A History of the Alliance, Ohio Jewish Community by Austin Reid

AHistoryoftheAlliance,OhioJewishCommunity

ByAustinReid

ImageoftheformerTempleofIsraelCongregationonEastColumbiaStreetcirca1919. Photopublishedinthe Jewish Criterion,anewspaperoutofPittsburgh,onApril1,1919.

Alliance’sFirstJewishResidents

Alliancewasincorporatedasavillagein1854about fouryearsafterthemergerofthree oldercommunities,Freedom,Liberty,andWilliamsport.In1888or1889,thevillageofMount UnionwasannexedintoAllianceandthemunicipalitywasrecognizedasacitybytheStateof Ohio.DuringtheseearlyyearsofAlliance’shistory,Jewsalreadynumberedamongthelocal inhabitants.ThefirstJewishfamilyknowntohavelivedinAllianceweretheReiters.Alexander andHannahReiter,whowerebothimmigrantsfrommodern-dayGermany,arrivedinAlliancein 1856.1 BeforerelocatingtoAlliance,thefamily livedinSalineville,avillage31milestothe southeast.2 AlexanderfoundworkinAllianceasa jewelerandcontinuedinthistradeuntil1867 whenasicknesslefthimparalyzed.3 Thecouplehadatleastfourchildren,Emanuel,Esther, Jennie,andMatilda.WhileallfourchildrenultimatelyrelocatedtoCleveland,itisofnotethat EmanuelworkedataclothingstoreknownasMaxOppenheimer&Company,onEastMain Streetforseveralyears.Thisbusinesswascreatedaround1877afterMax,whowaslikelya residentofCleveland,purchasedtheEmpireClothingHousefromJosephKoch.BothMaxand JosephwereJewish.JosephwasworkinginAllianceasatailorby1859andtheEmpireClothing Housewasinbusinessby1870.ItshouldalsobenotedthatHannahReiter’sfather,HenryBloch livedinAllianceby1860.Bythistime,Henrywasaround66yearsoldandalsocaringforason, Jacob,whoisrecordedinthe1860federalcensusashavinganintellectualdisability.Jacoblived totheageof94,andatthetimeofhisdeathinCantonin1913hewasamongStarkCounty’s oldestresidents.4 HenryBlochandAlexanderReiter wereamongthefirstburialsintheAlliance JewishCemetery.Henrydiedin1883andAlexanderin1888.SometimeafterAlexander’sdeath, HannahrelocatedtoCleveland.In1912,thebodiesofAlexanderandHenrywerealsomovedto Cleveland.5

ThecreationofacemeterywaslikelythefirstvisiblesignofanorganizedJewish communityinAlliance.Thisdevelopmentiscommonacrossmanysmall-townJewishhistories intheUnitedStates.SimonBaeriscreditedwithpurchasingtheparceloflandnortheastof AlliancethatwouldbecometheAllianceJewishCemetery 6 AnimmigrantfromWurttemberg

6 "High Reverence for Dead Shown," Alliance Review, November 14, 1975 5 "Bodies Moved," Alliance Daily Review, October 22, 1912 4 "Jacob Bloch Dies," Alliance Daily Review, November 18, 1913 3 Obituary ofAlexander Reiter, Alliance Weekly Review, January 11, 1888 2 “Jewish Folk inAlliance,” Alliance Review, September 26, 1911 1 Obituary ofAlexander Reiter, Alliance Weekly Review, January 11, 1888 1

whoarrivedintheUnitedStatesaround1841,SimondidnotrelocatetoAllianceuntil1868.7 He wasaccompaniedbyhiswife,Caroline.TheBaerfamilyalsoincludedelevenchildrenand duringtheirtimeinAlliance,thehouseholdwassupportedthroughaliquorbusinessoperatedby Simon.Thefamily,however,didnotremaininAlliance.By1879,SimonandCarolinemovedto Canton,whereSimondiedin1889.Later,mostfamilymembersrelocatedtoPittsburgh.Only AlbertBaerspentsignificanttimeintheAllianceareaasanadult.Formanyyears,Bertoperated aclothingstoreinSebring.HewasalsoactiveintheSebringBusinessmen'sAssociationandthe AllianceElkslodgeuntildepartingtheregionin1929.8 OtherJewishfamiliesthatarrivedin Allianceby1869includedJennetteandSolomonBloch,FannieandSimonKoch,andAbraham andRoseLang.JennetteandSolomonraisedatleastfourchildrenwhilelivinginAlliance. Duringthistime,Solomonworkedasastoreclerk.FannieandSimonKoch,whoarrivedaround 1861,wereactiveinoperatingaclothingstoreonMainStreet.Thisstorewaslikelythesame onemanagedbyJoseph,whowasalmostcertainlyarelative.AbrahamandRoseLangwerethe parentsofsixchildrenby1870.ThefamilywassupportedthroughAbraham’sworkasajeweler

Withthearrivalofthesefamilies,bythelate1860s,enoughJewslivedinAllianceforreligious servicestobeorganizedintown.Thesegatheringswerelikelyheldinprivatehomes. Inadditiontofamilies,singleJewswerealsodrawntoAlliancebytheeconomic opportunitiesexistingintherapidlygrowingtown.OneoftheseindividualswasSamuel Katzenstein.AnativeofIchenhausen,Bavaria,SamuellivedinEvansville,Indianabefore comingtoAlliancein1869toworkwithJosephKoch.9 Duringtheearly1870s,Samueloperated adrygoodsbusinesswithAbrahamSiedenbach,whowasalsoJewish.Bythemid-1880s, however,Samuelhadshiftedtosellingcarpets.WhileatfirstSamuel’sshopwasknownasthe NewPalaceStore,by1907thebusinesswasoperatingunderthenamePioneerCarpetStore.In 1876,SamuelmarriedMarieHechtofNewYork.10 BythistimeSamuel’sbrother,Philipwas livinginAllianceandthreeyearslater,Jacob,anotherbrother,arrived.Samuelwasanactive memberoftheAlliancecommunity.In1898hewaselectedtoCityCouncil,becomingthefirst JewknowntohaveheldapublicofficeinAlliance.SamuelalsoheldpositionswiththeAlliance

10 S B Goodkind, Prominent Jews of America (Toledo: American Hebrew Biographical Company, 1918), 148 9 "Samuel Katzenstein Pioneer Resident ofAlliance PassesAway," Jewish Independent (Cleveland), March 03, 1922 8 "Bert Baer, Former Sebring Merchant, Dies in LosAngeles," Alliance Review, March 20, 1957 7 “Jewish Folk inAlliance,” Alliance Review, September 26, 1911 2

BuildingCompanyandAllianceChamberofCommerce.11 In1916,whenSamuelretiredfrom businessaftersellinghisstoretoThomasCope,hewasbelievedtobetheoldestmerchantin Alliance.12 SamuelwouldalsoplayanimportantroleinorganizingAlliance’sfirstsynagogue, TempleofIsrael.Thiseffort,however,willberelatedlaterinthework.

SeveralotherJewishbusinessmenareknowntohavelivedinAllianceduringthe1870s and1880s.TheseindividualsincludeCharlesAustria,Philip Dattelbaum,J.Hauner,Henry Myers,andJ.Pollock.Charles’surname,itshouldbenoted,isalsogivenasAustrianinsome sources.SamuelLazarusandRalphLevyalsomovedtoAlliancetoworkandraisetheirfamilies duringthisperiod.Manyoftheseindividuals,however,didnotremaininAllianceforlong.Inan 1895letterpublishedinthe Jewish Review,anewspaperoutofCleveland,itwasstatedthat, whileatonetime16JewishfamilieslivedinAlliance,by1895aroundfourfamiliesremained.13

ThissameletteralsostatedthatCharlesAustrialedreligiousservicesforthecommunityduring histimeinAlliance.14 InanefforttomaintainanorganizedJewishcommunityinAlliance, FannieLevy,thewifeofRalphLevy,organizedaKaffeekränzchen,orcoffeeklatch,tohelp preservethecommunity’ssocialties.LeahGeiger,CoraKatzenstein,whowasthewifeofJacob, andLenaWisealsoparticipatedinthegroup'sfounding.LeahGeigerarrivedinAlliancein1892 withherhusbandMax.Leah’sbrother-in-law,MorrisGeiger,alsoarrivedinAlliancewithhis wife,Sophia,atthesametime.TheGeigerbrothersarrivedinAlliancetoopenaclothingstore onMainStreet.RalphLevy,whohadtakenownershipoftheMaxOppenheimerstorenearthe PublicSquare,wasalsoaclothier TheprominenceofJewishfamiliesinlocalclothingretailwas partofalargernationalpattern.Duringthemidtolate1800s,theclothingretailbusinesswas expandingrapidlyduetotechnologicaladvancesinsewing.Thisexpansioncoincidedwiththe arrivalofover150,000German-JewishimmigrantsintheUnitedStates.Oftenfacedwith barrierstoenteringothercareerfields,includinganti-immigrantandanti-Jewishsentiments,first andsecond-generationJewishAmericanscouldfindworkinclothingmanufacturingandretail.

