them held after-school jobs to help support their households
For these boys, the bright spot in their daily lives was the time spent at the JCC, where the Olympic meetings were a sanctuary from their struggles
Even if a boy lived 30 minutes away, he would walk to the club almost daily, regardless of the weather. The magnet that drew them was the club’s sense of belonging and purpose. They were taught discipline, competitiveness, responsibility and teamwork, lessons that would shape their futures in the club and their broader communities.
As the boys matured, they began to take charge themselves, shaping the club’s future.
By 1935, the club had introduced its annual formal dinner dance, a much-anticipated highlight of the year During the 1930s, the glamorous event was hosted at venues such as Zinn’s Banquet Hall, in Providence, The Hotel Warren, in Warren, and the Weber Duck Inn, in Wrentham, Massachusetts The club upheld a strict rule: If a girl declined an invitation from one Olympic member, she was off-limits to the others.
The fun didn’t stop with the dance. The following morning, the group met for a baseball game at the Sessions Street field, which is now the site of the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center It wasn’t uncommon for players to show up for the
Guided by their motto – Charity, Friendship, Benevolence – the Olympics cultivated a deep sense of community and actively giving back, such as when they helped with the digging at the site for Camp JORI’s pool.
By 1941, the club had grown to 65 members, but, as World War II loomed, its focus shifted dramatically. By 1943, nearly every member served in the armed forces, representing all military branches. Olympic members played important roles in the war effort, with some participating in historic events such as DDay.
Sid Green, who was not able to serve in the military due to a childhood leg injury, found another way to contribute to the war effort He wrote a monthly newsletter for club members, filled with updates from home, current address lists and reminders of upcoming birthdays, offering a vital connection during difficult times.
Green once shared with a Providence Journal reporter that returning servicemen often made
Six of the eight Olympic Club founders. Standing, left to right: Louis Yosinoff, Joslyn Presser, Erolle Haas, Jack Jacobson Seated, left to right: Nathan Schwartz, Haskell Wallick.
Dear members,
Letter from the president
It’s moving into the depths of winter here in Rhode Island – either you are shoveling snow or wondering when it will snow If you are reading this in Southern climes, then enjoy the sunshine
In our office on the lower level of the Alliance’s Dwares Jewish Community Center, the staff of the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association has been busy applying for, and receiving, important grants that will help ensure the future of our organization.
The first was the Bliss, Gross, Horowitz Fund grant for $6,000. It covers the cost of bringing Georgia Hunter, the author of “We Were the Lucky Ones,” to speak at the Dwares JCC on April 27, 2025. Her book, a New York Times best-seller, is about her Polish-Jewish family and its struggles to escape the Nazis and survive the Holocaust.
Hunter, 46, grew up in Providence and did not learn about her family’s experiences until she was a teenager The book was published in 2017 and later made into a series for Hulu. Her talk should be of great interest to our members and members of the public
Our archivist, Sam Turco, was especially delighted to receive an Edwin S Soforenko Fund grant for $5,320. This will pay for an overhead scanner and for a part-time hire to scan photos in our archive.
RIJHA also received a Gertrude N. & Seebert J. Goldowsky Foundation grant for $5,000, which helps pay the archivist’s salary. Without an archivist, we would still have boxes and
shelvesofuncataloguedmaterialsinour archive.
Wehavealsobroughtinthreeinternstohelp theRIJHAstaffandthefolksattheRoger WilliamsNationalMemorialParkbegin puttingtogethervariousprojectsandprograms aspartoftheHahngrant.Youwillbereading muchmoreabouttheHahnsin2025.
Asifallofthiswasnotenoughtokeepour staffandthevariousRIJHAcommitteesbusy, wealsoproducedfiveseparateprogramsover threemonthsforTempleEmanu-Eltouseas partofits100thanniversarycelebration
JaimeWalden,ourofficemanager/acting director,ledtheworkonthis,aidedbySam TurcoandRuthBreindel,ourboardsecretary, andboardmembersCliffKarten,Giovanna Wiseman,LowellLisker,MarilynMyrowand DavidLeach(MembershipCommitteechair) Needlesstosay,theyputinanenormous numberofhourspreparingthislectureseries. Kudos!
Itshouldalsobenotedthattherequiredfiveyearfinancialreviewoftheorganizationwas conductedthisfall,andRIJHAwasdeclared “ahealthyorganization.”
Finally,membershiprenewallettersweresent outinearlyDecember.Itisimportantthatyou renewsoyouremainapartofthisveryvital organization.
