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Brooklyn Chai Live

Discover a progressive Jewish interpretation of Maimonides' 13 principles here!

Celebrating 361 Years of Jews in America

Jewish principles for the 21st century! Check out a re-interpretation of Maimonides' Ani Maamin!

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Now available! The Jewish Friendship Trail Guidebook 6 Self-Guided Walking/Bicycling Jewish Boston History Tours Covers Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge Softcover 198 pages with maps & b/w photos Click here Book Order Form to order now!

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Hecht House

West End House

and

Civic Service Center

Jewish Immigrant
Educational & Recreational Clubs
of the Late 19th & Early 20th Centuries

With Your Host
Michael Alan Ross
BostonWalks

Copyright © Michael Alan Ross, 1997-2015.
All Rights Reserved.

Email: BostonWalks

115 years ago, before television and radio, one means of socialization in America for the thousands of Jewish immigrants pouring into Boston from Eastern Europe (particularly from Lithuania, Russia, Rumania, and Poland) were groups, clubs, settlement houses, and organizations - from religiously active chevrot and mutually assisting landsmanshaftn to political, recreational, educational, and businessmen's clubs. Hecht House, West End House, and Civic Service Center were three educational and recreational clubs - the first two serving youth and the third adults. Hecht House specifically served Jewish girls and boys. West End House (formerly the Excelsior Club), started as an all-Jewish boys club and principally served a Jewish membership up to WWII (Officially, it was non-sectarian from 1906 forward.). Civic Service Center, located on Salem Street next to Baldwin Place in the center of Boston's North End Jewish population, in its first two decades attracted a majority of Jewish adults (as well as Italian and Irish immigrants). Today, two downtown Boston buildings survive of this trio of clubs: the 1929 edifice of West End House at 16 Blossom Street and the building at 112 Salem Street which housed the Civic Service Center. No plaques describe their roles in socializing the children and adults of our Jewish immigrants. Instrumental to the early development of these three clubs were Lina Hecht and Golde Bamber at Hecht House James Storrow and Mitchell Freiman at West End House, and Pauline Agassiz Shaw, Meyer Bloomfield, and Philip Davis at Civic Service Center. By analogy, Lina Hecht, James Storrow, and Pauline Agassiz Shaw were the producers (funding and inspiration); Golde Bamber, Mitchell Freiman, and Meyer Bloomfield/Philip Davis were the directors (implementation). Hecht Neighborhood Houses' Lina Hecht dedicated her life to Jewish philanthropic endeavers. One of her most inspired projects started in 1890 as an effort to teach immigrant Jewish girls the basic skills for earning a living and socialization in Boston. Familiar with Pauline Agassiz Shaw's funding of the North Bennett Street Industrial School and the many clubs welcomed there; Hecht hired a young teacher, Golde Bamber, to create clubs for Jewish girls at that location. Among the results were a sewing club as well as a soap and water club (which taught cleanliness skills). As the Jewish immigrant population migrated to the West End, so did Lina's and Golde's clubs. With Hecht's financial resources, there in the West End, the clubs were reconstituted as the Hecht Neighborhood Houses, rented several locations, and invited the participation of both girls and boys. Even after Lina Hecht's death in 1920, Hecht Houses continued their social services well beyond the middle of this century, following the Jewish population into Dorchester. West End House (like Hecht House) started as a one-gender organization. In 1903, thirty-five Jewish boys, children of immigrants and neighborhood friends, on their own volition, formed a club called the Excelsior Club. Soon afterwards, the Excelsior Club requested and received assistance from the Jewish Federation in the form of a part-time advisor: Mitchell Freiman. The Excelsior Club's activities included performances of scenes from Shakespearian plays. James Storrow, prominent Boston Brahmin banker and politician, attended one performance of scenes from their Hamlet. Afterwards, he invited the entire membership of the Club to spend a winter Sunday in the country at his Lincoln estate. In the Spring, upon learning of the boys' lack of facilities and financial resources; he agreed to not only pay for building rent and maintenance but also to hire Mitchell Freiman fulltime as director for the now re-constituted Excelsior Club to be known as the West End House. While technically non-sectarian, the West End House membership would remain predominantly Jewish up to World War II. From athletics to declamation, from minstrel shows to a West End House symphony orchestra, from the House Bulletin to a speakers series; West End House was a powerful force in many Jewish boys lives. Alexander Brin, the second Editor/Publisher of The Jewish Advocate, was one of the many speakers at West End House evenings. His topic: "Jewish Ideals and Abraham Lincoln." This West End House facility at 16 Blossom Street was dedicated and opened two years after James Storrow's death and bequest of funds for its construction in January, 1929. Jacob M. Burnes, one of the Jewish alumni of West End House, by then, was director of it; and Trustees included not only Mrs. Storrow but also Louis E. Kirstein, a Filene executive, and David A. Ellis, a Brandeis protege'/lawyer. Civic Service Center stood in the center of the North End's Jewish commercial and religious activities: on Salem Street, at the corner of Baldwin Place and diagonally across the Street from the quaint, brick firehouse (still extant and occupied by Sheldon's Bargain Store). Today, a restaurant with apartments above it occupy what was once a vibrant settlement house for adult immigrants. At the turn of the century, two freshly-minted Jewish social workers, Meyer Bloomfield and Philip Davis, began work here to teach immigrants the English language, American history, and other work and socialization skills. They were funded by Pauline Agassiz Shaw, who had funded a similar project for children a few blocks away at the corner of North Bennett Street. For a while, Philip Davis, newly-married, lived upstairs in Civic Service Center and experienced first hand the immigrant life in the North End. His book, "And Crown Thy Good," gives eloquent voice to the experiences of the Jewish immigrant. In one anecdote, he describes a mohel (a ritual-circumciser of eight-day-old Jewish boys) who was refused admittance to the United States because he was too old to slaughter animals! Davis tells us how he was able to explain to Immigration officials the distinction between butchers and mohels; and, thereby, salvage this immigrant's admittance. Philip Davis, an immigrant himself, also was a cousin of Chaim Weizmann, our Zionist leader and first President of Israel. In 1921, when Weizmann passed through Boston, he visited with the Davis family, by then living in Medford, where Davis tells us they shared their stories of common boyhoods in Russia. Meyer Bloomfield, with degrees in law and social work, beside directing Civic Service Center, also worked with Louis D. Brandeis to settle abostonwalks.tripod.com variety of labor disputes including garment industry strikes. The preferential union shop was one of the results of their combined resolution efforts. Hecht House, West End House, and Civic Service Center, in serving the Jewish immigrant population well, were significant contributors to today's Boston Jewish community.