AsJewsacclimatedtolifeintheUnitedStates,however,opportunitiessometimesopened upinnewareas.SuchanoccurrencehappenedtoMaxGeiger,whowouldplayanimportantrole inthegrowthofAllianceduringtheearlytwentiethcenturyasarealestatedeveloper After

14 Ibid 13 “CorrespondenceAlliance, O , ” Jewish Review (Cleveland), November 29, 1895 12 "Samuel Katzenstein Pioneer Resident ofAlliance PassesAway," Jewish Independent, March 03, 1922 11 S B Goodkind, Prominent Jews of America (Toledo:American Hebrew Biographical Company, 1918), 148 3

goingintorealestatein1902,Maxoversawtheconstructionofanestimated2,200homesin Alliance,mostlysouthofStateStreet,beforehisdeathin1926.15 InhonorofMax,astreetoffof MainisnamedGeigerAvenue.MaxwasalsoactiveintheAlliancecommunityasamemberof theboardofdirectorsfortheSecurityBuildingandLoanCompany,presidentoftheBoardof Trade,andheadofthelocalRealEstateBoard.HealsoservedontheCityCouncilandwasa memberofKiwanis,Masons,andOddFellows.16 Max’stimewiththeMasonsincludedplaying aninstrumentalroleintheconstructionoftheMasonicTempleat144SouthLindenAvenue. Returningtothe1890s,by1896membersoftheAllianceJewishcommunitywere meetingforliterarydiscussions.17 ThisdiscussiongroupwasknownastheJewishLiterary Society.Bythelate1890s,thecommunityhadresumedorganizingreligiousservicesinrented spaces.Theseservices,whichoccurredonmajorJewishholidays,wereheldonMainStreet.18

IndividualsactiveintheJewishcommunityatthetimewhohavenotyetbeenmentioned includedAbrahamandIsaacWise,whoworkedasbutchers,and IsadoreandJosephKoch. IsadoreandJosephwerenephewsofthepreviouslynoted,andmoresenior,JosephKoch.Like MaxGeiger,IsadoreKochhadasignificantimpactonAllianceoutsideofclothingretail.A notedboosterforAlliance,atthetimeofhisdeathin1945Isadore,orIssayashewaspopularly known,wascreditedwithbringingnofewerthaneightmanufacturingbusinessestoAlliance.

Thesebusinesseswere,theAllianceMachineCompany, theReevesBrothersCompany,the BuckeyeTwistDrillCompany,theMachinedSteelCastingCompany,theDavies-Baugh Company,theVitreousChinaCompany,theCrescentChinaCompany,andtheMcCaskey RegisterCompany 19 Isadore’sworkwiththeAlliance ChamberofCommerceandRotary,of whichhewasachartermember,notablyassistedwiththisadvocacy.20

AsAlliancedevelopedintoasignificantmanufacturingcenter,individualsfrommany ethnicandreligiousbackgroundsrelocatedtothearea.IncludedwithinthispopulationwereJews fromEasternEurope.WhileAlliance’sJewishcommunitywasfoundedbyGerman-speaking JewsfromCentralEurope,JewsfromEasternEuropewouldquicklygrowtobecomethelargest segmentofthecommunityduringtheearlytwentiethcentury Thesemorerecentimmigrants

20 Obituary of Isadore Koch, Alliance Review,April 21, 1945 19 "I Koch, Retired Business Leader,Taken by Death," Alliance Review,April 20, 1945 18 “Alliance,” Jewish Criterion (Pittsburgh),April 01, 1919 17 “Alliance, O , ” Jewish Review, February 28, 1896 16 Ibid 15 “The Editor’s Notebook,” Alliance Review, November 15, 1975 4

wouldalsoreverseAlliance’sdecliningJewishpopulationforatimeandcreatecommunal institutionsthatlasteddecades.

TheArrivaloftheEasternEuropeanJews

Betweentheyears1880and1924,overtwomillionEasternEuropeanJewsimmigrated totheUnitedStates.Inadditiontothepromiseofgreatereconomicopportunity,Jewswerealso motivatedtoleaveEasternEuropeduetointensepersecution.Thispersecutiontookmanyforms, includinglegalrestrictionsonresidencyandboutsofviolenceknownaspogromsthatleft hundredskilledandthousandshomeless.ManyJewishimmigrantstotheUnitedStatessettledin citiesalongtheeasternseaboard.Whilesomeimmigrantsfoundeconomicsuccessinthese easterncities,thevastmajoritywerepoor.Variousorganizations,fundedinlargepartbyGerman JewswhohadcometotheUnitedStatesinearlierdecades,werecreatedtoofferfinancial assistancetonewerJewishimmigrants.Oneoftheseorganizations,knownastheIndustrial RemovalOffice(IRO),soughttoimprovethelivingconditionsofJewishimmigrantsby relocatinghouseholdsfromurbanareastosmallertownsacrosstheUnitedStates. Between1900 and1915theIROassistedinrelocatingseveralJewishfamiliestoAlliance.21 Themajorityof thesefamilieswererecentimmigrantsfromRomania.SpecificindividualsincludedHarryand MollieCohen,LenaandMorrisEisenberg,ThomasandYettaGalensky,DavidandRoseSimon, AlexandElizabethWechsler,DavidandGazellaWechsler,andCyrusWechsler.HarryCohen wasabutcherandformanyyearsoperatedagrocerystoreonPattersonStreet.22 Mollie,the daughterofAnnieandMorrisEisenstadt,wasborninNewYorkandwasthemotheroftwosons, AlfredandMartin.23 Martin,theoldestson,relocatedtoElPasoasanadultwhileAlfred,who legallychangedhissurnametoKernin1946,becameanotedauthorandEnglishprofessorat AlleghenyCollegeinMeadville,Pennsylvania.24 LenaandMorrisEisenberglivedinAllianceby1915andwereassociatedwiththeWest MainStreetMarketgrocerystore.Beforeoperatinghisownstore,Morriswasapartneratthe RoyalBakeryinAlliance.25 ThomasandYettaGalensky livedinAllianceby1900andthey

Harry Cohen, Longtime

of Mollie E Cohen,

(Cohen) Kern,Alliance Product, Becomes

31, 1976

of Morris Eisenberg, Alliance Review, January 18, 1985

08,

,April 12, 1958

25 Obituary

24 "Alfred

Novelist," Alliance Review

23 Obituary

Alliance Review, December

22 "DeathTakes

Businessman Here," Alliance Review,August

1966 21 "Alliance, Ohio," Jewish Review and Observer (Cleveland), May 03, 1907 5

eventuallychangedtheirsurnametoGalen.ThomasGalensupportedhisfamilybyoperatinga scrapmetalyard.DavidandRoseSimonoperatedamen’sclothingstoreinAllianceby1910. Alex,Cyrus,andDavidWechsleralsoworkedinclothingretail.Thisbusiness,Wechsler Brothers,beganoperatingaround1907.By1925,however,AlexandCyrusrelocatedtoGary, Indiana.DavidlivedtheremainderofhislifeinAllianceandisburiedintheAllianceJewish Cemetery

