AHistoryoftheMassillonJewishCommunity
ByAustinReid
LeadersoftheMassillonJewishSisterhoodin1947.
PicturedfromtoptobottomandlefttorightareFannyGreen,FlorenceFeinman,Bernice Westman,andSaraBloomberg.
PhotoCourtesyof The Evening Independent,October1,1947.
Introduction:Massillon’sFirstJewishResidents
FaithcommunitieshaveplayedanimportantroleinMassillonsinceitsfoundingin1826. OneparticularlynotablegroupinearlyMassillonwastheQuakers.OtherChristian denominations,includingCatholics,alsoorganizedcongregationsinthegrowingvillageby 1845.By1850,thereisevidencethatanotherfaith,Judaism,wasrepresentedamongthetown’s residents.WhilealwaysnumberingamongMassillon’ssmallestreligiouscommunities,Jews havemadeasignificantcontributiontothecity’scivic,cultural,andeconomicdevelopment. Thisworkwillseektoprofilethiscommunity,itsmembers,andtheirimpactonMassillon.Marx Joseph,animmigrantfromBavaria,wasthefirstJewknowntohavelivedinMassillon.He arrivedintheUnitedStatesin1842andsoonsettledinMassillonforatime.1 Helaterleft MassillonforUniontownbeforeultimatelysettlinginClevelandin1867.2 AnotherearlyJewish residentofMassillonwasSamuelOppenheimer.Samuelmadealivingoperatingaclothingstore inthecityby1865.Atleasttworelatives,JosephandJuliusOppenheimer,alsosettledin MassillonshortlyaftertheconclusionoftheCivilWar.LikeSamuel,JosephandJuliusworked inclothingretail.By1870,Juliusrelocatedto Lafayette,Indiana.Joseph,however,remainedin Massillonuntilatleastthelate1890s.In1872,heopenedaclothingstoreneartheBucherOpera House.Fifteenyearslater,JosephwasassociatedwiththeStarClothingHouseat20SErie Street.ThisstorewasalsoknownasOppenheimer'sbylocals.Joseph’swife,Flora,wasthe daughterofaprominentrabbiinPittsburghnamedLouisNaumberg.FloraandJosephwerewed in1876.3 Bythelate1880sHermanandIsaacMarks,whowerelikelybrothers,wereinbusiness togetherinMassillon.In1888,IsaacmarriedIdaCohenofCleveland.4
AllofMassillon’searlyJewishresidentswerefirstorsecond-generationAmericanswith tiestoGerman-speakingJewishcommunitiesinCentralEurope.Bytheearly1880s,however, thereissomeevidencethatJewishimmigrantsfromEasternEuropewerebeginningtopass throughthecity Theseimmigrantsandtheirdescendantswouldplaythelargestroleinthe creationoforganizedJewishlifeinMassillonduringthetwentiethcentury.Oneletterpublished in The American Israelite,anewspaperoutofCincinnati,onAugust25,1882,bySamuel Katzenstein,aresidentofAlliance,Ohio,remarks,“anumberofRussianrefugeesweresent
1 Obituary of Marx Joseph, Jewish Review (Cleveland), July 15, 1898.
2 Ibid.
3 American Israelite (Cincinnati), p 6, September 08, 1876.
4 “Cleveland,” American Israelite, June 22, 1888.
fromPittsburgh,Pa.,toourneighbouringtownofMassillon,O.insearchofemployment.” 5 At thetime,thousandsofJewswereimmigratingtotheUnitedStatesfromtheRussianEmpireto escapereligiouspersecution.Intotal,between1880and1924overtwomillionJewswould immigratetotheUnitedStatesfromEasternEurope.Itisnowknown,however,ifanyofthe individualsreferredtointhe1882letterremainedinMassillon.
Henry,Katherine,Louis,andRudieBloomberg,thefirstEasternEuropeanJewsknown tohavelivedinMassillon,didnotarriveuntilaround1896.HenryandLouis,whowere immigrantsfromPoland,openedaclothingstoreknownasBloombergBrothersalongMainAve Wby1896.6 Thisstorespecializedinsellingchildren’sandmen'sclothingalongwithshoes.In 1901,LouisrelocatedtoOrrvillewithhiswife,Katherine,tooperateabranchoftheBloomberg storeinthetown.Oneyearlater,however,LouisleftthebusinessandtheOrrvillebranchstore closed.7 HenryandRudieBloomberglivedinMassillonuntil1933.TheBloombergstore,which wasknownafterLouis’departureastheH.A.BloombergCompany,remainedinbusinessuntil 1932.Bythistime,thebusinesswaslocatedat125LincolnWayW.Henrywasknownin Massillonforthediscretewaysinwhichheworkedtosupportthoseinneed.Forexample,he hadatraditionofanonymouslyputtingtogetherChristmasbasketsforpoorchildren.Onlyafter hisdeathdidthemakerofthebasketsbecome known.8
By1905,severalotherJews,including HarryandJennieRosenberg,HarryStein, JuliusandRebeccaStone,andDavid Sugerman,allrelocatedtoMassillon.Harry andJenniearrivedin1901or1904andraised fivechildreninthecity.Onechild,Ted Rosenberg,hadanotablefootballcareerat WashingtonHighSchool.Heplayedtheroleof quarterbackandlaterattendedGroveCity CollegeinPennsylvaniaonafootball
6 "Change in Firm," Evening Independent, October 03, 1902.