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We've walked what little remains of the once thriving West, North, and South Ends' Jewish communities of Boston.
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LINKS New Interpretations of our Ten Commandments Links The Ten Commandments Guidebook Humorous, satirical, exhortatory, spiritual and practical ways to self-struggle with our Ten Commandments! The original humorous satirical song lyrics, Please Keep Us Wealthy, considering the 8th Commandment, Don't steal! The original song, Try to Smile and Love Your Neighbor, considering what Mr. Ross labels the 11th Commandment, Love your neighbor as yourself! The original historical poem, Zionists, considering the 10th Commandment, Don't Covet! The original Walter Mittyish style daydream, Dance before God, considering the 2nd Commandment, Have one God only! The original exhortatory poem, From Atonement to Good Deeds, considering the 7th Commandment, No adultery. The original, mystical, kabbalah-vision-type poem, Commit, considering the 1st Commandment, Recognize God/Goodness! An original, acrostic, poetic, modern definition of an Anti-Semite in light of the 6th Commandment, Do not murder! Walks Around Boston Links Boston MA's Top Ten Waterside Places to Walk BostonWalks' Large Group Walking & Bicycling Tours of Boston & Environs Brookline MA Jewish History Sites Boston MA Jewish History Sites Boston's North End Synagogue Sites Cambridge MA Jewish History Sites Boston's South End Jewish History Sites Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge Houses of Worship

The Charles River flows in a red, white, & blue direction!

Now available! The Jewish Friendship Trail Guidebook 6 Self-Guided Walking/Bicycling Jewish Boston History Tours Covers Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge Softcover 198 pages with maps & b/w photos Click here Book Order Form to order now!

Now available! The Ten Commandments Guidebook Ways to Self-Struggle with Classic Morals In Song, Poetry, and Prose Covers 10 Commandments Plus One Other! Softcover 153 pages with practical suggestions pages! Click here Book Order Form to order now!

"West End House" circa 2004
Begun by 35 Jewish boys in 1903!

Copyright © Michael Alan Ross, 1997-2015. All Rights Reserved.