HungarywasanotherregionofEuropefromwhichseveralofAlliance’shistoricJewish familiesoriginated.OneofthefirstHungarianJewstoliveinthevicinityofAlliancewas EmanuelGreenberger.AfterimmigratingtotheUnitedStatesin1873,Emanuelfoundhiswayto Salem,Ohio,14mileseastofAlliance,by1889.InSalem,heoperatedaclothingstoreand raisedatleasttwochildrenwithhiswife,Esther.BenjaminKlein,JacobandMinnieKlein,Israel Korach,andJennieLevittarelaterJewishimmigrantsfromHungarywhosettledinAlliance between1900and1915.BenjaminKleinoperatedaclothingstoreandraisedatleastthree childrenwithhiswife,Rose.JacobandMinnieKleinweremarriedby1902andin1914Jacob helpedtoopenKleinandRoderickMen'sStoreonEastMainStreet.ItislikelythatBenjamin wasalsoassociatedwiththissamestore.KleinandRoderickMen'sStore,whichlaterbecame knownasRoderick’s,wastheoldestclothingstoreinAllianceby1960.IsraelKorachalsowas involvedinclothingretailinAlliancebeforemovingtoSt.Louisby1915.Hewasmarriedto JosephineKorach,animmigrantfromGermanywholivedinClevelandbeforecomingto Alliance.JennieLevitt,amotherofsixchildren,wasmarriedtoMaxLevitt.Maxwasan immigrantfromRussiawhooperatedasecond-handclothingstoreonEastBroadwayandlater SouthLibertyAvenue.

PolandandotherregionsofImperialRussiarepresentedathird,vastregionfromwhich manyJewishimmigrantswhoarrivedinAlliancebetween1900and1915tracedtheirroots. HistoricJewishresidentswithrootsinImperialRussiaincludeJacobFrutkin,thesiblings Abraham,Esther,andHenryGordon,BenjaminandRebeccaMilavsky,HymanandSophia Munitz,BenjaminandTillieNoll,AaronandSarahRich,andIsaacRudner.JacobFrutkin,who arrivedinAlliancein1902withhiswife,Mary,anativeofNewYork,workedasalocaltailor for51years.26 For30yearsJacobhadhisownshoplocatedat310EastMainStreet.Abraham, Esther,andHenryGordonlivedinAllianceby1900andwereinvolvedinoperatingadrygoods

26 "DeathTakes J W

Frutkin, RetiredAllianceTailor,

Alliance Review, January 20, 1959 6

storeknownastheBeehive.TheMilavskyhouseholdwassupportedbyBenjamin’sworkasa tailor.BenwasinbusinessinAllianceby1908.27 HymanMunitzwasascrapmetaldealerand hisbusiness,NorthWebbAutoWrecking,mayhavebeenopenedasearlyas1900.28 Inlater years,thescrapyardwasknownastheHeinieMunitzScrapYard.BenjaminNollworkedasa jewelerinAllianceby1910andAaronRichwasalocalcarpenterby1906.Helateroperateda business,likelyabar,onEastMainStreet.IsaacarrivedinAlliancein1908withhiswife,Etta,a NewYorknative.29 IsaacoperatedtheRudnerJewelryStoreonEastMainStreetinAlliancefor 40years,retiringin1948.30

OtherJewswhoarrivedinAlliancebetween1900and1915,andwhohavenotbeen mentionedelsewhere,includeBessieandMyerCohn,BerthaandJosephGetzov,AlJacobs, GustaveandRoseRosenblum,GussieandJosephSpiegel,andAdolphSpiegel.BessieandMyer Cohn,whowerebothbornintheUnitedKingdom,arrivedinAlliancein1913.Formanyyears, MyeroperatedtheLincolnDryCleaningCompanyonEastMainStreet.31 BerthaandJoseph, wholikelyonlylivedinAllianceforashorttimearound1914,weresupportedbyJoseph’swork asamerchant.AlJacobs,whomarriedEstelle,thedaughterofIsraelandJosephineKorach, ownedacompanythatmanufacturedrompers.GustaveandRoseRosenblum,whoarrivedin Alliancearound1908,weresupportedbyGus’workasatailor.Atthetimeofhisdeathin1920, Gustavewasdescribedby The Alliance Review asaman,“universallyrespectedbythosewho knewhim,acitizenreadytodohispartinactsofcharity,amanwholovedhishome,andan uprightbusinessman[sic]."32 GussieandJosephSpiegel,whomovedtoAlliancein1913, operatedagrocerystoreatthecornerofOxfordandWebb.33 Adolph,whowaslikelyarelative ofJacob's,wasabutcher.In1913,hemarriedClaraWechsler.34

AstheJewishpopulationofAlliancegrew,additionalcommunitygroupswerecreated.

1907,aJewishwomen’sorganizationknownastheSewingCircleand

AidSociety

Ladies

34 "Wechsler Spiegel," Alliance Daily Review,April 07, 1913 33 "Blood Poisoning is Fatal to Grocer," Alliance Review, August 14, 1935 32 "Well Known Business Man [sic]Answers Call of Death onThursday," Alliance Review, December 03, 1920 31 "Myer Cohn, Head of Dry Cleaning Firm, Dies at 68," Alliance Review, October 04, 1954 30 "Isaac Rudner, Retired as Jeweler, Dies," Alliance Review, June 20, 1963 29 Obituary of Mrs Etta Rudner, Alliance Review, December 27, 1963 28 "Munitz ScrapYard Prepared to Begin 66thYear onAlliance Business Scene," Alliance Review, December 28, 1965 27 Obituary of Mrs Rebecca Milavsky, Alliance Review, November 26, 1923 7

existed.35 ThepiecescreatedbythemembersofthisorganizationweredonatedtotheJewish InfantandOrphansHomeinClevelandandotherorganizations.Thisorganizationwasalsothe likelyforerunneroftheTempleofIsraelSisterhood.MaryFrutkintookaleadingrolein organizingmanyofAlliance’sJewishwomenintoacharitableorganization.36 Jewishwomen alsohelpedtocreateareligiousschoolforJewishyouth.Thisgroupwasformedin1913.Hilda GoldsteinrelocatedtoAlliancefromNewCastle,Pennsylvaniatoteachthestudents.37 Samuel Katzensteinalsoplayedakeyroleintheschool’screationandheservedasthegroup'sfirst superintendent.38 By1915,theschool’senrollmentnumberedabout40children.39 In1911,the AllianceJewishCemeteryAssociationwasformedtomanagetheJewishcommunity’sburial grounds.Beforethecreationofthisgroup,thecemeterywasownedbytheBaerfamily.Leah Geiger,FannieLevy,andBelleWisewerekeyfiguresinorganizingtheAssociation.This nonprofitorganizationwasincorporatedwiththeStateofOhiountil1995.Interfaithactivities werealsoapartoftheJewishcommunity’sactivities.In1914,aChristianminister,W W KennedyofSt.Paul’sLutheranChurch,spokeataHanukkahpartysponsoredbyagroupknown astheTempleIsraelSabbathSchool.40 Thiseventnotealsocontainsthefirstrecordedreference totheTempleofIsraelinAlliance.Thebeginningsofthiscongregationwillbehighlightedinthe nextportionofthiswork.

