Cheryl Kushner (Lane)

Joe, what an interesting discussion!  The Moreland area had a small congregation on Ludgate, Temple Beth El, led by Rabbi Genuth. My grandmother, who lived on 154th and Kinsman, belonged there or attended there. I don't know of another congregation.  I remember being told that Moreland was 90% Jewish!  I also thought Woodbury and Shaker High were 70% Jewish, but I don't know where those numbers came from. Contrary to Betsy's memories, I remember that school was not out for the Jewish holidays as I worried about my perfect attendance award!  We actually were not penalized for missing school, and I always received the coveted award anyway.  The Catholic and Protestant kids would tell me about not missing any work on those days that the Jewish kids at Moreland were off.

Joseph G Blake

The other synagogue in Moreland was called Shaker Lee Synagogue which was on Lee Road between 1960 and 1970. It apparently joined one in Warrensville Center Synagogue. I recall passing it when I would walk that way to Dairy Queen. 

In terms of the holy days ussually at the begnning of the school year, at the high school it meant a lot of empty seats and some classes cancelled because the teacher might be Jewish and therefore not at school. 

I can assure you it was a very slow day and not much happened. I think we who were there thought it was the second best thing to a day off. Of course it.s now a day off in many districts.My chidlren went to boarding schools for high school and therefore they did not even have snow days. The students and faculty live there and had classes regardless. But they did seem to make the most of the snow. My son once threw a snow ball at the assistant headmaster who quickly returned the honor. Very different dynamic. As a result of my Shaker experience I always believed high school should be demanding and prepare for the tough world of college, I suppose having been a Marine also contributed to the outlook. We had 4 chidlren and see their success from the vantage point of genteel poverty. Haha

As of now I will be giving a talk called "The Van Sweringens Remake the Face of Cleveland" at the Shaker Public Library (Moreland School) during the reunion weekend Augist 2 and 3. It will be Saturday August 3 at 2PM. So that should make you all come to the event. It's open to all. No charge and I hope disproves the adage, nothing for nothing. 

.

Betsy Dennis (Frank)

I remember Temple Beth El. As I understand it still exists in Cleveland Hts today. It is egalitarian Orthodox. Betsy

Arthur Charles Scott

We lived in Cleveland Heights before moving in 1959 to Shaker mid-7th grade (Byron).  We lived in the neighborhood just south and east of the Severance Estate (not yet a shopping center) and I attended Severance Millikin Elementary, newly built on the SE corner of the Severance land.  The students came principally from the very Jewish residential neighborhood east of the Taylor Road stretch of synagogues, kosher delis and the like between Euclid Heights Blvd & Cain Park.  I was one of the 4 Gentile kids in a class of 32 who were at school on High Holy Days.  From what I remember, the teachers generally had us doing housekeeping chores, sprucing up the classroom, clapping erasers and other busy work.  When the chores were done they let us alone to read books of our choice.  Naturally, nearly all my friends were Jewish growing up, and I had no difficultly assimilating into the somewhat less Jewish population of Byron & Shaker High.

Joseph G Blake

Art

I cannot help but think if a school did that today there would be a major charge of child abuse or at least an assumption that the kids were endentured servants.

You seem to have survived the experience without too much lifelong trama.

Joe

Stewart M Flate

To Cheryl Kushner,

I'm sending this in case the other message did not get through.

You are absolutely correct.  There was but one temple in all of Shaker Hts in the 50's.  I was bar Mitzvah at Temple Beth El.  To the best of my recall, Beth El was orthodox.  Certainly my family was not, but I went through the process.

By chance, were you part of the group that went to Heights Temple for religious education beyond the 6th grade?  Most of us were confirmed as a result. Some parents demanded that we go through the 12th grade.  I was so ordered.  There were quite a few from Shaker, but the only person I can remember was Mark Bieber, rest his soul.

I do not remember any of the girls having a Bat Mitzvah as the orthodox and the conservatives did not support the idea at the time.  

A small note:  There was a very small schule on Lee Rd.  The only people I know that went there were Eugene's family for awhile.  I never even visited the place. Eugene said it was very orthodox.

Phyllis Hammer (Gubanc)

This conversation is truly interesting. I had no idea growing up that there were areas where Jews were not allowed. My dad was Jewish, and I knew so many Jewish people, that I figured Shaker was open to all. I confess that I will always love Shaker, feel as if that's my "mother ship." No matter where I live. And I suppose that even mother ships have warts. Thanks to everyone for all these conversations, the history and the learning.

Betsy Dennis (Frank)

When we moved to Shaker we also changed synagogues from Temple on the Heights to The Temple. I went through 12th grade, but not under protest. Our classes were interesting. We had a comparative religion course and an archeology course, taught by I believe Nelson Glueck's son. I also was a Saturday morning bus monitor for the Hebrew school kids and during their classes we would go to the old Mt. Sinai hospital coffee shop and eat these really big pecan rolls.

