The B'nai B'rith magazine · 1927-07-01 · 10 (7.1927) · p. Seite 433

News of the Lodges A Message from Hon. Adolf Kraus Editor's Note: The B'nai B'rith Magazine in former issues recorded some of the distinctions conferred on Hon. Adolf Kraus, former president of the Order, and his good wife, on their golden wedding anniversary. Brother Kraus, through the medium of the Magazine, wishes to express his gratitude for attentions paid him. He has done so in a communication which, in the words he has chosen to describe the messages of others, may "stand well among the classics of literature." TOURING the month of January of this year my wife and I celebrated our golden wedding. In connection with that event an elaborate entertainment and dinner was arranged by the Chicago Lodges, which was attended by about fourteen hundred people, perhaps as large and fine a gathering of representative Jewry as was ever assembled in the city of Chicago. A few days after this event my wife and I took what might be called a golden wedding trip to California, where we remained until May 1st. Upon returning home I learned that more than six hundred congratulatory letters, and fully as many telegrams, had been received in my absence in California, and by arrangement of the Chicago Lodges these were delivered to the Secretary of the District Grand Lodge who had them all beautifully bound up in book form and delivered to me upon our return home. About twenty of these letters and messages had been received by me before our departure for California, but the first knowledge I had of the others came to me upon receipt of the bound volume. Formal acknowledgment of the letters and telegrams were made by the Secretary as received and the plan of the Chicago Lodges to surprise us upon our return home with this bound volume of messages, this further beautiful testimonial of their loving thoughtfulness, was completely successful. I feel, however, that the formal acknowledgment of these wonderful missives to me on that occasion is not sufficient. Since receipt of the volume I have read each message, all of which speak the language of love and kindness and many of which are so beautifully written that they could stand well among the classics of literature. I am too sensible of man's limitations, and particularly of my own, to account myself worthy of even a small part of the praise that is so generously bestowed upon me in these messages for what it is conceived I may have tried to do for the benefit of our people and of humanity. All I can possibly claim credit for are good intentions coupled with feeble efforts to carry them forward, and without the support and encouragement and the assistance of brave hearts and willing hands like those of the writers of these messages, I could have done nothing at all. The realization, however, of my unworthiness of the praise received, did not—humanlike—diminish the pleasure I received from reading these messages, a pleasure which in a young man might have been manifested by smiles but in an old man—may I confess it— was manifested by tears which blurred the written page. Why? I do not know. But this I do know, that in those tears there was no sadness but only joy, the joy of an old man who is thus beguiled into the belief that his life may not have been lived in vain. My dear friends, again I thank you one and all. Adolf Kraus. X/fcKEESPORT (Pa.), Lodge, one hundred strong, went to Pittsburgh last month, and conducted a Flag Day celebration in the headquarters of the local Lodge No. 44. Nearly all Pittsburgh B'nai B'rith and representatives from nearby lodges were there. * * * \\ 7TTH more than five hundred delegates planning to attend, and with a stimulating program scheduled, the Sixty-Fourth Annual Convention of District No. IV, at Long Beach, Calif., June 26th, 27th and 28th, was expected to be of greater importance than any previous meeting in the history of this Grand Lodge. * * * lS^TON-JEWS of Santa Cruz, Calif., joined in making a success of a card party given last month by the Ladies' Auxiliary of local B'nai B'rith Lodge No. 1050 for the benefit of the National Hospital at Denver. In charge of the affair were Mrs. Magidson, Mrs. Cohen, Mrs. Favorman and Mrs. Lieberman. T SIDOR COHEN, prominent Ben B'rith of Miami, Fla., has written a history of Miami Jewry from 1896, when the Jewish population of that city numbered two souls, until the present, when it totals six hundred families. Mr. Cohen was one of the original two settlers. The history has been published in several Miami papers. All roads of B'nai B'rith in Western Pennsylvania led to Erie on July 4th when several new buildings were dedicated at the B'nai B'rith Home for children.. Above is a picture of one of the buildings. The Home, which is sponsored by District Grand Lodge No. 3 and maintained principally through the contributions by various lodges in the District, occupies beautiful and spacious grounds, and in its equipment, is one of the finest Jewish orphanages in the country. A program of varied entertainment kept the visiting B'nai B'rith and their families occupied throughout the day. 433