TheCreationofTempleofIsraelCongregationandProceedingYears

By1913,theJewishcommunitywasmeetinginlargerrentedspacesacrossAlliancefor religiousservices.TheselocationsincludedtheAlliance HighSchoollibraryandtheKnightsof PythiasHall.In1915,severalmembersoftheJewishcommunitycametogethertochartera formalcongregation,whichtheynamedTempleofIsrael.OnNovember6,1916,Templeof IsraelCongregationfileditsincorporationpaperswiththeStateofOhio.ByDecemberofthis year,thecongregationownedsometypeofpropertyinAlliance.41 Itispossiblethatthisproperty waslocatedalongWestOxfordStreetsincealatersourcepublishedby The Alliance Review in

41 “LegalAdvertisements,” Alliance Review, December 13, 1916 40 “Alliance, O , Jewish Review and Observer, December 18, 1914 39 “Alliance, Ohio Purim Play,” Jewish Review and Observer, March 05, 1915 38 S B Goodkind, Prominent Jews of America (Toledo: American Hebrew Biographical Company, 1918), 148 37 “Alliance, O , ” Jewish Review and Observer, May 03, 1913 36 “Alliance,” Jewish Criterion,April 01, 1919 35 "Alliance, Ohio," Jewish Review and Observer, May 03, 1907 8

1976mentionsthataJewishcongregationoncemetalongthisroadway.42 Asynagoguewasnot dedicatedinAlliance,however,untilSeptember16,1917.Thiscongregation,whichcarriedthe nameTempleofIsrael,waslocatedwithinthe300blockofEastColumbiaStreet.In1918,the addressforthecongregationwasgivenas347EastColumbiaStreet.43 Fortyhouseholdswere membersofTempleofIsraelatthetimeofitsdedication.44 Beforebeingpurchasedbymembers oftheJewishcommunityfor$5,700,thestructureat347EastColumbiawasknownasChrist ReformedChurch.Thiscongregationhadmetinthespacesince1871.FromOctober1916until August1917,thetworeligiouscommunitiessharedthebuilding.45 Around150peoplecouldbe seatedinthespace.AfterAugust1917,ChristReformedrelocatedtoitsnewbuildingat208East OxfordStreet.Asof2022,thechurchisknownasFirstImmanuelUnitedChurchofChristand itsmemberscontinuetomeetatthesamelocation.

WhentheTempleofIsraelwasformed,themajorityofJewsinAllianceadheredto OrthodoxJudaism.Asignificantminority,however,espousedReformJudaism.These individualswereprimarilyfoundamongtheolderJewishfamiliesinAlliancewhocouldtrace theirrootstoGerman-speakingregionsofCentralEurope.AdherentsofReformJudaismduring thelatenineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturiesemphasizedJudaism’sethicalpreceptsover religiouslawsandsoughttomakeJewishpracticemorecompatiblewiththerealitiesoflifein theUnitedStates.LiturgicalchangesadvocatedbymanycontemporaryReformJewsincluded mixedseatinginsynagogues,theintroductionoforgansandotherinstrumentsintoreligious services,andtheabolitionofheadcoveringsduringprayer.Duringthelate1800s,athirdJewish movementwascreatedintheUnitedStatesthatsoughttoinstitutesomechangestotraditional JewishpracticeswithoutgoingasfarasReformJudaism.Thismovement,knownas ConservativeJudaism,wasformallyadoptedbythemembershipofTempleofIsraelby1919 whentheyaffiliatedwiththegroup'sorganizingbodyknownastheUnitedSynagogueof America.46 TheadoptionofConservativeJudaismbyTempleofIsraelwaslikelyaneffortto includeasmanymembersoftheAllianceJewishcommunityinthecongregationaspossible. HarryKrashwasthefirstrabbiengagedbyAlliance’sJewishcommunityduringthe 1900s.ItisbelievedthatHarry,whowasanOrthodoxJew,cametoAlliancearound1911from

46 “Alliance,” Jewish Criterion (Pittsburgh),April 01, 1919 45 Ibid 44 “Gentile and Jew will Worship Here Under Same Roof,” Alliance Review, October 13, 1916 43 “Accepts Call toAlliance Church,” Alliance Review, November 23, 1918 42 “Churches Participate in City’s Development,” Alliance Review, February 27, 1976 9

NewYork.47 Inadditiontoworkingasarabbi,Harryalsooperatedascrapmetalbusiness. Togetherwithhissons,Joseph,Hyman,andNathan,Harryinitiallycollectedscrapironfrom localfarmersandlaterdeliveredpapertonearbymills.48 TheneedforHarrytohavean additionaljobasidefromhisworkasarabbisuggeststhatatthetimehewashired,theAlliance Jewishcommunitywastoosmalltoengagetheservicesofafull-timerabbi.Thefirstrabbi knowntohaveworkedfull-timeinAlliancewasJosephMargolies.AnativeofRomania,Joseph wasagraduateoftheJewishTheologicalSeminaryinNewYorkCity.49 Thisinstitutionwas organizedbytheConservativeJewishmovementin1886.JosephbeganhisdutiesinAlliancein December1918.50 Heremainedinthecityuntiltheendof1921,whenheacceptedarabbinic positionwiththeSouthSideHebrewCongregationinChicago.51 Whilenolongeraresidentof StarkCounty,JosephmaintainedhistiestoAlliancethroughhismarriagetoDiana,thedaughter ofJacobandMaryFrutkin,in1922.52

WhiletheJewishcommunityofAllianceexperiencedsignificantgrowthduringthelate 1910s,theperiodalsobroughtsignificantchallengesduetotheentryoftheUnitedStatesinto WorldWarIonApril6,1917.AlongsidemillionsofAmericans,residentsofAllianceand surroundingareasdidtheirparttosupportthewareffort.Atleastninemembersofthelocal Jewishcommunityservedduringthewar.Theseindividualsare,HarryCohen,RobertGalen, ArthurGeiger,SigmundNisenson,SamuelRosenblum,SolSegal,CyrusWechsler,Henry Wechsler,andBernardWise.ItshouldalsobenotedthatArthurGeiger,whorosetotherankof secondlieutenantbytheendof1918,wouldgoontoserveagaininWorldWarII.53 During WorldWarI,LieutenantGeigerwasassociatedwiththeUnitedStatesArmyAirService.When hereturnedtotheUnitedStatesArmyduringWorldWarII,thissamemilitaryforcewasknown astheUnitedStatesArmyAirForces.Anotherindividualwhocanbemorethoroughlyprofiled isSolSegal.Duetohisactionsabroad,Solwasreportedonparticularlyfrequentlybythelocal Alliance Review.AnativeofEnglandandthesonof IsaacandSarah,SolarrivedinAlliance shortlybefore1917.HewasdraftedintotheMarinespriortograduatinghighschoolandsentto

53 “A H Geiger Rites to beTomorrow," Alliance Review, July 25, 1960 52 Ibid 51 "Future Weddings," Jewish Independent, December 15, 1922 50 "RabbiAssumes Duty," Alliance Review, December 11, 1918 49 “Alliance,” Jewish Criterion (Pittsburgh),April 01, 1919 48 Allan Krash, interview by Forrest Barber, Oral Histories of Alliance, Rodman Public Library, February 26, 2009, https://wwwrodmanlibrarycom/oralhistories 47 Joseph Krash Stricken in His Car Here," Alliance Review, December 13, 1973 10

Francewiththe23rdCompany.SegalsawactionatthebattlesofChateauThierryand Saint-Mihielandwaswoundedwhileinaction.InOctober1918,SolwasawardedaCroixde GuerrebytheFrenchgovernmentforbringingdownaGermanairplane.54 Apieceoftheaircraft waslatersentbacktoAllianceanddisplayedinthewindowoftheStein&DamonStoreatthe cornerofArchandMainStreet.55 Afterthewar,SolattendedMountUnionCollegeandwasa chartermemberofthelocalAmericanLegionPost166.