Joseph G Blake

I suppose as a gentile I may be aware of some of the warts so aptly noted. My parents moved to Shaker in 1928 and therefore as a family we knew both pre war and post war Shaker Heights. My father was also in the men's clothing business (Revere Sportswear fwhich featured Jack Nicklaus golden bear gold shirts) which meant we had as a family a foot in the gentile world and the Jewish one. In 1940 a young Howard Rubin wanted to start his first store on Lee Road. He needed a loan to open the store. My father guarnateed the loan and the store opened that many of us recalled as Howard's. Later there were two stores- one on Chagrin and another at Harvard and Lee. Then later at Fairmount and Warrensville called Peer Gordon. The early support in 1940 was returned with a long friendship and fruitful business association.

But in Shaker or even Cleveland because of its many ethnic heritages, there was always the awareness of who people were either by religion or ethnic heritage. I also recall the comments made by people in the gentile world, the mention of which clubs were restricted, or the relgion of potential dates. A while back here classmates shared stories about dating a Protestant or a Catholic in the Christian world. And those who had the same story if they were Jewish. Being a Christian, I especially enjoyed hearing about dancing school with Flossie Shapero. 

Because I came along later in the marriage my parents were pretty relaxed about whom I dated. They had determined that you virtually never married a high school date or steady. Especially in Shaker because 90% of us went to college and knew marriage after senior year was not an option.

Today I have a Jewish son in law and a Hindu one. I would like to think the tolerance was learned first in Shaker because we were in both worlds ( we sent both Christmas cards and Chanukah cards) and then from many years traveling and living overseas where one learns we live in a global village. 

Jeffrey D Woolf

I enjoy reading the posts but rarely weigh in.  We moved to Shaker in 1956.  As I recall, at that time, east of Warrenville Center Road was (or until recently had been) a restricted neighborhood.  When Fairmount Temple (now referred to as Congregation Anshe Chesed) was built in Beachwood in 1959, having moved from 65th & Euclid, it was a big deal and there was a lot of opposition to it.  Another interesting story is that of Bet Olam Cemetery.  The story goes that in 1910, Park Synagogue was running out of space at its Fir Street Cemetery. They sent out a man by the name of Sam Newman to look for a new plot of land for expansion. He set out to find a new piece of property but was caught in a snow storm.  The Reindfleisch family allowed him to stay at their home to wait out the storm. Newman explained to Reindfleisch what he was doing and Reindfleisch immediately offered to sell the land to the synagogue. Newman accepted the deal, despite questions from the board of directors they decided it was the right place for expansion. Area farmers found out and tried to block the creation of the new cemetery because they did not want a Jewish Cemetery in their midst. But the law stated that once a cemetery is dedicated it can not be undedicated, so the new cemetery quickly had its first burial. This prevented any rescission of the deal.

And I can confirm that Arthur Scott fit right in; he was one of my best friends!

Evie Fertman (Braman)

Hi, Jeff!

Just to set the record straight on Fairmount Temple, the location before the one on Fairmount Blvd. just east of Green Road in Beachwood was 82nd and Euclid Avenue.  Liberty Baptist Church bought it from us and invited all of the conregants of Fairmount Temple to join them for a 50th anniversary in that location!!  Our Hebrew name was always Anshe Chesed which means Loving Kindness.  We referred to our Temple as the Euclid Avenue Temple when it was located there and we call it Fairmount Temple in it's current location.  Our Rabbi, Rabbi Brickner, was a a rabbi of international stature and many just called it Brickner's Temple even long after his death in the 1950's!!

Jeffrey D Woolf

You're right; 82nd, not 65th.

Joseph G Blake

Let me add a small bit of historical information about Rabbi Brickner. He lived on Parkland Drive for many years. I can see the house in memory. His son was named Balfour Brickner. He also was a Rabbi in New York. Rabbi Brickner was a leading Zionist circa 1925 and his son is named for Lord Balfour who as British Foreign Secretary issued the Britsh government declaration during WW1 that supported a Jewish homeland in Palestine. British policy in the war was contradictory given its support for the Sykes Picot agreement (Syria and Iraq boundaries) and Lawrence's campaign for  aHashemite Kingdom (Jordan is the result today) in the Arabian peninsula during the war. Long story that explains a lot about how a very complex region evolved after WW1. 

His obituary is here.

https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/01/nyregion/obituaries/balfour-brickner-activist-reform-rabbi-dies-at-78.html

William L Kahrl

I was fascinated by the wildly different estimates of the proportion of Jewish students at the high school when we attended. Arthur Scott and Joseph Blake provide excellent practical insights into this question based on how many kids were in class on High Holy Days. I arrived in Shaker in the fall of 1961 and recall that the methodology for resolving the issue was much simpler. You didn't have to wait for a religious holiday to roll around. In boys' gym class whenever the coaches needed to divide the students up for water polo, dodge ball or some other game, they'd just order everyone to line up, Jews on one side, Goys on the other. It usually worked out to be pretty much even on both sides. If only the rules on dating had been that easy. 

