Let Me Hear Your Voice - M. A. Hurwitz - Washington Jewish Voice

The Washington Jewish Voice, or Vashingtoner Yidishe Shtime, was a nominally monthly Yiddish newspaper that ran 1921–1922. The paper contained a mixture of news, essays, and satire along with advertisements for local Jewish businesses. Its an amazingly rich glimpse into the Yiddish culture of Washington, DC and its Orthodox Jewish community in general. I'm considering translating some of the more interesting pieces from the paper, so I'm trying out this piece, Hashme'ini es koylekh (Let Me Hear Your Voice) from Rabbi M. A. Hurwitz the rabbi of the old Southwest Talmud Torah. This essay appears to have been originally written as a speech and it offers a harsh critique of the state of Kashruth in the District. At the time of this critique, the Agudath haKehiloth (Combined Congregations), under the direction of Rabbi Gedaliah Silverstone, had standardized the Kashruth by this time. Though Hurwitz doesn't directly attack the Agudath haKehiloth, he strongly suggests that they were inept at regulating the Kashruth. This critique appears to have been quite contentious at the time since the editors of the Vashingtoner Yidishe Shtime assure the readers that the article does not reflect the opinion of the paper. Though the partisan nature of this speech makes it a poor witness to the exact nature of Kashruth at the time, it certainly offers a glimpse into the heated discourse.    

https://www.nli.org.il/he/newspapers/washvc/1921/09/01/01/article/25

השמעני את קולך

הרב משה אהרן הורוויץ

דער לעצטער חדש פון יאָהר קומט אָן. וואס יעדער איד מוז אונטערשטריכען זיין אינווענטאר פון דעם גאנצען יאׇהר, וואס ער האׇט אויפגעטאָהן, הן אין אידישקייט הן אין מענשליכקייט. און דערפאר איז מיינע רייד יעצט אין פלאץ מעהר ווי א גאנץ יאָהר.

דער איד איז געוואָהנט פון נאטור, צו גלויבען אין יעדער צייט. וואס זאָגאר דער שווערד איז געלעגען אויף זיין האלדז, האָט ער געשוויגען און געהאָפט אויף רעטונג. דאס איז זיין ירושה פון זיינע עלטערען דום לד׳ וכו׳ און אויך די חזל האָבען געזאָגט אז חזקיהו המלך האָט געזאָגט "כך מקובלני וכי׳ איך האָב בקבלה פון מיינע עלטערען אז זאָגאר א שארפער שווערד ליגט אויפ׳ן האלדז זאָל מען זיך ניט מיאש זיין, און האָפען און בעטען רחמים. 

אָבער ניט אלע מאָל איז א כלל אז שווייגען איז גוט. וואו עס האנדעלט זיך אין אידישקייט איז שווייגען א חיסרון. ווען מען זעהט אז מען בארויבט אונז פון אונזערע גייסטיגע אוצרות און נאציאָנאלע ירושות, און מיר שווייגען און מיר פאסען ניט קיין מוטה, צו שטעלען זיך אין קאמפף און ארויס אין פראָטעסט, דאס [ה]ייסט ניט שווייגען פון ביטחון. דאס הייסט שווייגען פון אפגעלאָזענקייט, פוילקייט. 