Duringtheyears1915to1920atleast25JewssettledinAlliance.Theseindividuals includeAbrahamandAnnaArt,HarryandEdwardAxelrod,EliseandIgnotzBotsch,Danieland IdaFactor,NewmanandSophiaGlickman,RoseandVincentJuskovitz,BessieandMax Kamber,CharlesKesler,BellaandLeoPaulKulka,RoseandSamuelLasse,RobertNisenson, AbrahamandAnnaSegall,HarryandHattieSlifkin,andJacobWolf.AbrahamandAnnaArt arrivedinAlliancein1917.Sevenyearslater,AbrahamopenedtheFirstCreditJewelryStore. ThisbusinesslatergrewintoafamilychainknownasArt’sJewelerswithlocationsinAlliance, Canton,Newark,andSalem.AbeArtremainedactiveintheAlliancebranchofArt’suntil1950 whenheretiredandmovedtoLosAngeleswithAnna.56 HissonNormanthenledbusinessatthe Alliancelocation.HarryAxelrodandhissonEdwardarrivedinAlliancein1924andsoon openedAxelrodAutoParts.EliseandIgnotzBotschlivedinAllianceby1920withtheirfour children.Ignotzsupportedhisfamilybyworkingasabutcher.DanielandIdaFactorwere associatedwithshoeretailinAllianceby1920.WhileNewmanGlickmanworkedasaclothier whenhefirstarrivedinAlliancearound1920,by1925hewasworkingatAllianceNash Company,whichsoldtires.VincentJuskovitz,likeIgnotz,wasabutcherinAllianceby1920. HiswifeRosewasthesisterofJosephSpiegelandanativeofHungary.BessieandMax Kamber,whowerebothimmigrantsfromRussia,wereinvolvedinclothingretailandremained inAllianceuntilatleast1930. In1919,CharlesKesleropenedabakeryalongthe400blockofPattersonStreet.His wife,Rose,whowasthedaughterofBenjaminandRebeccaMilavsky,assistedwiththebusiness whicheventuallybecameknownasKeslerBakeryandDairy 57 In1935,thebusinesswas destroyedinafireandrebuilt.MyronKesler,thesonofCharlesandRose,tookchargeofthe

57 Obituary of Rose Kesler, Alliance Review, December 30, 1985 56 "AbrahamArt, Retired Store Founder, Dies," Alliance Review, November 01, 1955 55 “SomeTrophies,” Alliance Review, December 12, 1918 54 Gets anAirplane," Alliance Review, October 19, 1918 11

businessafterWorldWarIIbutendedthefirmin1959topursueotherbusinessopportunities.58

LiketheKeslers,LeoPaulKulkaalsoestablishedafirminAlliancethatlastedfordecades.Leo, whowentbyhismiddlenamePaul,wasanimmigrantfromAustria-Hungarywhoarrivedin Alliancein1918.In1920,hecreatedabusinessthatcametobeknownastheKulkaSteeland EquipmentCompany.Paul’swife,Bellahelpedtomanagethefirmandwasactivewiththe Women'sDivisionoftheChamberofCommerce.Paulwasalsocivicallyengagedand volunteeredhistimewiththeChamberofCommerce,Elks,Moose,Rotary,andYMCA.59 Kulka SteelandEquipmentCompanymaintainedapresenceinAllianceuntil1988.

RoseandSamuelLasse,whowerebothimmigrantsfromEurope,livedtogetherin Allianceby1920.SamueloperatedtheSanitaryMeatMarketat535EastMainStreetforover40 years.RosewasthesisterofHarryCohen,whohaspreviouslybeenmentionedinthiswork.60

RobertNisensonwasthebrotherofSigmundNisenson,whowasmentionedasalocalWorld WarIveteran.TheNisensonbrothersarrivedinAlliancein1916toopenaclothingstoreonEast MainStreet.Thispartnershipremaineduntil1925whenRobertpurchasedtheinterestofhis brotherandrenamedthestoreTheHub.BybringingthestoreunderTheHubname,Robert associatedthefirmwithalargerchainofstoreswithlocationsacrossOhio.AbrahamandAnna Segall,wholivedinAllianceby1921,operatedagrocerystore.InsomesourcesAnna’snameis spelledasAnnieandinotherplaceshernameisgivenasEdith.HarryandHattieSlifkinarrived inAlliancefromAkronin1915.Harrymadealivingsellingshoesandeventuallyownedthree stores,includingalocationonMainStreet.Harrywasalsonoticedforhisloveofsportsand assistedinorganizinglocalathleticcompetitions.61 HattieSlifkinwasanotedlocalartistwho practicedbothpaintingandpoetry.Shealsooperatedawomen’shatstoreinAllianceformany years.62 JacobWolf,thefinalindividualmentioned, wasoneofthefoundersofPerskey'sFood Stores,achainofgroceries.WhilethefirstPerskeystorewasnotopeneduntil1935,Jacobbegan workingasawholesalegrocerintheAllianceareain1924.

In1927,BenPerskeyopenedThe MarketHouseonthefirstflooroftheSpring-Holzworthstore.

Hisbrother,Jackjoinedthefirm

64 “Perskey’sAgain Home Operated, Says Dr Wolf,” Alliance Review, February 26, 1972 63 "J M Wolf, Supermarket Pioneer, Dies," Alliance Review, February 02, 1971 62 Sanford Slifkin, interview by Forrest Barber, Oral Histories of Alliance, Rodman Public Library, October 26, 2006, http://local rodmanlibrarycom/transcripts/slifkin pdf 61 "DeathTakes Harry Slifkin;Avid Sports Fan had Long Career in Business Here," Alliance Review, September 12, 1956 60 Obituary of Mrs Rose Lasse, Alliance Review, July 29 1971 59 "L Paul Kulka, 70, Long Prominent in Industry, Dies," Alliance Review,April 10, 1961 58 "East Patterson Building Razed, Once Housed Community Firms," Alliance Review, January 15, 1970. 12

in1928andalsorecruitedJacobWolf.65 In1959,Perskey'smergedwithAmericanSeaway Foods.

JewishLifeinAllianceinthe1920sandMid-TwentiethCentury

In1920,TheAmericanJewishYearbook,apublicationoutofPhiladelphia, estimated thatAlliancehadaJewishpopulationofapproximately100.Atthissametime,40households wereaffiliatedwithTempleofIsrael.66 Jewishorganizationsalsoexistedindependentlyof TempleIsrael.Onegroup,theZionSocietyofAlliance,wascreatedin1918.67 Itsmembers organizedtoraisefundsforthePalestineRestorationFundandtheJewishWarSufferer’sFund. In1918,withthesupportofbothJewishandnon-JewishresidentsofStarkCounty, approximately$1,000wasraisedfortheJewishWarSufferer’sFund.68 The Alliance Review supportedeffortstoraisethesefundsbypublicizingcontributionstothedrive.69 This$1,000sum wouldbeequaltoapproximately$19,600in2022.Approximately50peoplewereformal membersoftheZionSociety 70 By1921,aB’naiB’rithlodgewasformedinAlliance.This fraternalandcharitableorganizationinitiated20peoplein1921.71 Thelodgewasgiventhe number856bythenationalB’naiB’rithorganization.AYoungJudaeaClubalsoexistedfor Jewishyouths.In1922,elevenchildrenwereenrolledintheSabbathSchool.72 Jewishwomen’s organizationsalsocontinuedtobeactive.In1919,inadditiontotheTempleofIsraelSisterhood, anorganizationknownastheJewishLadies’AidSocietyalsoexistedasaseparateentitywith around20members.73 EventssponsoredbytheSisterhoodorLadies’AidSocietyintheearly 1920sincludedanArmisticeDayprogramanddance. WhiletheJewishcommunitywaslargeenoughtosupportseveralorganizationsin Allianceduringtheearly1920s,notallwasharmoniousinthecityforJews.Anti-Jewish sentimentdidexistinsomepartsoftheAlliancecommunity.By1915,aKlanpresenceexistedin

1922

01, 1919

73 “Alliance,” Jewish Criterion,April

72 “Temple Israel,Alliance,” Jewish Review and Observer, June 23,

71 “Large Class,” Alliance Review,April 09, 1921 70 “Alliance,” Jewish Criterion,April 01, 1919 69 “Contributors to War Fund,” Alliance Review, February 05, 1916 68 “Over $1,000 Raised for Jewish War Sufferers,” Alliance Review, September 10, 1918 67 “Alliance Zionist Society,” Jewish Independent, May 10, 1918 66 American JewishYearbook Vol. 21, Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society ofAmerica, 1920: 526, http://wwwajcarchives org/AJC DATA/Files/1919 1920 5 Directories pdf 65 Ibid 13

Alliance.74 In1923,theorganizationwaslargeenoughtosponsorpublicrallies.75 Twoyearslater severalhundredKlansmenattendedthecharteringceremonyofanewKuKluxKlanchapterin Sebring.Thecharteringceremonywasheldatthetown’sracetrack.76 Despitethepresenceofthe Klan,however,Allianceandsurroundingtownscontinuedtoattractasmallnumberofnew Jewishfamilies.