Eugene Greenstein

There was an Orthodox Synagogue  on Lee Rd between Hamstead and Scotsdale
Road . it was on the corner of a cross road whose name I can't remember that ended at Chelton.. Shaker Lee Synagogue. it was the old 140 St. Shul.  Rabbi Krislov whose grandson is president of Oberlin College was the rabbi.

Cheryl Kushner (Lane)

Stewart Flate and Eugene Greenstein:

I went to the Shaker-Lee House for after school clubs and for Sunday School. Then we went on to Temple on the Heights for Sunday School and Confirmation and High School. We were in that class together, Stewart.I don't remember though.  Was the Shaker-Lee House the same as the shul?

Stewart M Flate

To Cheryl Kushner,

Ask Eugene to tell you the now funny story of him being sent home from that small schule in essence because he told the truth. 

I thought we both went to Heights.  Do you remember anyone else from Shaker that went to heights.  I believe Michelle Marine was in that Temple on the Heights confirmation class also.  I have not looked at the confirmation picture for quite some time.

What I do remember about the Shaker Lee house was that my step-father worked there for awhile. I don't believe it was the same as Gene's schule.  And yes we had Sunday school there.  I was still in the Cleveland public schools when I first went.  By the fouth grade my mom decided we needed  to move to Shaker and we rented to upper suite at an old farm house on Lee Rd.right next door to the Cleveland Hebrew School.

What I definitly do remember was occassionaly going to your house. Your parents were so wonderful.  Your dad instructed me on how to behave a few times.I needed it.

I wrote a book called, "Along the Way." that tells some stories of our childhood.  Yes, you are most definitly in the book along with a picture.  There are a few stories about Gene's escapades which you might find interesting.  Those were good days for the neighborhood. So many good friends.

Stewart M Flate

To Paul Wasserman,

You be I remember the touch football games in the street. Who else played beside aside from us and your brother?

I remember you encoraging me to go out for football prior to our junior year.  One of the scariest weeks of my life.  I wrote a rather lengthy page of the experience in a book I wrote.

But you are rightm it was good times.  I just visited the neighborhood this summer.  A family has lived in the house we lived in for 37 years. To the best of my knowlege the family has discontinued the practice of touch football in the street.

Hope all is well with you. 

Margery Lynn Perlberg (Rapport)

Hi--I also attend Temple on the Heights and was confirmed there.  I didn't go on to the High School, but I believe that I started Sunday School in Kindergarten. The class mostly girls.    I had to wait until I was 35 to have a Bat Mitzvah!  The other people I remember in our class went to Heights and Brush, I think.  I do know that Cheryl was in the class with me. 

Margie Perlberg Rapport

Arlene Halle (Zollett)

Hi, I never have responded to the posts before, but since people have asked I was in the confirmation class at Heights Temple. I never realized anyone else went to Shaker. It was torture to me, and I found the other students very unwelcoming. I thought all the kids were from Heights. My mother also sent me to dancing school and I found the same situation.

Milt Golenberg

Thank you to all who have been "conversing" in this forum over the years.  I have appreciated the sharing/information exchanges and unfortunately the "goings" of fellow classmates.  Living in country Australia puts a great distance from the Class of 1964 community, so these exchanges have been very enjoyable.  In some cases these exchanges have ratified stories I have share with my family/friends here of life in what was an unusal community.

As I prepare to again move, I had the ocassion to pack the 1961 Heights Temple Confirmation picture.  A quick count of names, indicates 34+ members of Class 64 were in the 1961 Heights Temple Confirmation class.

Evie Fertman (Braman)

Hi, Arlene!   Your comment reminded me of a realization that I had when I was about 40.   I had met so many Jewish kids from Heights who were now grown up and couldn't believe how few of them I had known as a child.  It finally dawned on me that most of the Jewish kids in Shaker were Reform while many of the kids in Cleveland Heights were Conservative, reinforcing our school friendships and not expanding our circles of friends.  What do you think?

Evie Fertman (Braman)

Hi, Milt!  My Fairmount Temple confirmation class of 1961 had 130 kids - the preponderance were in Shaker.

Cheryl Kushner (Lane)

Stewart, I bought your book in 2014 after Howard J. told me to at our reunion.  I cried and laughed. You were one of my best friends!  What a wonderful book!

I do not have a confirmation picture.  I went with Margie Perlberg on the bus.Milt G.was our friend, too!  I would like to see the picture.

Stewart M Flate

Dear Cheryl,

I am so glad you had a chance to read the book.  It was fun writing it and it brought back some wonderful memories.  I always looked forward to going to your house as the friendship was wonderful,  If you remember you tought me how to jitterbug.  We had great times.