7 Ibid.
8 "Always a Massillon Booster," Evening Independent, November 29, 1963.
scholarship.9 Aftergraduation,TedremainedinPennsylvaniato workinstategovernment.At onetime,heservedasthestate’sauditorgeneral.10 Harrysupportedhisfamilybyworkingasa cobbler.11 Hisfirstbusiness,whichwentbankruptin1914,waslocatedat118LincolnWayE. Laterhemovedto26SErieStreetbeforelocatingat13LincolnWayE.Harrywasalsoactivein theMassilloncommunityasamemberoftheEagles.
HarryStein,wholivedinLima,Ohio,beforecomingtoMassillonin1903,operatedthe NationalWineCompanyat26SErieStreet. Thebusinesswasshort-lived,however,closingin 1906afterHarry’sdeath.JuliusandRebeccaStone,liketheRosenbergs,wereimmigrantsfrom Poland.ThecouplearrivedinMassillonby1902.DuringhisfirstyearinMassillon,Julius workedasaclerkwiththeNationalWineCompany.Around1904,heopenedhisownsaloon, knownastheKentuckyLiquorCompanyat83MainAveW.By1908,Juliusandabusiness partner,WilliamLimbackhadjoinedtogetherandtheirsaloon,locatedat26SErieStreet,was knownasLimback&Stone.Eightyearslater,in1916,JuliusfoundedtheStoneMaltCompany Thisbusiness,whichwaslaterrenamedStone’sGrill,wouldremaininoperationuntilatleast 1959.Formanyyearsthebarandrestaurantwaslocatedat209LincolnWayW.Juliusand RebeccaraisedsixchildreninMassillon.Asadults,allwouldeventuallyleaveMassillon.David Sugerman,thefinalindividuallistedabove,livedinMassillonby1903.Hisdaughter,Sarah marriedMaxSilkin1903.Beforehismarriage,Maxoperatedabootandshoestoreat19SErie Street.Thisbusiness,however,wentbankruptin1902.12
SmallertownsnearMassillonwerealsohometoJewishimmigrantsfromEasternEurope by1905.IdaandSamuelPersky,whowereborninRussia,livednorthwestofMassilloninCanal Fultonby1898.Samuelsupportedhisfamilybyoperatingageneralstore.Hewasalsoactivein thetown’sciviclife.Forexample,in1902Samuelservedasaconstable.Hisson,JackPersky, rosetohigherpoliticaloffice,servingintheOhioSenatefrom1947to1948.Fifteenmilestothe westofMassillon,inthetownofOrrville,AHungarianimmigrantnamedJosephPerilstein, residedby1905.Hecreatedadrygoodscompanythatwouldremaininbusinessuntil1977. AfterJosephdiedin1952,hisnephew,HenrytookovertheoperationofJosephPerilsteinand Company.BothJosephandHenrywereactivemembersoftheOrrvillecommunity.Josephwas involvedinlocaleffortstoassistthepoor.Afterhisdeath,hebequeathedmoneytoninelocal
9 "Grove City will Honor Rosenberg," Evening Independent, October 04, 1976.
10 Ibid.
11 “53Years asAShoe Repairman," Evening Independent, February 05, 1940.
12 "Shoe Stock Sold," Massillon Independent, September 01, 1902.
churchesandTempleIsraelinCantontobenefitthoseinneed.13 Henrywasachartermemberof theOrrvilleChamberofCommerceandservedontheWayneCountyBoardofEducation.14 In 1972,Henry’srecordofcommunityservicewasrecognizedwhenhereceivedtheCitizenofthe YearawardfromtheOrrvilleChamberofCommerce.15 Around1950,Henrywasjoinedinthe businessbyCarlGoldring.Carlhadaroundthistimemarried,Esther,thedaughterofHenryand Lillie.BothCarlandEstherwerealsoactiveinOrrville.CarlwasinvolvedwiththelocalBoard ofEducation,ChamberofCommerce,andUnitedFund,laterknownasUnitedWay.Esther volunteeredwiththeDunlapMemorialHospitalAuxiliary.Bothhusbandandwifewerealso membersoftheKnessethIsraelTempleinWooster,25mileswestofMassillon.
