Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 3 June 1960 — Page 2

The Natewml Jewish, POST and OPINION

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Friday, Sxmt S,

THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A HOOSIER RABBI

FIRST INSTALLMENT Rabbi Abraham Cronbach, Emeritus Professor of Social Studies at Hebrew Union College, is a prolific author and leader in social thought. Born in Indianapolis in 1882, he was ordained in 1906, and later joined the faculty of the College. He has been secretary of the board of editors of the Hebrew Union College Annual since 1989. Originally published by the American Jewish Archives in 1959, the Autobiography of Dr. Cronbach is a unique and intriguing personal account of the life of a foremost Jewish leader. His story, is particularly interesting because of his Hoosier background, which we felt would fascinate our Indianapolis readers. Dr. Cronbach relates his early life in Indianapolis, his choice of a profession and his problems as a rabbi in a lucid, warm and amusing style.

My earliest recollection is that of being in my father’s store (dry goods and notions) in the Pfafflin Building at the corner of Indiana Avenue and Mississippi Street (now Senate Avenue), Indianapolis. In the auutmn of 1957 I saw the Pfafflin Block still standing, outwardly, at least, unchanged. Indiana Avenue runs obliquely, forming a triangle with Senate Avenue. My father’s Store at the apex of that triangle was consequently three-cornered. I call to mind a small cardboard box amnog the boxes on the shelves. The visible side of the

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box carried a gilt picture of the buttons contained for sale in the

box.

In that store I was attracted by the sound of breathing ;it may have been my own breathing. There seemed to be approaching from the cellar or elsewhere an invisible something, ^transparent and shapeless, like a surge of air, contiunally and rapidly emitting the sound “hugh-hugh, hughhugh.” Had it not been for the proximity of my parents, I would have been alarmed. I recall the clumsiness with which, in those days, I handled a pencil, clasping it in my tinyfisted hand and vainly attempting to use it. I can still visualize the baby cart, black in color, and my being taken in it "to the doctor.” I must have been less than two years old at the time, because, when I was two years of age, my father changed the location of his business as well as the location of our home. I recollect the political campaign of 1884. My father lifted me in his arms that I might see

a torchlight procession as it passed our house. The marchers wore cone-shaped hats. I heard my father say: "Democrats.” For years, "Democrat” meant to me someone wearing a cone-shaped hat and carrying a lighted torch. My earliest endeavor to understand speech involved the effort to make out whether I was being called "Baby” or "Abie.” I was confused also by the similarity 1 between "pain” and "paint.” It required some time before I comprehended that "putnee” and "pretty near” were not different words, but that the former was only a mispronunciation of the latter. "Gun” and "gum” like-

wise gave me trouble.

We were by that time residing at 282 West Washington Street, on the north side of Washington Street, between West and California. That neighborhood, today one of e x t r e m e deterioration, was already in those da,ys one of pronounced shabbiness. Our home consisted of two rooms

ABRAHAM CRONBACH

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above the store and two rooms j landlord, a kindly old gentleman, behind the store. On one side ‘ who would affectionately con-

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stood a pickle factory; on the other, the business department of the pickle factory. The owner of the pickle factory Was our

verse with me whenever he and

I met.

All our neighbors similarly re(Continued on Page 19)

Wins Brandeis Music Prize

Victor Rosenbaum of 3930 Broadway, Indianapolis, is congratulated by Dr. Joseph F. Kauffman, Dean of Students at Brandeis University, as he is presented with the Florence and Charles H. Milender Prize in Music at the recent University Honors Convocation. The award is annually given to a student excelling in music. Mr. Rosenbaum is a fresman at Brandeis.

City Of Hope Dinner Dance On June 12

The annual donor dinner dance of the Indianapolis Chapter of the City of Hope will be held on Sunday evening, June 12, at 6:30 P.M. at the Hotel Severin Roof Garden. This affair climaxes the major fund raising project of the year — the donor ad book The invocation will be given by Mrs. Julius Witoff. Special awards and recognition will be given to the members bringing in the most ads. The featured highlight of the evening will be a vaudeville revue in which the members will participate. Mmes. Irving Leibo witz, Ben Bornstein and Jack Ladin are the directors and choreographers. Mrs. Bea Geller will be in charge of wardrobe and makeup. Mrs. Meyer Lieberman is in charge of the costume de signs. The music for the show and the dancing will be provided by Wilbor Baker and his orchestra. Flowers and decorations will be by Mmes. Sam Neubauer, Hy man Holowitz, and Albert Kupper. The members of the Theatrical Group have been rehearsThe National Jewish Post and Opinion Published WeeKiy -56 pei year Oiiice ol publication 546 S Meria ian St. Indianapolis, Ind. Secono class postage paid at Indianapolis Ind and at additional mailing offices Postmasters, send forms 3579 to 54f S Meridian St. Indiananoiis Irid

ing for many weeks to help make this a memorable evening. Mmes. Isadore Rosen and Irving Birn* baum are the credit chairmen. For information and reservations, call Donor chairman, Mrs. Ben Golden, CL 5-9112, Mrs. Abe Katzman, LI 7-8393, or Mrs. Harold Davis, WA 4-3720.

Simkins Leave For Daughter's Graduation Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Simkin, 34 Colony rd., Anderson, Ind.. left Friday, May 27, to at tend the graduation of their daughter, Miss Sheila Simkin, from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo. Accompanying them were Mrs. Simkin’s mother, Mrs. Sam Marcus. 4525 Indianola, Indianapolis. Miss Simkin will receive her Associate of Arts degree. She has served as secretary of Phi Theta Kappa, national scholastic honorary fraternity for junior colleges, and is the present nonfiction editor of the college literary magazine, The Standard. She will spend the summer with her grandparents here in Indianapolis, where she will be employed by the College Board of the Wm. H. Block Co. Miss Simkin will enter the University of North Carolina as a junior in September.

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Consideration Given to Social and Industrial Groups Call ME. 4-2567 for Information.