ווען מיר זעהען אז מען רויבט בייאונז דעם שבת. אונזער גייסטיגען אוצר, אונזער כשרות, מען קאָרמעט אונז מיט טריפה וואורשט, און נבילה, אין אלע דעליקאטעסענס, אין אלע רעסטאָראנטס וואס שרייבען כשר,קאָרמענען מיט טריפות ונבלות, און מען באקט שבת ברויט, פאר אידען, און אידען קויפען אום שבת, און אייניגע בוטשערס פארקויפען כשר׳ע פלייש צו אידען אים שבת, און אידען קויפען. און מיר שוויגען! קענט איהר זאָגען אז דאס הייסט שווייגען פון ביטחון? ניין! און צעהן מאָל ניין! דאס הייסט חיסרון המוני, ובטחין. איך ווייס גאנץ גוט אז איהר וועט זאָגען אדרבה דאס איז די שולד פון די רבנים. ליידער, ליידער מוז איך אייך זאָגען, אז די רבנים) און די אגודת הקהלות, וויפיעל זיי טרייען, און שוויצען אבענדען ביז 12 אין דער נאכט, און עס קען קיין זאך ניט ווירקען. אָבער ווען יעדער איד זאָל אָנזאָגען אין זיין הויז אז ביי א בוטשער אמחלל שבת זאָל מען ניט קויפען, און ווען איך וועל וויסען אז מען האָט געקויפט, וועל איך די כלים צוברעכען, דאס וועט העלפען גיכער ווי אלע אגודת מיט די רבנים. 

ווען מען זאָגט מען וועט ווארפען צירקולארס מען זאָל ניט קויפען, לאכט מען זיך אויס. און זיי זאָגען מען וועט נאָך מעהר קויפען, דאס איז אדווערטייזמענטס צום מעהר קויפען, דאס זעלבע מיט וואורשט און מיט שבת׳דיגע ברויט. ווען איהר וועט ניט קויפען, וועלען זיי ניט האָבען וואו צו פארקויפען. בארעכענט וואשינגטאָנער בעלי-בתים, ווען מען פרעגט פון דיפא א אורח אז קומט פרעגט ביי דעם רב אוואו איז א כשר׳ער רעסטאָראנט צום עסען, און דער רב מוז ענטפערען אין וואשינגטאָן איז ניטאָ. ווי געשמאק עס איז דעם רב צו ענטפערן... און ווי שעהן עס איז פיר אייך אז מען מוז אזוי ענטפערען. 

ברידער און שוועסטער פאסט מוטה און שטעלט זיך אין קאמפף און לאָמיר טרייען מיט אלע מעגליכקייטען אז לכל הפחות די וואס פארקויפען צו אידען און מאכען א לעבען פון אידען, זאָלען זיין אידען. און זאָלען געבען דעם אידען כשר ווי אונזער הייליגע תורה האָט געבאָטען אין בזכות זה וועלען מיר זוכה זיין צו א שנת חיים שלום גאולה וישעה, אמן. 

אָנמערקונג פון דער רעדאקציע: — די "וואשינגטאָנער אידישע שטימע" איז פריי פיר יעדען איינעם צו זאָגען זיין מיינונג.

 

Let Me Hear Your Voice

by Rabbi Moshe Aron Hurwitz

The last month of the year is arriving. During which, every Jew must account for his stock from the whole year, that which he has accomplished, whether in spirituality or in human activity. Therefore, my speech is now, rather than the rest of the year.

The Jew was separated from nature, allowing him to believe [in divine salvation] at any time. Even when the sword is lying on his neck, he can remain silent and hope for salvation. This is his inheritance from his ancestors. "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him" (Psalms 37:7) Our sages also said that King Hezekiah said, (Berachot 10a) "I have a tradition from my ancestors that even if a sword lays on the neck, one should not despair, rather hope and beg for [divine] mercy.” 

But not [in] every instance is it good that a community is quiet. Silence is counterproductive when it matters to Judaism. When [we] see that someone is robbing us of our spiritual treasures and national inheritances, and we are quiet and we are not mustering any courage to stand up in resistance and in protest, this is not silence out of belief, this is silence out of neglect, laziness. 