ReturningtoMassillon,by1906noticescouldbefoundinthelocal Evening Independent newspaperindicatingthatsomelocalbusinessesclosedtoobservecertainJewishholidays, particularlyRoshHashanah,theNewYear,andYomKippur,DayofAtonement.MostJewsin MassillonatthetimetraveledtoTempleIsraelinCantonforreligiousservices.Withinfive years,however,alocaloptionforJewishworshipexisted.ThisnascentOrthodoxcommunity calleditselfB’naiAbrahamorSonsofAbraham.B’naiAbraham’sserviceswereorganizedby thecongregation’smembersweeklyonFridayeveningsandSaturdaymornings.Oneearlyspace rentedbythegroupwasaroomabovetheUnionNationalBankonSErieStreet.16 Manyofthe congregation’smemberswererecentarrivalsinMassillon.Forexample,JosephHock,the community’sreligiousleader,movedtoMassillonshortlybefore1910.17 Hemadealiving operatingaclothingandtailoringstorethatwasoriginallylocatedonMainAveW.Other individualswhowereactiveinthecongregationincludedBerthaandHarryBaskin,Henryand RudieBloomberg,HarryandJennieRosenberg,HarryandRebeccaSeigel,ConanShaffet,and JuliusandRebeccaStone.
Whilesomeoftheseindividualshavebeenmentionedpreviously,othersarenew.Bertha andHarryarrivedinMassillonby1910.18 HarrysupportedhisfamilybyoperatingtheBaskin
13 "$10,000 for 10 Churches," Evening Independent, September 30, 1952.
14 "Perilstein, Orrville Store Owner, Dies," Evening Independent, May 21, 1976.
15 Ibid.
16 “Local Jews Celebrate NewYear,” Evening Independent, September 12, 1912.
17 "Local Jews to Observe Passover," Evening Independent, March 26, 1912.
18 “To NewYork for Shoes," Evening Independent,August 01, 1910.
TheCreationofB’naiAbrahamDepartmentStorealongMainAve.Thisstoresoldclothingandshoesandremainedinoperation until1916.19 Foratime,HarrywasjoinedinbusinessbyarelativenamedBenBaskin.Harryand RebeccaSeigel,whowerebothimmigrantsfromRussia,livedinMassillonby1911.Harry initiallyfoundworkwiththeStarClothingHouse.Later,around1917,heopenedtheMassillon HomeFurnishingCompany,whichwasinitiallylocatedalong1stStNW ArthurSeigel,theson ofHarryandRebecca,lateropenedSeigelHardwareandAutoSuppliesalongSErieStreetin 1922.20 ConanShaffet,thelastnewnameamongthelistofB’naiAbraham’searlymemberswas notanentrepreneurbutratherateacher.HelivedinMassillonby1911butappearstohaveleft thecitysoonafter.
WomenwereactiveinsupportingMassillon’snewly-formedJewishcongregation. OrganizingthemselvesunderthenameDaughtersofZion,themembersofthewomen’sgroup workedtocreateaSundayschoolforchildrenandtoraisefundstosupportvariouscharitable causes.AdelineBloomberg,thedaughterofHenryandRudie,andConanShaffetwereearly teachersattheSundayschool.21 Fiveyearslater,duringWorldWarI,Massillon’sJewish communityorganizedfundraisingeffortstosupportrefugeesinEurope.Atthistime,the communitywasestimatedtonumber14families.22 The Jewish Independent,anewspaperoutof Cleveland,alsodescribedthecommunity’smembersasbeingyoungintheiroverallage.23 The local Evening Independent alsocoveredthecommunity’sfundraisingefforts.24 OnApril6,1917, theUnitedStatesenteredWorldWarI.AtleastthreelocalJewsservedduringtheirwar Their namesareBenBaskin,WarnerBloomberg,andJackPersky Warnerwaswoundedduringthe warwhileservingwiththeAmerican ExpeditionaryForcesinFrance.Laterinlife,Warner servedasthestatecommanderforJewishWarVeteransandheplayedakeyroleinthecreation oftheAmericanLegionPost221buildingat427LincolnWayEast.25 AtthetimeWarnerwas commanderofthelocalMassillonpost.
By1919,B’naiAbrahamhadrelocatedtoarentedspaceat407MainAveW.Thissame year,theAmericanJewishYearbook,anannualworkproducedbytheJewishPublication SocietyoutofPhiladelphia,estimatedthatMassillon’sJewishpopulationnumbered138
19 "Local Business Man Bankrupt," Evening Independent, November 17, 1916.
20 "NewAuto Store Opened Here Today," Evening Independent, April 22, 1922.
21 “JewishAffairs in Massillon,” Jewish Review and Observer (Cleveland), November 10, 1911.
22 “Relief Day in Massillon,” Jewish Independent (Cleveland), February 04, 1916.
23 Ibid.
24 “$214 Gift Starts Campaign forAid of European Jews,” Evening Independent, January 25, 1916.
