Wooster’s Jewish Community

by Elisabeth Abell, revised by Glenna Van Dyke

While the number of Jewish residents in Wooster has decreased dramatically in the last few decades, the legacy of the Knesseth Israel Temple and large town names such as “Freedlander” and “Brenner” is immeasurable.

Early Jewish Residents

Harold Freedlander standing next to a portrait of his grandfather, holding a sign that says "4 miles to the buffalo one price clothing house, Wooster, OH" — Harold Freedlander stands next to a painting of his grandfather and one of Wooster’s earliest Jewish residents, David Freedlander.

Front cover of a program commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Jewish Community in Wooster. — Program from a ceremony commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Jewish Community – with David Freedlander and Louis Licofsky. At the founding of the Knesseth Israel Temple in 1953, these two were thought to be Wooster’s first jewish residents.

For years, Wooster locals believed that the first Jewish residents were David Freedlander and Louis Licofsky, who arrived in the 1880s. After the Knesseth Israel Temple was built in 1953, the congregation hailed these two men as “leaders of the Jewish Community in Wooster” at the temple’s commemoration.¹ However, Knesseth Israel Temple’s resident historian and researcher for the Wayne County Public Library’s Genealogy Department, Ed Abramson, believes differently. According to Abramson, the first Jewish resident was Abraham Greenbaum, a merchant who came to Wooster in 1841.² While Wooster had a Jewish community since the 1840s, it would take over a century for a synagogue to be built.

Excerpt from a letter written by David Freedlander in 1898. — In 1898, David Freedlander’s health began failing. He thought it would be best for his health if he returned to Europe for some time, so he applied for a passport in 1898. He later died while making the voyage, leaving Freedlander’s Department store in the hands of his 17 year old son, Herman.

Certificate of Naturalization of Abraham Greenbaum. — Naturalization record of Abraham Greenbaum, Wooster’s oldest Jewish resident.

Founding the Knesseth Israel Temple

Letter written by John McSweeney — Handwritten letters from John McSweeney to his friend, Harold Freedlander. McSweeney spoke at the dedication of the Knesseth Israel Temple in 1950.

Portrait of John McSweeney — John McSweeney was an American congressman and good friend of Harold Freedlander. He spoke at the dedication of the Knesseth Israel Temple.

Front cover of a Knesseth Israel Temple yearbook. — Program shows the growth of the congregation in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as the existence of a Wooster Jewish Community Association.

excerpt from the Wooster Daily record. — From the Daily Record, showing the extreme growth of the Knesseth Israel Temple in the 1950s.

Letter written from Congressman McSweeney — Letter from Democratic Congressman John McSweeney to Harold Freedlander after he accepted the invitation to join the Un-American Activities Committee. McSweeney spoke at the dedication of the Knesseth Israel Temple in 1950.

By the 1930s, the Jewish community in Wooster had grown to include over twenty families, including the Freedlanders and the Licofskys. In 1931, these families decided that they needed their own proper place to worship, after having conducted religious services in their houses for years.3 In 1950, the cornerstone for the Knesseth Israel Temple was finally placed. That day, democratic congressman John McSweeny, a friend of Harold Freedlander and a member of the House Un-American Activities Committee, spoke, saying “here in Wooster, the newly completed Church of Christ, and the new Temple represent the American Spirit of free men digging into free soil to further their spiritual end”. ⁴The temple was completed in 1953, but the congregation grew so quickly that it needed to expand again in 1955.

Plaque beside the door of Knesseth Israel Temple that says "Knesseth Israel Temple, 5711, 1950" — Photo of a plaque by the door of the Knesseth Israel Temple commemorate the cornerstone of the building in 1950.

Harold Freedlander and his wife Lois posing together in 1939. — Photo of Harold Freedlander, one of the founders of the Knesseth Israel Temple, in 1939 with his wife, Lois. Both Harold and Lois were instrumental in making the Knesseth Israel Temple a reality.

Wooster’s Jewish Community Today

Photo of historian Ed Abramson in front of the Holocaust Torah at Knesseth Israel Temple.

People worshiping at Knesseth Israel Temple — The Knesseth Israel Temple’s congregation celebrates the beginning of Passover with a Seder ritual feast.

Today, Knesseth Israel Temple’s attendance has declined by at least 50% since the 1950s, according to local Jewish historian Ed Abramson. Why the rapid decline? The cause could be many factors, including the decline of Jewish-owned businesses downtown such as Freedlanders’ store, or growing Jewish communities in larger cities such as Cleveland and Columbus. In any case, the church’s teachings and demographics have changed greatly in recent years. According to the Temple’s website, the congregation was “originally Orthodox to accommodate the religious needs and tastes of many recent immigrants to the US [but now is a] comfortable comprise between Conservative and Reform practice and in the 1990’s affiliated as a Reconstructionist congregation”5 Reconstructionist Jews are a small subset of the Jewish population, with about sixty thousand members, that emphasize Jewish culture and tradition over the divinity of god, far from the original Orthodox teachings.6 Today, Abramson believes that members of the Temple consider themselves equally part of the Wooster community and part of Wooster’s Jewish community. Wooster’s Jewish residents have been valued members of the community for over 140 years and their community is still thriving today.7

Exterior fo the Knesseth Israel Temple — Photo of the exterior of the Knesseth Israel Temple.

Door of the Knesseth Israel Temple — Photo of the door of the Knesseth Israel Temple.

Front window of the Knesseth Israel Temple — Photo of the front face of the Knesseth Israel Temple.

Sources

¹ “Jewish Congregation WIll Honor Wooster Founders,” The Daily Record, October 29, 1954.
2 Linda Hall, “Knesseth Israel Temple Celebrates Past, Future,” The Daily Record, September 19, 2009.

3 Knesseth Israel Temple, “History,” accessed June 17, 2013, http:www.kitemple.org.
4 “Knesseth Israel Cornerstone Placed Sunday,” The Daily Record, September 15, 1950.

5 Knesseth Israel Temple, “History,” accessed June 17, 2013, www.kitemple.org.
6 Peter W. Williams, America’s Religions: From Their Origins to the Twenty-first Century, (Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1990), 405.
7 Ed Abramson, interview by author, June 10, 2013.

How to cite this page:

MLA: “Wooster’s Jewish Community.” stories.woosterhistory.org, http://stories.woosterhistory.org/woosters-jewish-community/. Accessed [Today’s Date].

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APA: (Year, Month Date). Wooster’s Jewish Community. stories.woosterhistory.org. http://stories.woosterhistory.org/woosters-jewish-community.