When we see that someone is robbing us of Shabbos, our spiritual treasure, our Kashrus. One is feeding us with Treifa sausages, and Neveila, in all Delicatessens, in all restaurants, that write Kosher, they feed Treifos and Neveilos, and some bake Shabbos bread, for Jews, and Jews buy it on Shabbos, and a few butchers sell Kosher meat to Jews on Shabbos, and Jews are buying it. And we're Silent! Can you say that this is silence of faith? No! And ten times no! This is a lack of belief and faith. I know quite well that you will say, This is the responsibility of the Rabbis. Sadly, sadly I must tell you that the Rabbis and the Agudath Hakehiloth, as much as they are dedicated, and [work until] they sweat until 12 in the night, none [of the work] has an effect. But when every Jew shall inform his household that by a butcher who violates Shabbos they should not buy, and “if I will know that you have bought, I will have the dishes broken,” this will be a stronger help than all of the Agudath [Hakehiloth] with the Rabbis. 

If [some]one says he will pass around flyers that one should not buy, he gets ridiculed, these [become] advertisements for more buying, the same [buying of] sausage and Shabbos bread. If you will not buy, will they not have where to sell. Sensible Washingtonian gentlemen, if a traveler asks you at the train station to ask the Rabbi where there is a Kosher restaurant to eat at, and the Rabbi must answer, “in Washington there are none.” How sweet it is for the Rabbi to answer that... and how pleasant is it for you that one must answer like that. 

Brothers and Sisters summon courage and stand up in resistance and let us fight with all available means that at least those who sell to Jews and make a living from Jews, should be Jews, and should give the Jews Kosher [food], as our holy Torah commanded. In this merit may we merit a year of life, peace, redemption, and salvation. Amen.

A note from the editors: — The "Washington Jewish Voice" is free for everyone to say their opinion.

The Life of Rabbi Julius T. Loeb, Part 1 (1869–1901)

In my research into the history of the Jewish Community of Washington, DC, I have surveyed several newspapers from the early 20th century looking for any information about the era. One character, who made a real impression on me, was a clergyman named Rev./Dr./Rabbi Julius T. Loeb. He served as the rabbi of three separate synagogues in the district. He was a relentless advocate for the political interests of his community. Despite his firm Orthodox affiliation, he was dedicated to facilitating interdenominational relations, often performing public ceremonies alongside Rabbi Abram Simon of the Washington Hebrew Congregation. Though he has largely faded from public memory, his name is preserved in the Hebrew name of the Berman Hebrew Academy, ישיבת בית יהודה. I want to try to write a biography of his life based on the research that I have collected from published memoirs, newspapers, and public records.

Julius T. Loeb was born on April 22, 1869 in the village of Lyakhavichy (Lekhovitch) to Aron and Tauba Tukachinsky. His parents named him Yehuda, and he went by the nickname Leib¹. His father Aron passed away in 1876, leaving behind his widow, Tauba, and his two sons Leib and Mikhl (who was born in 1872). The family continued to live in Lekhovitch until 1879 when they moved to the city Brest-Litovsk (Brisk.) Tauba married Yehoshua Rabinowitz in 1880, and the family moved to Yehoshua's home in Nyasvizh² (Nesvizh.) Leib was sent to a Russian crown school for his primary education in 1881 and graduated in 1885³. His younger brother Mikhl was sent to Jerusalem in 1882 to live with his maternal grandfather while he attended the Etz Chaim yeshiva system. These educational arrangements imply that there wasn't money available to pay for the boys' education. The government crown schools were free high schools that offered a dual curriculum secular Russian and Jewish education. Most traditional families avoided these schools, since they were weary of the Russifying intentions behind the public funding, but poor families often had no choice if they wanted to give their children an education. Clearly Mikhl or one of his family members felt that he would be better off in a traditional Yeshiva setting, so he was sent to live with his grandfather who was able to support his education. Mikhl continued to study in the Etz Chaim Yeshiva in Jerusalem and eventually attained the status of Rosh Yeshiva, (Rav Yeḥiel Mikhl Tukachinsky.)²

After Leib graduated high school he attended his step-father's yeshiva in Nesvizh and studied for his Semikha (rabbinic ordination) there. He attained his Semikha in 1889 at 20 years old³. Around 1889-1890 he married Gitel (I don't know her maiden name.) In the Autumn of 1890 he and his wife set out for the United States. Their ship departed the port of Hamburg on November 16, 1890⁴. Leib stated that he was an accountant (buchholder) by trade and was intending to settle in Philadelphia⁵.

