a great jazz concert - friends of bnai abraham · friends of b’nai abraham volume 5 no. 2 –...

Friends of B’nai Abraham volume 5 No. 2 – November. 2011 www.IronRangeJewishHeritage.org page

1

B’nai Abraham, built in 1909, is the last remaining synagogue on the Minnesota Iron Range. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. It had not functioned as a working synagogue since the late 1990s and had undergone significant deterioration. In 2005, the Friends of B’nai Abraham (FBA) was organized with the mission of restoring and preserving the building so that it can function as a community cultural center for all the people of Virginia and the surrounding communities as well as a small museum space to tell the story of the Jewish presence and contributions on the Iron Range. We are a non-profit organization, receiving our 501(c)3 designation in 2005. Together with our partner, The Virginia Area Historical Society (VAHS), we look forward to seeing the building used for many cultural and educational programs for the community.

A great Jazz concert June 16, 2011

Feet were tapping, fingers were snapping, and there were standing ovations for the June 16, 2011 Jazz Event at B'nai Abraham Museum and Cultural Center. This terrific concert starred world famous singer Connie Evingson and her trio, featuring Dave Karr of Minneapolis, and the father/son duo of Matt and Sam Miltich of Grand Rapids. Tying in with the World War ll show organized by the Virginia Area Historical Society, in the lower level of B'nai Abraham, Connie and her trio performed memorable and familiar jazz from the 40s. Look for them to reappear in the summer of 2012 as well, as by popular demand, we hope to have them for a crowd pleasing return engagement. Keep informed by watching your emails, and by checking our web site. You won't want to miss them!

Endowment Fund Creation – help us preserve for the future Now that the building’s restoration is well on it’s way, the Friends of B’nai Abraham would like to create an Endowment Fund that will make certain B’nai Abraham can be well maintained long into the future. We have spoken to staff at several experienced community funds who have expressed an interest in being the repository for such an endowment and work with the Friends in to assure that these dollars continue to be used to meet the goal of providing a community resource and ensuring that the contribution of the Jews of the Iron Range will not be forgotten. We are currently looking for the best way that this may be accomplished. If you have suggestions or may wish to make such a contribution, please contact Margie or Charlie Ostrov at [email protected]. We need everyone to be a part of this. To quote our Board member, Dr. Marilyn Chiat: B'nai Abraham represents our nation's great religious, cultural and ethnic diversity. When historic buildings such as B'nai Abraham are lost, our nation's magnificent mosaic (to quote Hubert H. Humphrey) loses some of its brilliant color.

This building in particular, the only extant synagogue left on the Range, and the only synagogue building in Minnesota to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, provides people with a window into understanding the history of the Range and the people who contributed so much to its unique character.

Let’s insure the preservation of this wonderful building!


2

Third Annual

July, 2011

Veda Zuponcic returned to the B'nai Abraham Museum and Cultural Center in July, 2011, with her magnificent and talented performers and instructors for the 3rd annual Northern Lights Music Festival Concert. In keeping with the World War ll exhibition in the Sanford I. Berman Social Hall, Veda choose string music which reflected the 40's and the War Years. Her scholarly musicologist, Maya Pritzker, narrated and described not only the music, but the time period and the difficulties of life at that time in her native USSR. Many of us were lucky enough to meet Veda's handsome and famed son, Gavriel Heine, vacationing on the Range and taking a break from his responsibilities as Assistant Musical Director of the Mariinksy Ballet Orchestra ( formerly the Kirov) of St. Petersburg, Russia.

Veda, originally from Aurora, MN and the founder of The Northern Lights Music Festival, has given people from all over the state and beyond a great gift of music - and best of all, she has offered to return to the B'nai Abraham year after year. We are thrilled and honored that she will be returning. You won't want to miss the 2012’s summer concerts, so keep checking our web site, or find us on Facebook, under Friends of B'nai Abraham of Virginia, MN and stay tuned - these are the greatest musical bargains in MINNESOTA.

Planning has begun for the summer of 2012 We look forward to the 4th annual concert by the Northern Lights Music Festival, featuring outstanding young musicians, who always performs to standing room only crowds. This concert is being planned for July, 2012. This concert has always brought people from near and far to B’nai Abraham. The Virginia Area Historical Society’s next exhibit will be featured in the lower level of the B’nai Abraham Museum and Cultural Center during the summer of 2012. It will highlight the work of WPA wood carvers, Depression-era easel artists’ paintings, murals, WPA posters, WPA writers, WPA musical groups and local photos by Farm Security Administration (FSA) photographers. The exhibit will include a photo history of the world’s first commercial taconite plant that operated from 1922 to 1924 in Babbitt, MN. Companion programs will consist of Depression-era speakers and musical groups.