Email: BostonWalks

Yea, Teams! The Boston Red Sox and The New England Patriots!

Chazak Ve-ematz “be strong and resolute” (Moses’ words to Joshua in Deut. 31:7)

Click here for 10 reasons for more bike trails!

Should orthodox women have the same opportunities to participate in learning, davening, and minhagim as men? Click here for an original, creative, poetic elaboration of such a question, Sheaylot

Isn't it time to Attract Middle Class Families Back into Our Cities? Here's 10 Ways to bring middle-class families back into cities like NYC: 10 Ways to Bring Middle Class Families Back into New York City, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Atlanta, and other Cities considering the best of the suburban paradigm for our large cities.

Are you curious about what are some of the ethical reasons for single-payer universal health care insurance? 10 Moral Reasons for One Payer Universal Health Care Insurance for America in light of Hillel's If I'm only for myself, what am I?

To be satisfied with life perhaps, one might consider this raspberry!

Click here for an original, creative, re-interpretation for progressive Jews of Maimonides classic Jewish prayer of affirmation of Jewish faith, "Ani Maamin," THIRTEEN PRINCIPLES FOR PROGRESSIVE JEWS by Michael Alan Ross

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...How many?

When was the last time you really laughed? We're featuring good Jewish jokes! Check out this month's featured humor by clicking here! We know that there are other belly laughs our there. Email us at bostonwalks@hotmail.com with your contribution!

Isn't time to make unhealthy hospitals history? Here's 10 ways to make our hospitals healthier!

Sing Sense to America Remember the 21st century 1st decade presidential elections by singing some salivatingly satirical and serious song lyrics. To do so, try these on your tongue: CAPITALIST COMMANDS KEEP US WEALTHY LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

Question: What's a political mensch? Answer #1 Answer #2

BostonWalks Integrating the urban, modern Jewish American city experience with its historical sites and themes in such locales as Boston, MA, Portland, ME, East Bay and Providence, RI, and the Upper West Side of Manhattan, NYC.

Filene Best of Boston NYC UWS Brandeis Love Your Neighbor Watertown, New Town, & Muddy River Walk Near Water Refute Hate Walk West/North Ends We're One Pray Here Meditation Clubs Brookline Sensual Walks More Love Reporting Jewish Books TEN South End What's a political mensch? More "What's a political mensch?"

Table of Contents of Boston Walks The Jewish Friendship Trail ZIONISTS WOMEN WATERTOWN,NEWTOWNE,MUDDY RIVER UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE INSURANCE THE 10 COMMANDMENTS TEN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS GUIDEBOOK ORDER FORM SPIRITUALLY SHUSHAN SHULS OF BOSTON'S WEST END SHULS OF BOSTONS'S NORTH END SHEAYLOT SEATBELTS FOR SCHOOLBUSES SAUCYWALKS RHODE ISLAND WALKS RETAILERS A RED, WHITE & BLUE AGENDA PORTLAND, MAINE JEWISH SITES POLITICAL MENSCH STANDARDS 2 POLITICAL MENSCH STANDARDS 1 PATRIOT LEDGER ARTICLE CAR CRASH NEW YORK CITY UPPER WEST SIDE JEWISH SITES NEAR WATER BOSTON WALKS MIDDLE CLASS CITY LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR LIBERTY AND DEMOCRACY LAUGH LASHON HATZLACHA KEEP US WEALTHY THE JEWISH FRIENDSHIP TRAIL GUIDEBOOK ORDER FORM CAMBRIDGE MA JEWISH SITES JEWISH BOOKS BOSTON'S WEST & NORTH ENDS JEWISH SITES BOSTON'S SOUTH END JEWISH SITES OVERVIEW OF THE JEWISH FRIENDSHIP TRAIL THIS WEBSITE: BOSTONWALKS IN AWE HUMOR BOSTON HOUSES OF WORSHIP HEALTHY HOPITALS FILENE 10 WAYS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION CAN CHANGE AMERICA DANCE BEFORE GOD CONSERVATIVE JEWISH COMMIT CLUBS CAPITALIST COMMANDS BROOKLINE MA JEWISH SITES Brooklyn NY BRANDEIS THE BOSTON GLOBE ARTICLE BOSTON'S BEST BIKE TRAILS ATONEMENT TO DEEDS ANTI-SEMITE ANI MAAMIN PHOENIX SCOTTSDALE, AZ