ThesenewerfamiliesincludedBrown,Engelberg,Margulies,andSinger.Ellaand HermanBrown,whowerebothnativesofCzechoslovakia,arrivedinAlliancearound1921.In 1931,HermanBrownfoundedtheBrownIronandMetalCompany.77 Theprominenceoflocal Jewishfamiliesinthescrapironandrecyclingbusinesswas,likeclothingretail,partofalarger nationalpattern.Recyclingtechnologiesdevelopedsignificantlyduringthelate1800sandearly 1900s.Industrializationalsoincreaseddemandformetalsandmaderecyclingaprofitable industry.DuringWorldWarI,Americanscrapyardsplayedanimportantpartinthewareffortby maximizingthecounty’sresources.Operatingascrapyardwasdifficultwork,however,and manypeopleavoidedtheprofession.SomeJewishimmigrantsfromEasternEurope,however, foundaneconomicnichetheycouldfill.Operatingascrapyardwasalsoanattractiveprospect forimmigrantsbecauseofitslowstartupcostsandscalability.In1930, Fortune magazine estimatedthat90percentofscrapmetalyardsintheUnitedStateswereownedbyJews.78

NathanEngelberg,anativeofPiatraNeamț,Romania,livedinAllianceby1930and workedinagrocerystore.HelatertookajobwiththePepsiColaBottlingCompanyinCanton.79

NathanwasalsomarriedtoAnne Engelberg,anativeofRomania.AnnewaslikelynotJewish, however,sincesheisrecordedinherobituaryasamemberof St.NicholasRomanianOrthodox ChurchinAlliance.80 NathanwasamemberofShaarayTorahSynagogueinCanton.Samuel Margulies,anativeofBucharest,Romania,operatedagrocerystoreinAllianceby1930.Max andSarahSingerlivedinAllianceby1930andoperatedadrycleaner.TempleofIsraelalso continuedtosupportafull-timerabbiduringthe1920sand1930s.In1921,shortlyafterthe departureofJosephMargolies,RabbiAaronBenEzrabeganhistimewithTempleofIsrael.

K Girls Met,” Alliance Daily

,April 08,

Krash, interview by Forrest Barber, Oral

forThrong When Klan Chieftain

of Herman Brown, Alliance

,April 15,

Public Library, February

, June 08,

Eskenazi, “Junkyard Jews,” Jewish News of Northern California (San Francisco),August 20,

of Nathan Engelberg, Alliance

ofAnne Husat Engelberg, Alliance

May 18,

December 14,

80 Obituary

Review,

1992 79 Obituary

Review,

1968 78 Joe

2004 77 Obituary

Review

1963 76 “Prepare

Presents Charter Here,” Alliance Review

1925 75 Allan

Histories of Alliance

Rodman

26, 2009, https://wwwrodmanlibrarycom/oralhistories 74 “Triple

Review

1915 14

Aaron,anativeofConstantinople,wasagraduateoftheJewishTheologicalSeminaryand YeshivaUniversity,bothinNewYorkCity.81 HewasalsoaSephardicJew,tracinghisfamily’s rootsbacktomedievalSpain.Ofnote,however,isthefactthatAaronwasnotthefirstSephardic JewknowntoliveinAlliance.Rather,thisindividualwaslikelyMietje(Mariam)Pareira,a nativeofAmsterdamandthemotherofLenaWise.82 Mietje,wholivedintoher90s,likely movedtoAlliancetospendtimewithherdaughterafterthedeathofherhusband,Solomon. Afteratime,sheleftAlliance,likelytovisitsomeofherotherchildren,ofwhichshewasthe motherof12.By1928,AbrahamBraunwasservingasrabbiatTempleofIsrael.Animmigrant withknowledgeofseverallanguages,AbrahamalsoenrolledinEnglishclassesatAllianceHigh SchoolduringhistimeinStarkCounty.83

DuringtheGreatDepression,whichlastedfrom1929to1939,Alliance’seconomyand populationsuffered.Between1930and1940thecity’spopulationcontractedbyalmostthree percent,accordingtorecordskeptbythefederalcensus.Thisisequaltoabout642people.Itis alsolikelythatAlliance’sJewishcommunityshrankduringthisdecade.TempleofIsrael, however,continuedtosupportrabbinicleadershipandafewnewfamiliesareknowntohave joinedthecongregation.OneofthesenewerfamiliesweretheManheims.BelleandNathan ManheimarrivedinAlliancein1935alongwiththeirson,Roberttoopenaclothingstoreatthe cornerofArchAvenueandMainStreet.Thisstore,knownasRobert’sMen'sandBoy'sShop, remainedinbusinessuntil1990.84 Beginningin1961,theshopwaslocatedat325EastMain Street.AnothernewfamilywasheadedbyBesseandHermanRado.TheRados,wholivedin Allianceby1932,wentontoopenRado'sFloorCoveringCompanyonMainStreetin1942. Thisbusinessremainedinoperationfordecades.DonaldRado,thesonofBesseandHerman, wentontohaveanotablecareerintheflooringindustryastheCEOofAllTileinChicago.85 OthernewerfamiliesincludedDavidandSadieCowen,whoarrivedinAlliancein1937,Clara andEugeneHirschl,andEmanuelandViolaRosing.DavidandSadieCowenoperatedastore knownasDavid'sDressShopforatimebeforeDavidwenttoworkatArt’sJewelers.Heretired

January 21,

of Donald

Rado, Floor

(New York City), July 13, 2021, https://wwwfloorcoveringweeklycom/main/features/obituary donald s rado 89 34882

85 Obituary

Covering Weekly

84 Obituary

Robert B Manheim, Alliance Review,

1991 83 "Rabbi Here LaudsAmerican Kindness," Red and Blue (Alliance), December 07, 1928 82 "ARemarkable Old Lady," Jewish Review and Observer, March 20, 1908 81 "RabbiAaron Ben EzraAccepts Call fromAlliance Congregation," Jewish Independent, October 14, 1921 15

fromArt’sin1972.86 ItisalsoofnotethatDavidwasamemberofAlliance’sAmericanLegion postdespiteneverservingintheUnitedStatesArmy.Rather,heservedundertheBritishArmed ForcesduringWorldWarI.87 ClaraandEugeneHirschllivedinAllianceby1940.Eugene workedasasalesmanattheLouisOstrovShoeStoreandBostonStore.LouisOstrovandBoston werebothpartoflargerchains.EmanuelandViolaRosinglivedinAllianceby1940and operatedGail'sIncorporated,awomen'sclothingstore.

OnDecember7,1941,theUnitedStateswasattackedbytheEmpireofJapanatPearl Harbor.MillionsofAmericanswereonceagaincalledontoenlistinthearmedforces.Residents intheAllianceareaoncemoredidtheirparttosupportthewareffort.IntheJewishcommunity atleasttenpeopleareknowntohaveserved.TheseindividualswereMichaelBrown,Alfred Cohen,Abraham(Abbie)Cohn,ArthurFrutkin,ArthurGeiger,whoseservicewasmentioned previously,MyronKesler,FredKoch,JackMunitz,JackPerskey,andSanford(Sandy)Slifkin. MichaelBrown,thesonofEllaandHermanBrown,returnedtoAllianceafterhisserviceto workattheBrownIronandMetalCompany.HeservedascommanderofthelocalVeteransof ForeignWarspostforatimeandwasalsoactivewiththeAmericanLegionandAmVets.88