Watch the website for details about the above programs as well as other events as they are planned.

Visit the B’nai Abraham website where you will find much more information. www.IronRangeJewishHeritage.org


3

MINNESOTA HOME FRONT WW II: A Minnesota Historical Society Traveling Exhibit

May – July, 2011 The Virginia Area Historical Society was selected by the Minnesota Historical Society MNHS) to host the traveling exhibit, Minnesota Home Front: World War II. This interesting exhibit was housed in the Sanford I. Berman Social Hall at B’nai Abraham from May 19th through July 9th, 2011, and attracted over 1200 visitors.

The exhibit consisted of ten colorful 4 foot by 6 foot panels commemorating Minnesotans who manned the home front during World War II, operated the iron mines, managed the farms, worked in the factories, promoted bond drives and enlisted in the military. In addition to educating visitors regarding the home front’s role during WWII, the exhibit refreshed the memories of many with photos and artifacts relating to food rationing, gasoline, tires and even silk stockings. To add visitor interaction, the exhibit included a touch-screen kiosk loaded with WWII music and short narratives of life on the home front. In addition to the exhibit from the MNHS, several companion exhibits were displayed that honored the Greatest Generation that survived the harshness of the depression and moved on to fight the greatest conflict know known to mankind. The exhibit from the Jewish Historical Society told the story of Jews from the Midwest who served in the military in WWII. An exhibit from Traces featured German Americans who were placed in internment camps during the war. For the Friends of B’nai Abraham, Leighton Siegel created posters that featured Jews from the Range who served during the war. A special tribute to Bernard Dorfman, a man from Virginia who died serving in World War II, featured his Navy hat, purple heart, Metal of Honor and the American flag that once draped his casket. To further augment the exhibits, our partners, the Virginia Historical Society presented a number of speakers and musical programs at the B’nai Abraham Museum and Cultural Center that attracted hundreds of visitors.

From the Archives Do you recognize anyone in this early 1900s (1912 or so) child's birthday party in Virginia? If so let us know.


4

Grants awarded to the Friends of B’nai Abraham

Matching grant from the State Historic Preservation Office of the Minnesota Historical Society - $5,000 Matching grant from the Iron Range Resources - $15,000

Minnesota Center on Energy and the Environment - $10,000 Virginia Community Foundation - $2,500

Matching grant - Minnesota Historical Society Grant in Aid - $10,000 Beverly Foundation - $60,000

Matching grant from Iron Range Resources - $75,000 Matching grant from St. Louis Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) $75,000

Matching grant - Minnesota Historical Society Grant in Aid - $48,500 Wells Fargo Bank Foundation - Minnesota - $15,000

Minneapolis Jewish Federation - $1000 Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation - $5000

A Special Gift from Sanford I. and Sande Berman - $20,000 Jeffris Heartland Fund - $5,956

Mount Sinai Community Foundation - $1,800 Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund - $6994

Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund - $38,826 Minnesota Humanities Center - $5000

United Jewish Fund and Council of St. Paul - $500 Temple Israel - Minneapolis

Hillsdale Fund - $21,390

Individual Contributions: May, 2011 - November, 2011

Leone S. Altman Alan Apter, Apter Family Fund Lenore Bear Sande and Sanford I. Berman Simon Bourgin Joseph Edelheit and Machelle Norling Beverly Fitzgerald Karyne Harstad Lynn and Charles Hiti Merton and Patricia Horne

Judith Kramerich Susan and Walter Malec Virginia McBride Ann and Felix Phillips Renee Rootes Leonard and Linda Schloff Carolyn and Tim Sundquist Leone S. Altman Alan Apter, Apter Family Fund Lenore Bear

Sande and Sanford I. Berman Simon Bourgin Joseph Edelheit and Machelle Norling Beverly Fitzgerald Karyne Harstad Lynn and Charles Hiti Merton and Patricia Horne Judith Kramerich Susan and Walter Malec