An 1891 directory of New York City recorded that Leib (now Louis) Tukachinsky was working as a grocer on Clinton street in the Lower East Side⁶. The next year Louis and Gitel were recorded in the 1892 New York census as living on Linden street in Brooklyn with Louis working in Real Estate⁷. As early as 1892⁸, Louis Tukachinsky was hired as the rabbi of congregation Bikkur Cholim located at 74 Wyona street in Brooklyn. By 1895, Louis Tukachinsky began going by the name Julius T. Loeb⁹ and was living at 74 Wyona street in the Synagogue building¹⁰. His wife Gitel likely changed her name to Gertrude around this time. In 1897 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee to work as the rabbi of Congregation Adath Israel there¹¹. Julius T. Loeb returned to Brooklyn in 1900 and began working as the rabbi of congregation Bnai Jacob in Park Slope¹². He also worked in the Bnai Jacob Hebrew School and was reported as taking part in the graduation ceremony of the school in The Hebrew Standard¹³. 

On August 1, 1901, Julius T. Loeb and his family moved to Washington, DC to work as the rabbi of Adas Israel³. This began Loeb's first foray into serving the District's Jewish community. His eventful and productive tenure as the rabbi of Adas Israel is deserving of its own post and I will continue his life story in a part 2.

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1. 1874 Lyakhovichi Revision Lists, JewishGen, https://www.jewishgen.org.
2. Yeḥiel Mikhl Tukachinsky, "leḥovitz milifnei shiv'im shana," in leḥovitz sefer zikaron, ed. Yisrael Rubin (Tel Aviv, 1949), 15–19. https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/collections/yizkor-books/yzk-nybc313846/rivkai-israel-lahovits-sefer-zikaron.
3. "Oldest Synagogue in Washington and Its History," The Washington Times (Washington, DC), July 26, 1903. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84026749/1903-07-26/ed-1/seq-23/
4. Staatsarchiv Hamburg; Hamburg, Deutschland; Hamburger Passagierlisten; Volume: 373-7 I, VIII A 1 Band 069; Page: 1227; Microfilm No.: K_1742. Ancestry.com
5. New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, Year: 1890; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Line: 22; List Number: 1771. Ancestry.com
6. Trow's New York City Directory (New York: Trow City Directory Company, 1891), Page 1384. familysearch.org
7. New York State Census, 1892, Brooklyn Ward 18, Election District 40, Page 13. Ancestry.com
8. "Community of Israel: House of Worship of Adherents of Ancient Faith," Washington Post (Washington, DC), August 8, 1903.
9. The name Julius T. Loeb is likely a reworking of his birth name to sound more German-Jewish-American. The middle initial 'T' stands for Tukachinsky, which he moved from being his last name to his middle name. The last name Loeb is from the German spelling of his Yiddish nickname Leib. His first name Julius is probably based on his Hebrew name Yehuda though there isn't a direct translation.
10. Lain & Healy's Brooklyn Directory for The Year Ending May 1st, 1896 (Brooklyn, NY: Lain & Healy, 1895), Page 817. familysearch.org
11. Joel Davis ed., Nashville City Directory (Nashville, TN: Marshall & Bruce Co., 1898), Page 658. familysearch.org
12. Cyrus Adler ed., American Jewish Yearbook 5661 (Philadelphia, PA: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1900), Page 329–330. https://www.ajcarchives.org/AJC_DATA/Files/1900_1901_5_LocalOrgs.pdf#page=145
13. "Borough of Brooklyn: Hebrew School Examination," The Hebrew Standard (New York, NY), July 19, 1901. https://www.nli.org.il/he/newspapers/hebstd/1901/07/19/01/article/17