Founding of K'hal Adas Yereim Part I

K'hal Adas Yereim
The Kehilah was founded in 1942
Dally and Ma  were members since its inception.

We are posting a very interesting document relating to the founding of the Vienna Kehillah "K'hal Adas Yereim" in Brooklyn, NY. This letter was sent to the refugees who had recently arrived from Vienna with the motive of founding a Chevrah Kadishah and Kehillah on this side of the Atlantic. It is interesting to read the list of signatories. We find Dally's name (Edwin Stroh) and the name of many of his friends and relatives.

Interior of the "Vienner Shul" K'hal Adas Yereim
27 Lee Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. Inaugurated in 1954 
Dally and Ma davened there over fifty years

The Kehillah has changed much over the past seventy years, still many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of its founders are actively involved in the Kehilah.

The spirit of Central European Yiddishkeit - Yiddishkeit in the spirit of the Chasam Sofer Zatza"l - the very essence of the Kehillah, is still alive and vibrant in the descendents of the founders.

Mr. Charles Richter ע"ה in an article written in 1967 for the twenty fifth anniversary of the Kehillah describe the Vienna Jewish way of life as follows:

In Vienna there evolved a Jewish way of life which we can designate as "Wiener Tora Im Derech Eretz". That is not the same as the Frankfuter Tora Im Derech Eretz way of Jewish life, but a unique synthesis. It is a way of life which was influenced, on the one hand by, Hungarian strict adherence to the principles of Yidishkeit and by Eastern Chasidus; on the other hand it was under the strong influence of Rabbi Shamshom Raphael Hirsch and Rabbi Esriel Hildesheimer.

Hundreds of Talmidei Chachomim, Rabbonim, Roshei Yeshivos, and Chosheve Balei Batim, many who are active in their other Kehillahs in all segments of Yiddishkeit can trace their routes to the small group of Balei Batim who founded the "Kahal Adas Yereim".

Adas Yereim in formation January 1942
Dally (Edwin Stroh) is among those signing this letter

English translation:

ADAS YERE'IM in formation
Temporary address
5 Ave. B, New York City
(c/o L. Lederer)

Teves 5702
January 1942

Most honorable Sir,

Due to the disparity between the conditions of the Jewish community here [in the United States] in comparison to those of our old residence [Vienna], we are forced to take up an issue, which did not concern us, as individuals, in the past. In the past we had all belonged to a Kehilah, and consequently to a Chevrah Kadishah. Here [in the United States] there is no Jewish community and hence no communal Chevrah Kadishah which will care for our Jewish duty in the realm of “Chesed Shel Emes”. Each one of us faces this question and must decide whether to join one of the local Chevrahs or societies, or shall we join together and form our own united Chevrah as many other groups who were bound by their places of origin or by common principles have done.

The undersigned and many of our fellows are of the opinion that this issue can best be resolved by the union of all our old fellows. The society being founded will at first fulfill the functions of a Chevrah Kadishah, but shall not be limited to that function. The exact program of our society will be outlined at the first meeting of all its members.

The undersigned have already looked into the issue of a Chevrah Kadishah, and have ascertained that for the sum of eight to ten dollars annual membership fees, a cemetery and undertaker fees would be available for all our members and their families. In order to set up a complete program it is necessary to obtain the exact number of members with which we will be dealing. We request each of you to fill out and return the enclosed postcard, as the undersigned are convinced that you would be interested in joining our society.

It should be noted that in principle the society shall be 100% Orthodox in the Central European sense of the term. The formation of our society is neither against any established institution or to distance ourselves from those of our friends who are here for a number of years.

Anyone who has any ideas or suggestion in regard to the founding of this society is requested to attach it to the enclosed postcard and send it to the above address.

We kindly request, that you fill out the enclosed postcard, and remit it a soon as possible.

With friendly greetings,

Nathan Adler
Isidore Feldheim
Philip Feldheim
Emanuel Felsenburg
Siegmund Forst
Simon Fuerst
Herman Herzog
Josef Hess
Jacob Landau
Alex Lazar
Leopold Lederer
Marton Neumann
Moritz Pappenheim
Hermann Plagmann
Charles Richter
Ernst Spitzer
Edwin Stroh
Joseph Schick
David Turkel
Markus Weiss
Shlomo Weiss

Transcript of the original German letter:

Sehr geehrter Herr,

Durch die Andersartikeit der hiesigen Verhaeltnisse im Juedischen Gemeinschaftsleben gegenueber unserer alten Heimat, sind wir gezwungen zu fragen Stellung zu nehmen, die uns frueher aks Einzelmenschen nicht betrefen. Wir gehoerten frueher einer Kehilah an nud damit auch gkeichzeitig einer Chewra Kadixvha. Hier gibt es keine juedische gemeinde und damit auch nicht die nit einer solchen verbundene Chewrah Kadisha die uns unsere jeidisvhen Pfkichten auf dam Gebiete des “Chesed Schel Emes” abnimt. Jeder einzelne von uns muss sich hier mit dieser Frage befassen und entweder irgend einer Chevra oder society beitreten, oder wir vereinigen uns zu einer gemeinsamen chewra. So wie viele hunderte Gruppen von Menschen gleicher Herkunft oder gleicher Gesinnung es vor uns taten.


Die unterzeichneten und noch eine Anzahl anderer unserer Freunde sind der Ueberzeugung, dass dieses Problem am zweckmaessigsten duch Zusammensvhkuss akker unserer akten Freunde geloest warden kann und Soll. Die zu gruendende society auf dieses Gebiet allein beschraenken, Sasgenaue Prgramm soll von den Mitgliedern bei ihrer ersten Zusammenkunft festglegt warden.

Die Unterzeichneten haben vor allem die Frage einer Chewra Kadischa untersucht und festgestellt, dass bei einem Jahresbeitrag von acht bis zehm Dollar eine vollkommene Versicherung der Mitglieder und ihrer Familien fuer cemetery und undertaker galiestet warden kann. Um jedoch ein genaues Programm aufstellen zu koennen ist es notwendig die ganaue Zahl der Mitglieder zu Kannen, mit der zr rechnen ist. Sie warden daher gebeten, die anliegende Postkarte sogleich auszufuellen und abzusenden. Die Unterzeichneten sind davon uebereugt, dass Sie zu den Gruendungsmitgliedern unserer society zaehlen warden.

Prinzipiell sei noch darauf hingewissen, dass die society 100% Orthodox – in Sinne der mittal europaeischen orthodoxie – sein wird. Die Schaffung unserer chewra ist weder gegen irgend walche bestahende Institution gerichtet, noch von dem Bestreben geleistet, sich von unseren Freunden, die shon seit frueheren Jahren hier weilen, absondern zu wollen.
Sollten Sie irgend welche Ideen oder Vorschlagen in Bezug auf die Gruendung der society haben, so warden sie gebeten, diese gemeinsam mit anliegenden postkarte an obige adresse schriftlich zu uebersenden.

Wir bitte sie, die anliegende postkarte sogleich zu uvterfertigen und abzusenden und verbleiben mit freundschaftlichen Grussen.