Special Contributions: May, 2011 – November, 2011 Allan and Sylvia Alberg: In memory o f Clara Roth; Jean King and Stuart Appelbaum: In honor o f Dianne Siegel's special birthday; Naomi and Neil Arnold: In honor of Dianne Siegel's special birthday; Rochelle and Clinton Arsenault: In memory o f George and Vivian Kaufman; Trudy Bers: In memory o f her mother, Saragrace Kenner Haf fron who would have been 100 years old this summer; Marc Blehert: In honor o f Mike and Sue Blehert's 42nd wedding anniversary; In honor o f the birth o f Jonathan Leo Blehert; Myron Bright: In memory o f his parents, Morris and Lena Bright formerly o f McKinley, Gilbert and Eveleth, MN; Nola Caulkins: In honor o f a dedicated group o f volunteers; Marilyn Chiat: In honor o f Margie and Charlie Ostrov's 50 wedding anniversary; In honor of Delores Segal; In honor of Sandy and Marvin Wolfenson's birthdays; In honor of Barbara Ratner's special birthday; In honor o f Berta and Stan Shapiro's 60th wedding anniversary; In honor o f Alec Fantle’s Bar Mitzva; Frank Claymon: In memory o f Cral Auslander's mother, Mildred; Wayne and Bernadine Christiansen: In memory o f Dorothy Karon; Penney and Michael Cragin: In memory o f Clara Roth; Lorraine and Michael Davis: In honor o f Dianne Siegel's special birthday; Ben and Karen Deutsch: In honor o f Elayne and Larry Chiat; Diane and Clyde Ekar: In memory o f Clara Roth; Bob and Sylvia Fine: In honor of Larry and Elayne Chiat; Sandra and Paul Friedman: In honor of granddaughter Ellie's Bat Mitzvah; Heidi and Howard Gilbert:In honor of Margie and Charlie Ostrov's 50th wedding anniversary; Bonnie and Gary Goldish: In honor o f Margie and Charlie's 50th wedding anniversary;

A special thanks to our supporters


5

Howard and Barbara Gordon: In memory o f Dorothy Karon; Tom and Terry Gornick: In memory o f Clara Roth; Peggie and Heb Greuling : In honor of their children: Shelley Smith, Sheri Isaacs and Shannon Smith; Howard and Karen Eder Gutman: In memory o f Marty and Helen Walt Lattin; Morris and Gerre Hoffman: In honor of Dr. Marilyn Chiat; Scott and Lori Hoch: In memory o f Clara Roth; William Hoch, Jr. In memory o f Clara Roth; Robert Hunegs: In memory o f Bud Rivkin; Harriet Israel and Gene White: In honor of Margie and Charlie's 50th wedding anniversary and Dianne Siegel's 70th birthday; The Johnson Family: In honor o f the memory o f Clara Roth; Colette and Peter Johnson: In memory o f Elsie RubensteinGlass; Carol Hill Kaemper: In honor o f her BFF Audra Keller; Diane and Howard Kaplan: In honor the special anniversary o f Margie and Charlie Ostrov; Judy Karon: In honor the special anniversary o f Margie and Charlie Ostrov; Audra Keller: In memory o f Sheldon Kaplan; Gene Kishel: In honor o f Margie and Charlie Ostrov; Bill and Linda Lapp: In honor of the 50th anniversary of Margie and Charlie Ostrov; Joey and Jerry Laurie: In honor o f the 50th wedding anniversary o f Margie and Charlie Ostrov; Diane and Michael Levy: In honor o f Ann Phillips; Betty Sue and David Lipschultz: In honor o f the special birthday o f Dianne Siegel; Katherine and Stephen Liston: In honor o f the special birthday o f Dianne Siegel; Paula and Bob Maisel: In honor of Margie and Charlie Ostrov's 50th wedding anniversary; Ruth Merdler: In memor of Clara Roth Pearlman; Lila Mesberg: In honor o f John Mesberg; Alan Milavetz and Bonnie Resnick: In honor o f 50th birthday o f Stacy Gallop; William and Ann Margaret Moeller: In memory o f Clara Roth; Charles and Marjorie Ostrov: In honor of the 50th anniversary o f Karen and Irv Katz; In memory o f Jan Ribnick; In honor o f the 50th anniversary o f Bobby and Elliot Cohen; In honor of Dianne Siegel's special birthday; Pam and Jon Passman: In honor o f Dianne Siegel's 70th birthday; Marshall Roth Pearlman: In memory o f his mother, Clara Roth; Ann and Felix Phillips: In memory o f Jan Ribnick; In honor o f the special birthday o f Audie Rees; In honor of the special anniversary o f Anita and Mike Kunin; In honor o f the special birthday o f Anita Kunin; In memory o f Jerry Brill; In memory o f a wonderful, much loved woman, Carolyn Lieberman; love and happy birthday to my much younger friends - Francie Paper and Sheila Lieberman; Wish best wishes for a quick and complete recovery to Judy Goldenberg and Sue Leonard; In memory Elsie Rubenstein Glass, who lived in Virginia and was a member o f the Sisterhood; Jeanne and Steve Prawer: In honor o f the 50th wedding anniverary o f Margie and Charlie Ostrov; Rohlfing, Inc. Friends of Marshall Roth Pearlman: In memory o f Clara Roth; Anita and George Robinson and family: In honor of Peggy (Schwartz) and Steve Fried for their retirement and new home; Connie and Paul Ross: In honor o f the work and dedication of Margie and Charlie Ostrov and Leighton and Dianne Siegel; Reva Rosenbloom: In memory o f Sheldon Kaplan; James and Rosemarie Rubenstein: In memory o f Clara Roth; Janie and Don Rutman: In honor of Dianne Siegel's 70th birthday; Wayne and Wendy Salita: In honor o f the special birthday o f Dianne Siegel; Richard and Sally Bernhardt Seck: In memory o f Ruth and Monroe Shanedling; (Sally's mother, Signe Bernhard Engquist, worked at the Quality Shop in Virginia for 45 years. The store was owned by Monroe Shanedling.) Diane Siegel: In memory o f Irving Siegel; Dianne and Leighton Siegel: In honor of the 50th anniversary o f Margie and Charlie Ostrov; Ron Simon and Karen Sheahan: In honor o f Ann and Felix Phillips; Marilyn and Dick Smith: In honor o f the special birthday o f Dianne Siegel; Vicki and Lloyd Stern: In honor the special birthday o f Dianne Siegel; Nancy and Howard Strauss: In honor o f Marilyn Chiat's new Great Granddaughter Evelyn Claire; Elaine and Jerry Stulberg: In honor of Phillips and Stulberg families; Elizabeth Vidmar: In memory o f Clara Roth; Roland and Ada Walt: In honor o f all o f our Minnesota friends and relatives; Bob Weil and Mary Moos: In honor o f Irv Weil who was the first Minnesotan to die in WWII at Pearl Harbor; If we have inadvertently missed your name in our contributors list, please let us know so that you can be included in our next newsletter.