AlfredCohen,whohasalreadybeenmentionedinthiswork,becameanotableauthorafter WorldWarIIproducingworkssuchas The Width of Waters and Made In U.S.A.Hepublished underhisnewlegalnameAlfredKern.AbbieCohn,thesonofBessieandMyer,marriedEdythe DubbsofClevelandin1946.ThecouplelivedinAllianceuntil1955.Edythewasactiveinthe TempleofIsraelSisterhoodduringhertimeinStarkCounty 89 ArthurFrutkin,thesonofJacob andMary,attendedMountUnionbeforeservingandafterthewarcontinuedalegalpracticein AllianceandCanton.ArthurGeiger,whowasborninEastLiverpool,Ohio,livedinAlliancefor mostofhislife.Heworkedwithhisfather,Max,intheclothingbusinessandwasalsoonthe boardofdirectorsfortheSecurityBuildingandLoanCompany.90

MyronKesler,whohasalsoalreadybeenmentioned,leftAlliancefromCantonin1965. DuringhistimeinAlliance,hewasactivewiththelocalDemocraticPartyandservedasStark CountyCommissioner.FredKoch,thesonofIsadoreandJennie,operatedaclothingstorein AllianceknownastheKoch-RichmanStore.JackMunitz,thesonofHymanandSophia,was

forTB'

to beTomorrow," Alliance Review

July 25, 1960

90 "A H Geiger Rites

89 "Red Cross and 'TV

Funds get Sisterhood Gifts," Alliance Review, March 03, 1955 88 "Michael Brown, Leader in Veterans Circles, Dies," Alliance Review, October 31, 1964 87 Ibid 86 Obituary of David Cowen, Alliance Review, October 18, 1985 16

borninAllianceandcontinuedthefamily’sscrapyardbusinessasanadult.Hewasamemberof theAmericanLegionandElks.JackPerskey,ofPerskey’sgrocery,helpedtobuildPerskey’sinto oneofOhio’slargestindependentlyownedfoodstorechainsfollowingthewar.91 Thecompany’s headquarterswaslocatedat30EastStateStreetnearMountUnion.92 Theflagshipstorewas creditedwithbringinginnovationstothegrocerybusinessinnorthwestOhio,includingthe area’sfirstin-storebakeryandfirstself-servicemeatdepartment.93 SandySlifkin,thesonof HarryandHattie,formedanewcompanyinAlliance,S.andS.ProductsCompanywithRoy Shankin1946.SandywasalsoactivewiththeAmericanLegion,ChamberofCommerce,and LionsClub.94

Duringthelate1940s,TempleofIsraelceasedtosupportafull-timerabbi.Aroundthis timeanestimated15to20peoplewereattendingatypicalFridaynightShabbatserviceatthe synagogue.95 WhiletheJewishcommunitywasagaingrowingbythelate1940sandearly1950s, therecentcompletionofRoute62allowedJewsinAlliance,Salem,andSebring,tomoreeasily traveltoCantontoattendreligiousservices.96 TempleofIsraelremainedvibrantenough, however,thatitsmemberssuccessfullyraisedfundstopartiallyrenovatetheirbuildingin1955.97 Increasingly,however,thewoodenstructure,whichwasnearlyacenturyold,wasshowingsigns ofaging.FundraisingeffortswerealreadyunderwaytobuildanewsynagogueinAllianceby 1955.98 In1956,theAllianceJewishCemeteryAssociation wasreorganizedtobegovernedby TempleofIsrael.Theassociation’smembershipwascomposedofallTempleofIsraelmembers, individualswithfamilymembersburiedatthecemetery,andthosewhoownedburialplots.99 In addition,bothB’naiB’rithandtheSisterhoodcontinuedtobeactiveinAlliance.TheSisterhood, whichmetmonthlyduringthelate-1950s,continuedtosupportlocalcharities,includingthe CancerFund,UnitedFundandRedCross.100 Membershipdecreased,however,duringthe1950s

of Israel

“Sandy”

March 30, 2009,

Barber,

to Mark Jewish High Holidays,”

January 20,

of Israel Elects, willTake Charge of Cemetery,”

Votes Fund Drive Gift,” Alliance Review

Stirling

February

September 16,

November 16,

October 06, 1955

100 “Sisterhood

99 “Temple

Alliance Review,

1956 98 “Bazaar Plans Made,” Alliance Review,

1955 97 “Temple

Services

Alliance Review,

1955 96 Ibid 95 Allan Krash, interview

Forrest

Oral Histories of Alliance, Rodman Public Library,

26, 2009, https://wwwrodmanlibrarycom/oralhistories 94 Obituary of Sanford O.

Slifkin,

Sharer

Skivolocke Funeral Home, https://wwwsharerfuneralhome com/obituaries/Sanford-Slifkin/#!/Obituary 93 “Perskey’s Promise Even Greater Strides During 30thAnniversary,” Alliance Review,April 06, 1957 92 “Perskey’s Offer Double Premiums Next Week, Good on Christmas Gifts,” Alliance Review, November 06, 1954. 91 “Painless Purchase Premiums are Permanent Perskey Policy,” Alliance Review, June 18, 1955. 17

fromaround22membersatthestartofthedecadetoaround12membersattheclose.101 B’nai B’rithduringthe1950sraisedfundsfortheCancerCrusade,HeartFund,andtheAmericanField ServiceScholarshipatAllianceHighSchool.102 LocalB’naiB’rithmembersalsosponsored activitiestocombatanti-Jewishsentimentsandsponsoredacivicawardforlocalstudents.103 MeetingsofthelodgewereoftenheldattheRavenRestaurant.

NewerJewishresidentsofAllianceandsurroundingareasincludedReubenandSarah DeHaanofSalem,AlbertandIreneDeutschofSalem,AlfonsPhilipandLieselFalkensteinof Salem,MarjorieandSanfordFinerofAlliance,RoseandSamuelFinkelsteinofAlliance,Ronald JacobsofAlliance,DavidKalishofAlliance,PeterandRuthRomeofAlliance,WilliamSagof Alliance,andErnestandGustaValentineofAlliance.Severalofthesefamilieswererefugees fromtheNazisorotherfascistgovernmentsinEurope.DoctorAlfonsFalkensteinwasbornin GermanyandreceivedhismedicaleducationattheUniversityofBonnandtheUniversityof Cologne.HearrivedintheUnitedStatesin1938,fouryearsafterHitlertookabsolutecontrolof Germany 104 AlfonsatfirstfoundworkattheMichaelReeseHospitalinChicago.Later,from 1945to1947,heworkedasapathologistattheSalemCityHospital.Hethentookapositionas chiefpathologistanddirectoroflaboratoriesattheAllianceCityHospitalandheldthisroleuntil hisdeathin1960.105 DuringhistimewiththeAlliance CityHospital,Alfonshelpedtodevelop thehospital’slabsandcreatethemedicaltechnologist’sprogramatMountUnion.Healsogrew thehospital’slabstafffromtwoto14.106 In1960,Alfonsservedastheassistantcoronerfor ColumbianaCountyandhediedinacarcrashwhileoutaspartofthiswork.Helefthiswife, Liesel,andtheirtwochildren,EvelynandJanet. WilliamSag,anativeofFiume,Hungary,present-dayRijeka,Croatia,waseducatedat theUniversityofViennaandtheUniversityofDebrecen.HeimmigratedtotheUnitedStatesin 1938andarrivedinAlliancein1939.107 OnceinAlliance, hesetupamedicalpractice specializingininternalmedicine.In1966,WilliamwedFlorence.Bothhusbandandwifewere activeintheAlliancecommunity.Williamwasanotedadvocateforlocalcleanairpoliciesand

