Rabbi Morris Haft, of Middle Village, New York, a graduate of Mesifta Tifereth Jerusalem of New York, was installed as Beth El’s third spiritual leader on October 29, 1944, along with President Abe Sniderman and other congregational officers. The Master of Ceremonies at the dinner was attorney I.J. Simon, Depury Registrar of Wills, whose talk was entitled, “Who Will Speak for Us at the Peace Table.” The November/December 1944 issue of the Beth El Guide, the congregation’s newsletter, contained in its Armed Services News column stories about the atrocities being committed against the Jews of Europe by the Germans. In addition, Walter Hirschmann was commended for his thirteenth trip to the Red Cross blood bank. Other members were challenged to compete with his precedent.

 

Rabbi Haft was succeeded by Rabbi Pincus Miller, who would remain with the congregation until the late 1950's. In the August 28, 1950 High Holiday Bulletin, Rabbi Miller announced his sermon topic to be “Spiritual Rearmament.” Once again, the small Jewish community reflected the larger world issues as Rabbi Miller addressed a generation that witnessed two world wars and a “threatening third world conflagration.” On a communal level, Beth El faced an emotionally challenging decision when the congregation voted to join the Conservative movement.

The Beth El Men’s Club of the 1940's described itself as primarily a social group promoting enjoyable fellowship among men and women. Their programs included such activities as picnics, card parties, and mushball.

The original Mothers’ Club presidents warrant mention, at this time, since their legacies survive in modern day Beth El. As previously mentioned, Rebecca Ruderman was not only the founder of Beth El Congregation, but was also the first Mothers’ Club president. The first library was begun by President Irene Madeabach, a religious school teacher. President Augusta Greenberg donated the stained glass Mogen David window in her husband’s memory.

This window, preserved from the original Beth El, currently adorns the dome of the Melman Social Hall. President Eva Marmorstein, a convert to Judaism, symbolically adopted all new newcomers to Pittsburgh, who affectionately named her “Mrs. Marm.” Her brother carved the wooden lions that today adorn the ark in the Leizer Balk-Ahavas Zedek chapel in deference to her newly embraced faith. Two additional mothers, Mollie Hilsenrath and Dora Scheimer, did not serve as presidents, yet earned recognition for their loving and loyal support of Beth El in its early years. 

 

 

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