25 "Always a Massillon Booster," Evening Independent, November 29, 1963.
individuals.26 Includedamongthetown’snewerJewishresidentswereFannyandJulius Bloomfield,MiriamandSamuelDreyer,EstherandHarryFeinman,MauriceNeiman,Gussie andMorrisRosker,BarneyandStellaSchwartz,andMyerSchwartz.FannyandJulius Bloomfield,whowerebothnativesofRomania,arrivedinMassillonin1914afterlivingin Canton.Juliusopenedanewfurniturestore,theBloomfieldFurnitureCompany,alongLincoln WayWthissameyear.MiriamandSamuelDreyer,whoweremarriedin1915,movedto Massillonaround1917afterSamueltookapositionwiththeBloombergCompany.Estherand HarryFeinmanarrivedinMassillonin1916.Shortlyaftertheirmove,Harryopenedanew women’sclothingandfurstoreknownasTheStyleCenterat166LincolnWayW.27
ItshouldbenotedthattheprominenceofJewsinMassillon’sclothingretailsectorwas partofalargernationalpattern.Duetotechnologicaladvancesinsewingandtextile manufacturing,clothingretailexpandedrapidlyintheUnitedStatesduringthemidtolate1800s. ThisdevelopmentcoincidedwiththearrivalofalmostthreemillionJewishimmigrantsbetween 1820and1924.Facedwithlimitedjobprospects,manyfirstandsecond-generationJewish Americansfoundworkintheclothingandtextiletrades.BarneyandMyerSchwartz,whowere brothers,alsomovedtoMassillontoopenaclothingstore.Thisbusiness,SchwartzDepartment Store,waslocatedalongMainAveby1918.In1922,theshopchangeditsnametotheSuperior ClothingCompany.Oneyearlater,however,thestoreclosed.Othercontemporaryclothing storesinMassillonincludedTheWorkingman’sStoreat300SErieStreet,whichwasoperated bySolomonCohen,andtheJackCohnCompanyonMainAveW,whichsoldwomen’s clothing.28 SolomonCohenwasanimmigrantfromRomaniawhileJackCohnwasbornin Russia.29 Anotherclothingbusiness,Linde'sWomen's WearingApparelStore,wasfoundedby AlbertLindein1914.30 Asuccessorofthisstore, Linde’sBridalandPromcontinuestoexistin Massillon109yearslaterin2023.MauriceNeimanandMorrisRosker,however,areindividuals listedabovewhowerenotclothiers.Maurice,aresidentofMassillonby1918,supportedhis householdasajeweler.31 Morris,wholivedinMassillonby1914,operatedtheRoskerAuto WreckingCompanyalongSErieStreet.32 ThiscompanywaslaterrenamedRoskerAutoParts.
26 American JewishYearbook Vol. 21, Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society ofAmerica, 1919: 532, https://ajcarchives.org/ajcarchive/DigitalArchive.aspx.
27 Obituary of Harry Feinman, Evening Independent, June 21, 1958.
28 Obituary of Solomon L. Cohen, Evening Independent, July 26, 1933.
29 Obituary of Jack Cohn, Evening Independent, May 01, 1941.
30 "Linde's Celebrates 60thAnniversary," Evening Independent, July 30, 1974.
31 Obituary of Maurice I. Neiman, Evening Independent, July 18, 1960.
32 Obituary of Morris Rosker, Evening Independent, December 14, 1942.
Movingintothelatertwentiethcentury,membersofthelocalJewishcommunitybeganto engageinmorevariedprofessions.
JewishLifeinMassillonDuringtheRoaring20s,GreatDepression,andWorldWarII
In1920,theMassillonCityDirectorylisteda“JewishChurch”amongthecity’sreligious congregations.Thecommunitywasrecordedasmeetingat5½SErieStreet.Significantly,this wasthefirstyearthecity’sJewishcongregationwasincludedinthedirectory,possibly indicatingagreaterlevelofvisibilityandsize.By1925,thecongregation’spropername,B’nai Abrahamwasbeingprintedinthedirectory,alongwithanotethatserviceswereheldeach Fridayat100MainAveW.Withinfiveyears,thecongregationmovedto 30CharlesAvenueSE. Herethecommunityremaineduntilatleast1938.Duringthe1920sand1930s,Massillon’s Jewishpopulationcontinuedtogrow.Newresidentswhoarrivedbetween1920and1930 includedDavidAdelman,EdwardAdelman,HarryAlpiner,HelenandIsadoreCohen,Fredand LeahCooper,HelenandJacobFriedland,IdaandJosephGoldenfeld,MaxandSaraKanner,and FannieandHarryKrell.