Board of Directors of the Friends of Bʼnai Abraham

Marjorie Ostrov, President Ann Shanedling Phillips, Vice President of Administration Charles Ostrov, MD,Treasurer Dianne Siegel, Recording Secretary Larry Chiat, Legal Counsel

Michael Blehert, Engineering Consultant Alan Milavetz, Legal Counsel Marilyn Chiat, PhD, Architectural Historian Leighton Siegel, MD, Webmaster/Editor Judy Karon

Elayne Deutsch Chiat Audra Keller James Rubenstein Katherine Tane (representative JHSUM)


6

Still Needed

A Financial Match for entry FOYER restoration. When visitors enter the building the first thing they see is the foyer, an area sorely in need of restoration. Several families have provided funds toward restoring this area; their donations will cover some of the work on the walls and ceiling. They have challenged us to match their contributions and to raise the additional $4000 to complete the restoration of the foyer. Please help us with as much of the match as possible.

Foyer showing a part of it’s widely deteriorated condition.

Last chance for an IRA tax-free contribution. Remember, if you are 70½ or older, you can transfer up to $100,000 from an IRA directly to a qualified charitable organization such as the Friends of Bʼnai Abraham. The current law, which expires December 31, 2011, allows you to satisfy the required minimum distribution from your IRA – without increasing your annual federal taxable income. Consult your tax advisor to determine if you could benefit from this opportunity. We are still short of our goal. All donations are fully tax deductible.

Please send your donation to: Friends of B’nai Abraham c/o Charles Ostrov, treasurer 1788 Maryland Ave. North Golden Valley, MN 55427

Name:

Address: City, State, Zip:

Amount: To contribute stock -or- appreciated securities, contact: Jackie or Daryl at Morgan Stanley 800-791-8360 -or- [email protected]

❑ Memory of: ❑ Honor of: ❑ Other: Send acknowledgement card to: Name:

Address: City, State, Zip:

a great jazz concert - friends of bnai abraham · friends of b’nai abraham volume 5 no. 2 –...

Documents