Beth Israel Congregation

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The first Shule Bulletin was issued in Feburday 1954. The following are a few excerpts:
"It is gratifying to note that we will soon dedicate our Center. A committee will be named to make arrangements for the affair and it is hoped to have a good representation of our town present to celebrate this occasion."

"Takes great pleasure in formally announcing the following donations to the centerfund from Latrobe friends of our Congregation: Goodwill Bible Class, Methodist Church; George Whalen; Charles Saxen; Henry Mahady; James E. Johnson; S.P. Reed; Michael F. Hughes; Harry J. Whiteman; Mrs. Ellen M. Watt; Frohsinn Sionging Society"

"It's good to note that Jake Rosenblum is up and around again." "Sisterhood Card Party will be held at V.F.W. Hall, Wednesday, February 17th."

DATE: SEPTEMBER 1962 (taken from the Shule Bulletin)

Congregation Officers:

     William Dunhoff - President
     Hyman Weiss - Vice President
     Arthur Goldman - Secretary
     Jerome Lowenstein - Treasurer

Trustees:

David Balk, Edward Friedman, Samuel Berkosky, Herman Bigg, Harold Paull, Ab Witkin, Mrs. William Kahanowitz

Sisterhood Board Representative - Mrs. Jerome Lowenstein

Men's Club Representative - Morton Sevel

Mem's Club Officers:

     Harold Paull - President
     Robert Wallis - Vice President
     William Dunhoff - Secretary
     Morton Sevel - Treasurer

"Our 1962 membership is now comprised of thirty-six families. Our Jewish population is now 113."

HISTORY:

The first recorded Jewish presence in Latrobe was Henry Fellheimer who in 1864 was a substantial citizen being elected as Assistant Burgess. He owned a clothing store at the corner of Depor and Ligonier Streets. The second Jew to settle in lLtrobe was Mr. Simon Schott. Mr. Schott operated a clothing store for a short time in the Miller Hotel Building on Ligonier Street. Most of the Jews arriving in Latrobe settled in the First Ward area of Latrobe in a section that became known as "Jew Town". In 1907, on land donated by Harry Tapolsky, the first synagogue was built on Miller Street. This Synagogue remained active until a new building was erected at the present location on Weldon Street in 1954.

For additional information about the Jewish population of the Latrobe and Greensburg areas, two books were published :
Westmoreland County Jewish Oral Histories, Volume 1 and Volume 2 by The Center for Northern Appalachian Studies/Oral History Program, Saint Vincent College, Latrobe PA 15650

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Received the following E-mail October 29, 2008:

Hello:

I am writing to you because your email address is provided on the Beth Israel Congregation website and I would like to convey some information that might be of relevance to that website.

On the Beth Israel Congregation website it is stated that Henry Fellheimer, who in 1864 was a substantial citizen, was the first recorded Jewish presence in Latrobe.

Actually, there were Jewish residents in Youngstown as early as in 1846:
Fanny Grabenheim, born 26 May 1804 in Aldingen, Germany, immigrated in 1840, with her children, and her brothers:

Samuel Hart, born 1 May 1807 in Aldingen,

Cyrus Hart, born 12 January 1814 in Aldingen,

Morris Hart, born 31 March 1816 in Aldingen,

and her son-in-law:

Cyrus Dettlebach, born 1812 in Jebenhausen, Germany.

In the 1850 census all of them are listed as residents of Unity township. A few years later they removed to Newark, NJ where Morris Hart and Cyrus Dettlebach established "Hart & Dettlebach", a store that is famous for its pioneering role in the development of modern department stores in the US - it is on record that Abraham Abraham, Lyman Bloomingdale and Benjamin Altman, founders of "Abraham & Straus", "Bloomingdale's" and "B. Altman & Co." respectively, started their careers as clerks with Morris Hart and Cyrus Dettlebach.

Henry Fellheimer was born 8 March 1830 in Ichenhausen, Bavaria, Germany. His wife was Henrietta (Geisenberg), born 1839 in Philadelphia. Also residents of Latrobe in 1860 were Henry's brother Marx Fellheimer, born 8 June 1836 in Ichenhausen, and his wife, Henrietta (Einstein), born 1841 in Hagerstown, MD. Henry had a clothing store, and Marx worked for him as a clerk. Later on, Marx Fellheimer owned a substantial clothing store in Hagerstown.

Perhaps some of this information is of relevance to your congregation's history.

Best wishes,

--
Prof. Dr. Stefan Rohrbacher
Rehstr. 11
40472 Düsseldorf
Tel.: 0211 / 654 9739
Fax: 0211 / 654 9713

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Beth Israel Congregation

Latrobe, Pennsylvania

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