DavidandEdwardAdelman,whowerebrothers,arrivedinMassillonby1927.David,a trainedosteopath,practicedmedicinein Massillon.From1941untilhisdeathin 1947,hewasanathletictrainerat WashingtonHighSchool.33 Edward workedwiththePerryRubberCompany untilhisdeathin1965.34 Atthetimehe servedasvicepresidentforsalesand advertising.35 DavidandEdwardmovedto Massillonaftermarryingmembersofthe Rosenbergfamily.BettyAdelman,the wifeofDavid,wasthedaughterofHarry andJennieRosenberg.Foroverthirty
yearsBettyoperatedadancestudio.36 SylviaAdelman,thewifeofEdward,wasBetty’ssister.37 HarryAlpiner,anativeofRussia,movedtoMassillonaround1921andworkedwiththe McKenzieRizManufacturingCorporation.38 Harry’swifeEvelynwasthedaughterofFannyand JuliusBloomfield.39 HelenandIsadoreCohenlivedinMassillonby1922.Isadore,whowasthe brotherofSolomonCohen,wasinvolvedintheclothingbusiness.FredandLeahCoopermoved toMassillonfromGary,Indianaaround1926.WhileFredpracticedlawinGary,aftermovingto Massillonhebegantoworkinclothingretail.Hisfirststorewaslocatedatthecornerof4th StreetandMcKinleyAvenueSW.40 LaterFred’sbusinessmovedtoErieStreet. HelenandJacob FriedlandarrivedinMassillonaround1925.Jacoboperated ThePeople'sStoreat33Lincoln WayWforover30years.41
IdaandJosephGoldenfeld,whowereimmigrantsfromRomania,arrivedinMassillon around1926.Initially,JosephwasengagedinbusinessatTheWorkingman’sStore,whichhe mayhavepurchasedfromSolomonCohen.Later,in1947,heopenedanewstore,Joseph Goldenfeld&Companyat169Lincoln WayW.Also,knownasGoldenfeld’s,the storeremainedafixtureinMassillonuntil 1974,whenthebusinesswasrenamed Richie’s.MaxandSaraKannermovedto Massillonin1924or1926.Oncesettled, MaxbecameassociatedwiththeKanner andBergerDepartmentStore.Manuel Berger,Max’sbusinesspartner,wasan immigrantfromHungary.42 Originallythe businesswaslocatedat121LincolnWay W.In1938,however,thestoremovedto32 LincolnWayE.ManuelBergereventuallyleftthepartnershiptoopenaseparatestore, Madelyn'sDressShop,whichwasnamedafterhisdaughter WhileMaxKannerretiredin1955,
36 "Dance Studio Closes Doors," Massillon News, May 18, 1977.
37 Obituary of Mrs. SylviaAdelman, Evening Independent, October 18, 1976.
38 Obituary of HarryAlpiner, Evening Independent, March 01, 1971.
39 Obituary of Mrs. EvelynAlpiner, Evening Independent, November 08, 1976.
40 Obituary of Fred Cooper, Evening Independent, March 06, 1951.
41 Obituary of Jacob S. Friedland, Evening Independent, June 20, 1956.
42 Obituary of Manuel Berger, Evening Independent, March 15, 1947.
Kanner’sremainedinbusinessandexpandedtoincludetwootherlocations,beforeclosingin 1975.43 FannieandHarryKrellarrivedinMassillonaround1928.Fannieorganizedaprivate nurseryandkindergartenfor28years.44 Foraperiodduringthe1940s,theschoolalsoincludeda first-gradeclass.HarryKrellworkedwiththeMassillonHomeFurnishingCompany,whichhe andabusinesspartner,JosephSarbinpurchasedfromHarrySeigel.45 Josephwasarelativeof Fannie’s,andheremainedinbusinesswithHarryuntil1940.46
By1933,B’naiAbrahambegantobeknownaroundMassillonastheJewishCommunity CenterorMassillonJewishCenter.Officiantsforthecongregation’sreligiousserviceswere eitherlocallayleadersorvisitingrabbisbroughtfromotherlocations,particularlyCleveland.47 By1941,theCenterhadrelocatedtoarentedspacealong LincolnWayW.48 Duringthe1930s, Massillon’sJewishpopulationnumberedapproximately128individuals.49 NotallJewslivingin Massillon,however,maintainedanactiveconnectiontotheJewishcommunity.Oneexampleis JosephBernstein.JosepharrivedinMassillonby1903andfoundworkwiththe Massillon Independent newspaper.In1904,hemarriedaChristianwoman,JessieMcClellan.50 Whileitis notknownifJosephformallyjoinedhiswife’schurch,itisrecordedthattheirson,Theodorewas broughtupPresbyterian.51 JosephwasactiveinsupportingthelocalJewishcommunity’sefforts toassistrefugeesduringWorldWarIandsupportedsomenationalJewishcharities.Laterinhis life,however,therearenorecordsofcontinuedinvolvementwithanyJewishorganizations. JosephwasinvolvedinorganizinganinterfaithgrouptobringtogetherlocalChristiansandJews in1938.52 OtherleadersintheeffortincludedManualBerger,JuliusBloomfield,andHarry Krell.53 TheBernsteinfamilyisalsorememberedfor theirassociationwithTheToy,achildren’s storeat212NErieStreet.54 TheodoreBernsteinwasalsoactivewiththelocalUrbanLeagueand servedontheboardoftheMassillonMuseum.55
43 "Kanner's Going Out of Business," Evening Independent, September 29, 1975.