107 "Retiring Doctors Receive Honors," Alliance Review, April 15, 1976 106 Ibid 105 Ibid 104 "Crash Kills Dr Falkenstein," Alliance Review, January 19, 1960 103 “B’nai B’rith Plans for CivicsAward,” Alliance Review, April 27, 1956 102 “B’nai B’rith and Sisterhood will Have Spring Banquet,” Alliance Review, May 01, 1959 101 “Sisterhood Sees Plans for NewTemple,” Alliance Review,August 09, 1961 18

hewasamemberofB'naiB'rithandtheChamberofCommerce.108 Florence,orFloasshewas popularlyknown,wasactivewiththeAllianceCityHospitalAuxiliary,CosmopolitanClub,and LeagueofWomenVoters.ShealsoservedaspresidentoftheAllianceCommunityConcert Associationforseveralyears.ErnestandGustaValentine weremarriedin1935inBerlin.In 1936,thenewlyweddedcoupleleftGermanyforChina,whichwasoneofthefewcountriesto acceptJewishrefugeeswithoutvisas.109 AfterresidinginChinafortenyears,ErnestandGusta relocatedtotheUnitedStatesandarrivedinAlliancein1952.Here,Ernestworkedasadoctorat theAllianceCityHospital.BothErnestandGusta wereactiveinlocalJewishandsecular organizations.In1960,ErnestservedasTempleofIsrael’spresidentandhealsoservedB’nai B’rithaspresidentforatime.110 Additionally,hewasactivewiththeStarkCountyMedical Association,theStarkCountyHeartAssociation,andtheKnightsofPythias.Gusta,whostudied medicinepriortohermarriage,wasactivewiththeStarkCountyCouncilforRetardedChildren andStarkCountyAuxiliarytotheFairmountChildren'sHome.Shealsovolunteeredhertime withtheAmericanHeartAssociation,LeagueofWomenVoters,StarkCountyMentalHygiene Association,andTempleofIsraelSisterhood.111

TheClosingYearsofOrganizedJewishLifeinAlliance

By1958,itwasevidentthattheTempleofIsraelwasinseriousneedofrepairs.112 The costoftheserepairs,however,provedtobetoohighforthemodest-sizedJewishcommunityto raise.In1960,thesynagogueonEastColumbiaStreetwasabandonedafteritwasfoundtobe structurallyunsound.Plansweremade,however,toconstructanewsynagogueinAlliancethat couldseataround70peopleandincludespaceforakitchenandsocialgatherings.113 In1961,the formersynagoguewasrazedbytheCityofAllianceand,asof2022,anemptygrasslot continuestooccupythespacewhereitoncestood.ThemembersofTempleofIsrael,totaling about30in1963,wereunable,however,toraisethefundsneededtobuildanewsynagogue.114 Inthissameyear,manyoftheTemple’sarticlesweresold.Thecongregation’spewsweresoldto

114 Allan Krash, interview by Forrest Barber, Oral Histories of Alliance, Rodman Public Library, February 26, 2009, https://wwwrodmanlibrarycom/oralhistories 113 “NewTemple for City Endorsed,” Alliance Review, August 31, 1962 112 “Committee Named to Study Plans forTemple of Israel,” Alliance Review, February 03, 1958 111 "Mrs Valentine Lays Plans for Heart Fund Sunday," Alliance Review, February 15, 1958 110 "Dr Valentine NamedTemple of Israel Head," Alliance Review, October 13, 1960 109 "Dr and Mrs Valentine to Mark 50thAnniversary," Alliance Review, May 14, 1985 108 Ibid 19

theVillageofSebringandinstalledatacourthouse.Manyofthetemple’sbooksweredonatedto theRodmanPublicLibraryandoneofthecongregation’sTorahscrollswassenttoCleveland afterbeingreclaimedbythedonor’sfamily.OtherTorahsweresenttoAgudasAchim Congregation,anOrthodoxsynagogueinCanton.115 ItwasalsoreportedbyAllanKrash,who wasthegrandsonofHarryKrash,TempleofIsrael’sfirstreligiousleader,thatdisagreements amongthecommunitymembersregardingthenewsynagogue’slocationhamperedplanning efforts.116 Additionally,itislikelythattheaccessibility ofCanton’sJewishcongregationsled somecommunitymemberstoseetheadvisabilityofjoininglargercommunitiesratherthan expendresourcesoncreatingasmallercongregationinAlliancethatwouldnotbeableto supportthesamelevelofactivitiesandservices.

ThenecessityofpreservingAlliance’sJewishCemeterymayalsohaveplayedarolein thecommunity’sdecisiontonotbuildanewsynagogue.Inadditiontothestandardcosts associatedwithmaintainingacemetery,between1961and1966theJewishCemeterywas vandalizedatleastthreetimescausinghundredsofdollarsindamages.In1961,three gravestoneswerefoundoverturned.117 In1965and1966vandalscausedover$500indamages.118 Threeyearslaterin1969,$10,000worthofdamagesweredonebyvandals.Threepeoplewere eventuallychargedwiththiscrime.119 IncidentsofvandalismattheJewishCemeterydidnotend inthe1960s.In1973, The Alliance Review reportedthat13gravestoneswerefoundoverturned atthecemetery 120 In1984,atleast25headstoneswereoverturned.121 Effortshavebeenmade overtheyearstopreventvandalismatthecemetery,includingtheinstallationoflockedgatesat theentrance,butconcernsremain.In2001,MartinKern,thesonofHarryandMollieCohen, endowedafundatTempleIsraelinCantonfortheperpetualupkeepoftheAllianceJewish Cemetery.Itshouldalsobementionedthatnon-JewishresidentsofAllianceandSebringhave cometogetherovertheyearstohelppreservethissacredplace.In1992,studentsfromSebring McKinleyHighSchoolandSebring’smiddleschoolhelpedtocleanupandrepairthedamage donebyvandalsattheJewishCemetery.Thestudentsfoundatleast30stonestoppledover.

122 122 “Students Help Repair Cemetery,” Alliance Review, February 24, 1992 121 “Vandals Overturn Headstones,” Alliance Review,April 11, 1984 120 “Boat,TrailerTheft Probed,” Alliance Review,August 27, 1973 119 “Three Get Sentences,” Alliance Review, December 17, 1969 118 “Vandals Ignore Memory of Dead,” Alliance Review, November 16, 1966 117 “Probe Vandalism in Cemetery,” Alliance Review, March 27, 1961 116 Ibid 115 Allan Krash, interview by Forrest Barber, Oral Histories of Alliance, Rodman Public Library, February 26, 2009, https://wwwrodmanlibrarycom/oralhistories 20

TheclosureofTempleofIsraeldidnotimmediatelyspelltheendoforganizedJewishlife inAlliance.ThelocalB’naiB’rithlodgeremainedactiveuntilatleast1966.123 Thelastrecorded referencetotheTempleofIsraelSisterhoodthatcouldbefoundisin1972.Inthisyear,the Sisterhood’smembersparticipatedinaninterfaithactivity 124 Individually,Jewsalsocontinuedto playactiverolesintheAlliancecommunity.Forexample,AllanKrashserved asassistant prosecutorforStarkCountyfromfrom1973to1985.125 NotableJewish-ownedbusinesses,such asArt’sJewelers, AxelrodAutoParts,andRobert’s continuedtoexistafterTempleofIsrael closed.AfewnewJewishfamiliesalsoarrivedinAllianceafterthemid-1960s.Forexample,in 1967theSisterhoodaddedthreenewmembers.126

Bythe1980s,however,itislikelythatallorganizedJewishassociationsinAlliancewere disbanded.Yet,itisofnotethatTempleofIsraelcontinuedtoexistasalegalentitywithmodest assetsuntilatleast2009.127 AsmallJewishpresence likelycontinuesinAllianceasof2022. Whilenevernumberingmorethan0.5percentoftheoverallpopulation,Jewscomprisean importantpartofAlliance’shistoryandthecommunityhasmadenotablecontributionstoits civic,cultural,andeconomicdevelopment.WhileanorganizedJewishcommunityhasnot existedinAllianceforover40years,thiscommunity’scontributionsandhistorymeritrecording andremembrance.

"Dr Valentine Receives B'nai B'rithAward," Alliance Review, March 11, 1966

“Least Coin RitualTraced at Bethany Women’s Meet,” Alliance Review, March 17, 1972

Allan Krash, interview by Forrest Barber, Oral Histories of Alliance, Rodman Public Library, February 26, 2009, https://wwwrodmanlibrarycom/oralhistories

"Sisterhood LearnsAbout Credit Bureau," Alliance Review, March 15, 1967

Allan Krash, interview by Forrest Barber, Oral Histories of Alliance, Rodman Public Library, February 26, 2009, https://wwwrodmanlibrarycom/oralhistories

127

126

125

124

123

A History of the Alliance, Ohio Jewish Community