The early years, 1900-1925
In October, 1900, acting on a suggestion made by newly-arrived Rabbi Morris Waldman, it was decided to organize an Anshe Emeth “Ladies’ Auxiliary.” The meeting took place “in the parlor” of Mrs. Theodore Cohn, and the first president was Mrs. Max (Henrietta) Lederer, recently married to the son of one of the Temple’s founders.
On-going fund-raising efforts were their main focus, allowing them to support programs and causes especially dear to them.
The first fund-raiser: The very first was a raffle for a crystal dish, which brought in $301.05 – the equivalent of the Rabbi’s annual salary! (The Ladies were somewhat distressed that this was won by a person who did not belong to the congregation.) Later in the year the Auxiliary agreed to assist in doubling the Rabbi’s salary, by donating $20 a month toward it.
Whist parties: The popular card game of whist became a regular fund-raising activity in 1902. In 1904, “Mrs. Fischler announced that as these are our main source of income, it is desirable that the ladies all take an interest and attend, and get as many of their friends to attend as possible. It is a great burden to leave it to a few ladies. One and all have or ought to feel the same interest and do all in their power to make them a success.” These parties still were in full force in 1914, when it was noted in the Auxiliary minutes that “the Ladies’ had to pay for damages” after a card party.
With the money they collected, the Ladies’ Auxiliary focused on three major areas:
Improvements to the Temple: They took action to keep the Eternal Light burning in the Sanctuary, “repaired covers of sacred books,” and purchased an organ and the candelabra for the bimah.
Sabbath School: One of the Auxiliary’s first actions in 1901 was to build a stage so the children could put on a Purim play; in 1911 they decided to offer a prize for the most diligent student; and in 1925, “Mrs. Gruessner visited Sabbath School and reported the children very noisy. Parents were asked to speak to their own children.”
Tzedakah for the community: Financial help was given to a poor Jewish family in distress (1901); to pay for a midwife (1901); buying an artificial leg for a local man (1905); sending money to “Russian sufferers” (1906) and the San Francisco Relief Fund (1907); sending a tuberculosis patient to Colorado (1909); helping flood and tornado victims in the Midwest (1912) and “war sufferers” in Europe (1914). In 1923 money was given to local Lord Stirling School toward the purchase of a piano.
Early on, membership was somewhat exclusive: New members had to be proposed for membership, visited, and then voted upon, and there was an application fee. If accepted, they were “initiated into the mysteries of the Presidential chair.” It was not until 1914 that it was decided that all ladies whose husbands were Congregants automatically would be asked to join.
In 1925 an era ended when the Auxiliary officially changed its name to the Sisterhood, and affiliated with the national program. Also that year, Mrs. Max Lederer, the first president, passed away. “It was deemed fitting to present an urn for the altar as her memorial.”
(From materials put together by Ruth Marcus Patt, the Jewish Historical Society of Central Jersey, and the archives of the New Brunswick Daily Times.)
Anshe Emeth Service Sheet November 27, 2009 / 10 Kislev 5770
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