44 Obituary of Mrs. Fannie S. Krell, Evening Independent, February 17, 1961.
45 Obituary of Harry B. Krell, Evening Independent, November 15, 1950.
46 Obituary of Joseph I. Sarbin, Evening Independent, October 04, 1965.
47 “Yom Kippur is Observed Here,” Evening Independent, September 18, 1934.
48 "Jews to Observe NewYear Sunday," Evening Independent, September 19, 1941.
49 American JewishYearbook Vol. 31, Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society ofAmerica, 1929: 227, https://ajcarchives.org/ajcarchive/DigitalArchive.aspx.
50 Obituary of Mrs. Jessie F. Bernstein, Evening Independent, July 07, 1953.
51 Steve Hapanowicz, "Our Fellow Massillonians," Evening Independent, October 16, 1957.
52 “Christians and Jews Meet Here,” Evening Independent, April 29, 1938.
53 Ibid.
54 Steve Hapanowicz, "Our Fellow Massillonians," Evening Independent, October 16, 1957.
55 Ibid.
Between1930and1940severalnewJewishfamiliesarrivedinMassillon.Thisgroup includesBlancheandJacobBerson,HaroldandVelmaDrost,HarryFreedman,LenaandNathan Genshaft,HermanandLeahGordon,DavidandFannyGreen,EvelynandWilliamJacobs,Louis Shinbaum,andLeonardSteinberg.BlancheandJacobBersonarrivedinMassillonaround1931. Jacobsupportedhishouseholdbyworkingasacobbleralong1stStreetNE.By1937,Irvingand SamuelBerson,twosonsofthecouple,workedattheMassillonJunkandGlassCompany
HaroldandVelmaDrostlivedinMassillonby1940andbothwereassociatedwiththePitcher Barat58SErieStreet.HarryFreedmanarrivedinMassillonshortlyafterhismarriagetoFannie Roskerin1939.56 Oncesettled,HarrybegantoworkatRoskerAutoParts.LenaandNathan Genshaft,wholivedinCantonformuchoftheirlives,meritnoteinthishistorybecausethe businessfoundedbyNathanin1933,SuperiorProvisionCompany,grewtobecomeMassillon’s second-largestemployerby1976.57 KnownasSuperior'sBrandMeatsIncorporatedafter1965, thecompany’s50,000-square-footprocessingplantat1888SouthwayStreetSEwasamong Ohio'slargestfacilitiesdedicatedtomeatprocessing.ArthurandDavidGenshaft,whowere brothersandthesonsofLenaandNathan,werealsoinvolvedintheleadershipofthecompany.
Arthurservedaspresidentofthebusinessstartingin1957andDavidworkedasvicepresident startinginthesameyear.ArthurandDavidwerealsoactiveintheMassilloncommunity.Arthur wasactiveontheMassillonIndustrialDevelopmentFoundationboardofdirectorsandserved theorganizationaspresidentforatime.HewasalsoinvolvedwiththeMassillonChamberof CommerceandShaarayTorahSynagogueinCanton.58 DavidwasactivewiththelocalUnited Fundandin1968hewasrecognizedas“ManoftheYear”inMassillonforhisphilanthropic work.59 HealsoservedontheadvisoryboardofKentStateUniversity33milestothenorthof Massillon.Nathan,Lena,Arthur,andDavidwereallimmigrantsfromBelarus.
LiketheGenshafts,HermanGordonwasanimmigrant.Hiswife,Leah,however,wasa nativeofTexas.TheGordonslivedinMassillonby1930,andHermanwasassociatedwitha grocerystore,GordonandJolovitz.Thisbusinesswaslocatedatthecornerof6thStreetSWand WebbAvenueSW.By1941,thegrocerywasknownasRepublicMasterMarketanditwas locatedat835SErieStreet.TheGreenandJacobsfamilieswerealsoassociatedwiththegrocery business.DavidGreen,anativeofCzechoslovakia,movedtoMassillonfromCantonin1930
57 "Superior's Plans $2 MillionAddition," Evening Independent, June 22, 1977.