LindaLotridgeLevin President
From the Beryl and Chaya archives
Michael Feldman, a board member at the United Brothers Synagogue, has donated key documents from the synagogue’s long history to the Beryl and Chaya Segal Archive, including programs from the recent 100th anniversary of the building and meeting minutes.
Also included in the donation are the original lease and bill of sale from 1916, when the congregation purchased the land where United Brothers Synagogue is still located, at 205 High St., in Bristol.
The donation inspired a close look at RIHJA’s past items from the synagogue,
whichledmetoorganizeanddigitizethe majorityofthecollectionontoPastPerfect. Thiswillallowcurrentandfutureresearchers tomoreeasilynavigatethecollectionwhen searchingforrecords
SamTurco,archivist
RIJHANEWSLETTER
VOL 1,NO 4
Publishedquarterlyby:
TheRhodeIslandJewishHistoricalAssociation
401ElmgroveAve Providence,RI02906 wwwrijhaorg|401-331-1360
Continued from Page 2
Pleaseemailquestions,commentsandsuggestionsto: JaimeWalden,office@rijhaorg
Publicationteam: ExecutiveEditorJaimeWalden CopyEditorCynthiaBenjamin
Advisers: LowellLisker
LindaLotridgeLevin
Allrightsreserved
his home their first stop Highlighting the club’s close-knit camaraderie, his wife, Tedi, noted, “You knew when you married an Olympic, that you were marrying into the whole club.”
The bonds between club members remained strong throughout the war, sustained by letters and visits whenever they found themselves in the same area. Their correspondence often included fond recollections of prewar Olympic Club activities.
After the war, the group continued meeting until officially disbanding in 1952. Despite this, members maintained their connection through reunions that continued for many years
A drawing by Morris Satloff, sent to Sid Green in 1945.
Bill of sale from the town of Bristol, to then Congregation Chevra Agudas Achim, 1916.
WWII veteran found love among the bagels
BY LOWELL LISKER
Whenever I see our old photograph of Willard Avenue, with the Perler’s Bakery sign, it brings back the story my mother, Bertha Abrams, shared about how she met my father, Saul Lisker.
Mom was born in Providence, the youngest of Joseph and Fannie Abrams’ three daughters. She grew up on Public Street in South Providence, attending local public schools and working in the family’s grocery store, Joe’s Market, on Potters Avenue.
The market was a modest neighborhood shop where my zayde purchased and butchered meats for sale. I have faint memories of several cats roaming the store to keep the mice at bay
When the market closed, in the 1950s, its enameled trays found new life – first in our kitchen for roasting, later for developing photographs, and now, for catching oil drips from my antique cars
Mom’s faith played a significant role in her upbringing She was confirmed at Temple BethEl (then Congregation Sons of Israel and David), on Broad Street, in 1940. Rabbi William Braude, who had arrived in Providence in 1932, signed her certificate alongside Walter Sundlun, the temple president.
Like so many, my parents’ lives were shaped by World War II. The Walsh-Kaiser Co. shipyard hired Mom as a timekeeper during the war,
offering steady work amid the bustle of welders, electricians and laborers. After the war, she worked the counter at Perler’s Bakery, where destiny came calling.
Dad was also born in Providence, the son of Harris and Sophie Lisker He grew up on Chester Avenue with seven siblings, attended local schools and worked for Inlaid Optical, on Broad Street The war changed his path too; he was inducted into the U S Army on March 3, 1942, at Camp Devens, Massachusetts
After the war, Dad became a regular at Perler’s Bakery, stopping by to buy challah, bagels and pastries. It was there that he met Mom.
My grandmother, Sophie, sent two much older cousins to “investigate” the budding romance. Their approval sealed the deal
The couple married on Nov. 28, 1946, at Sons of Abraham, on Prairie Avenue, with Rabbi Abraham Chill officiating. They lived in apartments on Harriet and Miner streets before settling into their first house, in Warwick, in 1953. Now, they rest side by side in Lincoln Park Cemetery.
Willard Avenue street scene with Perler’s Bakery sign, 1947.
Plaque from The WalshKaiser Co. shipyard commemorating the attack cargo ship Sylvania, built in 1945.
Do you recognize the man in this photo?
The office staff has recently discovered that this photo, in the Joslyn Presser collection in our archive, shows an unidentified man While the photo is part of Presser’s collection, his family is certain it isn’t him The staff is hoping that someone might recognize this person.
If you have the answer, or even any clues or insights, contact Jaime Walden at office@rijha.org or 401-331-1360. Every detail helps as RIJHA works to preserve and tell our community’s stories!
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