58 Synagogue to Honor Genshafts with Outstanding ServiceAwards," Evening Independent, June 04, 1971.
59 “Synagogue to Honor Genshafts with Outstanding Service Awards," Evening Independent, June 04, 1971.
withhiswife,FannyandchildrentotakeajobatGordonandJolovitz.60 Fouryearslater,David openedhisowngrocerystore,NationalMarket,locatedalongLincolnWayW.In1938,the businessmovedto104TremontAvenueSWwhereitremainedinoperationforover30years. EvelynandWilliamJacobsmanagedtheHighwayMarketat3620LincolnWayEbeginningin 1938.AfterWilliamwaskilledinacrashin1954,Evelyncontinuedtooperatethebusiness alone.61 Thestoreclosedaround1964.LouisShinbaummovedtoMassillonshortlyafter marryingSylviaSegel,thedaughterof LillianandSamuelSegelin1936.Lillianand SamuelhadarrivedinMassillonabout13 yearsearlier.Around1923,Samuelfounded awomen’sclothingstore,Segel'sWomen's Ready-to-Wear Thisbusinesswasoriginally locatedat49LincolnWayE.62 Louisand SylviaworkedatSegel’s,whichremainedin businessuntilatleast1963.63 Twentypeople wereemployedatthestoreduringthisyear.64 LeonardSteinbergarrivedinMassillon around1936.HewasmarriedtoLillian,the daughterofEstherandHarryFeinman.Initially,LeonardworkedwiththeStarkDryGoods Company,buthelatertookapositionwithTheStyleCenter,whichwasfoundedbyHarry Feinman.
OnDecember7,1941,PearlHarborwasattackedbytheEmpireofJapan.Soonmillions ofAmericanswerecalledupontoenterthearmedforces.Localfamilies,bothJewishand non-Jewish,inMassillonsupportedthewareffort.Includedamongthelocalswhoenlistedwere atleastnineJews.TheirnameswereLawrenceBerger,BenjaminBerson,SamuelBerson,Louis Feinman,SamuelFeinman,ErnestGoldenfeld,AlbertKanner,LeonardKrell,andStanford Linde.SamuelBerson,whowaswoundedwhileintheservice,wasawardedthePurpleHeart
64 Ibid.
63 "Local Store Observes 40thAnniversary," Evening Independent, October 24, 1963.
62 Obituary Samuel M. Segel, Evening Independent, October 31, 1940.
61 "William Jacobs, 57, is Killed in Truck Crash," Evening Independent, March 17, 1954.
andCombatInfantrymanBadge.65 Onthehomefront,effortswerealsomadebytheJewish communitytosupportthewareffortandthoseimpactedbytheconflict.Womentookaleading roleintheseactivitiesbyorganizingthemselvesunderthenameMassillonJewishSisterhood.66 Thisgroup,whichexistedby1945,wasasuccessortothedefunctDaughtersofZion,whichwas formedinthe1910s.Sisterhoodmembersmetmonthlyinprivatehomesandworkedtosupport theRedCrossandtheMassillonCityHospital.67 Membersalsoraisedfundsthroughactivities suchasbakingandrummagesalestobringorphanedJewishchildrenfromEuropetoIsrael.68 Around30womenparticipatedintheSisterhoodduringitsfirstyears.69 Theorganization continuedtoexistintoatleastthemid-1950s.
TheClosingYearsofB’naiAbraham
DuringtheyearsimmediatelyfollowingtheendofWorldWarII,Massillon’sJewish communitycametooccupyaprominentplaceamongthecity’sreligiouscommunities.For example,theactivitiesoftheMassillonJewishSisterhood,whichnumbered23membersin 1949,werefrequentlycoveredinthelocal Evening Independent 70 In1951,theorganization joinedthelocalCouncilofChurchWomen.71 Charitableorganizationsthatbenefitedfromthe Sisterhood’ssupportincludedMarchofDimes,theMassillonCommunityChest,andthe MassillonEducationalLoanFoundation.Theorganizationalsoorganizedclothingdrivesfor localfamiliesandcollectedclothingandschoolsuppliesforchildreninIsrael.72 Fundswerealso raisedbythelocalJewishcommunitytosupportthenationalUnitedJewishAppeal.73 Social activitiesincludedanannualHanukkahparty.74 NewermembersoftheJewishcommunity includedAnnaandReubenCohen,GertrudeandH.LeonardFisher,HildaandMax Guggenheimer,AlvinandFayeKail,HerbertPreis,DavidandSybilWeinstein,andBerniceand NathanWestman.AnnaandReubenmovedtoMassillonin1948afterReubentookaposition withtheRobertAllenStoreat 121LincolnWayW. GertrudeandH.LeonardFisherlivedin
65 "Three SoldiersAwarded Badges," Evening Independent, March 28, 1944.
66 “Sisterhood of Massillon Jewish Center,” Evening Independent, May 14, 1945.
67 “Sisterhood to MeetTonight,” Evening Independent, March 20, 1945.
68 Ibid.
69 “Sisterhood InauguratesYear’s Civic Philanthropic Program at Dinner Meeting,” Evening Independent, October 01, 1947.
70 “Projects of Mercy Planned by Sisterhood,” Evening Independent, November 22, 1949.
71 “Sisterhood to Join Church Council,” Evening Independent, March 26, 1951.
72 “Entertains Sisterhood,” Evening Independent, February 25, 1948.
73 “Sisterhood Engaged in Fund Raising Project,” Evening Independent, March 30, 1949.
74 “Sisterhood Marks Feast of Lights,” Evening Independent, December 20, 1949.
Massillonby1943.LeonardoperatedMadelyn'sBudgetShopat112LincolnWayEuntilhis deathin1955.75 HildaandMaxGuggenheimer,whoarrivedinMassillonby1940,were associatedwiththeEconomyShoeStorealongLincolnWayW.In1947,MaxdiedandHilda remarriedanotherimmigrantfromGermany,HarrySalberg.76
AlvinandFayeKail,thenextcouplelistedabove, livedinMassillonby1945.Alvin workedwiththebusiness,MassillonAutoParts,which waslocatedat1928LincolnWayE. Until1950,hewasjoinedinthestore’soperationbyMiltonStern.By1955,Alvinalsoowned StarkSportsCarsIncorporated.HerbertPreislivedinMassillonby1952.Heworkedasa manageratNeisnerBrothersalongLincolnWayE., whichwaspartofachainofstores.David andSybilWeinsteinlivedinMassillonby1945.LikeHerbertPreis,Davidalsoworkedatthe NeisnerBrothersstoreuntil1951whenhewastransferredbythecompanytoCamden,New Jersey 77 BerniceandNathanWestman,thefinalcouple listedabove,movedtoMassillonaround 1941.BernicewasanactivememberoftheMassilloncommunityvolunteeringwiththeJewish Sisterhood,theMassillonCityHospitalAuxiliary, theMassillonEducationalLoanFoundation, andtheRedCross.78 Nathan,orNatashewaspopularlyknown,workedatRodger'sJewelry.In 1963,Rodger’swassoldtoSteveFuriga,anditsnamechangedtoStephan'sJewelry.79
Duringtheearly1950s,theMassillonJewishSisterhoodorganizedseveralfundraisersto benefittheMassillonCityHospital.In1952,thegroupfurnishedadoubleroominthematernity ward.80 Twoyearslater,anincubatorunitwasdonated.81 Membersalsocontinuedtosupport internationalcauses.Forexample,in1953fundswereraisedtosupportdisasterreliefeffortsin westernGreece,whichhadbeenstruckbyanearthquake.82 DespitetheSisterhood’srobust recordofactivityduringtheearly1950s,thegrowingeaseoftravelbetweenMassillonand Canton,locatedsevenmilestotheeast,meantthatfamiliesincreasinglychosetoaffiliate themselveswithlargerJewishcongregationsinCantonratherthanmaintainMassillon’slocal congregation,whichhadneverbeenespeciallylarge.ShaarayTorah,aConservativesynagogue, andTempleIsrael,aReformcongregation,weretwopopularcongregationsforJewishfamilies inMassillontoattend.In1965,whenthelocal Evening Independent ranastoryhighlighting
75 "Rules Death was Caused by Monoxide Gas," Evening Independent, June 06, 1955.
76 Obituary of Max Guggenheimer, Evening Independent, July 03, 1947.
77 "Dinner for Mrs. Weinstein," Evening Independent, February 09, 1951.
78 Obituary of Mrs. Nat Westman, Evening Independent, March 21, 1963.
79 "Steve Furiga Buys Local Jewelry Store," Evening Independent, May 01, 1963.
80 “Jewish SisterhoodAids Hospital,” Evening Independent, April 29, 1952.
81 “Sisterhood Gives Hospital Incubator Unit,” Evening Independent, March 31, 1954.
82 “Sisterhood is Working for Bazar,” Evening Independent, September 30, 1953.
RoshHashanahandYomKippur,noreferencewasmadetoB’naiAbrahamoranyotherJewish congregationinMassillon.83 ThislikelymeansthatB’naiAbrahamclosedsometimebetween 1956and1965.
WhileB’naiAbrahamceasedtoexistbythemid-1960s,Jewshavecontinuedtolivein Massillon.Since1960,therehavealsobeenothernotableJewishentrepreneursinMassillon, includingBernardGreen,thesonofDavidandFannyGreen,whooperatedBernie'sFood MarketalongTremontAvenueSWintothe1970s.Bernie’sFoodMarketwasasuccessortothe NationalMarket.Bernard,whowasknownasBernie,wasalsoactiveinformingthe Massillon OfficeBuildingIncorporation.Whilenevernumberingmorethan140people,theJewish communityofMassillonhasmadeanotablecontributiontothecity’scivic,cultural,and economicdevelopment.Examplesofthesecontributionsthatcanbeseenasof2023includethe ArthurGenshaftMemorialParkalongErieStreetSandNaveRdSEandtheAlbertKanner ScholarshipFund,whichbenefitsgraduatesofWashingtonHighSchool. Thiscommunity’s historymeritspreservationamongthestoriesoflargercommunitiesinMassillon.