THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF WILLIAMSON
The Synagogue in Williamson: B’nai Israel Congregation - "College Hill Temple"
+Located in Williamson at College Hill
+Organized in 1916 and became affiliated with the Reform Movement in 1922.
+The temple was completed in the fall of 1927 and dedicated in the spring of 1928. A Religious School Building was added in 1953.
+Some historical records are at the American Jewish Archives
+At one time the congregation had a very active Temple Sisterhood, Religious School, Youth Group & Choir.
+The Williamson Jewish Community once supported a United Jewish Charities of Williamson & a B’nai B’rith Williamson Lodge No. 1040.
+Some names of the Presidents of the Congregation include: Harry Schwachter (1926); A. Goodman (1927); Kenneth Wells (1945); Clarence Lovitch (1948); Solomon Caplan (1952); Morris Ginsburg (1954); Philip Beinhorn (1958); William H. Rosen (2005)
+Some Presidents of the Temple Sisterhood include: Mrs. Solomon Caplan (1936-37); Mrs. Sylvan Bank (1947-49); Mrs. Blanche Friedberg (1949-50); Mrs. Morris Ginsburg (1950-52); Janet Bank (1952-53); Mrs. May Albert (1956-57); Mrs. Betty Rosen (1957-58)
Some Jewish Owned Businesses in Williamson
Albert’s Army & Navy Surplus Store - owned and operated by Charles and Mae Albert
Brown’s Dress Shop - owned and operated by Sol Brown
Caplan Furniture Company - owned and operated by Sol Caplan
Cinderella Shoes - started by the father of Betty Ofsa Rosen & husband Bill Rosen, who later operated the store
Cohen’s Cut-Rate Drugs - 205 East Third Street
Ginsburg’s ? Men’s Shop - owned and operated by Morris Ginsburg
Hess? Jewelry - Refugees from Nazi Germany
Lovitch Furniture
Lyric Theater - owned? and operated by Milton Levine, ca. 1930's - 1950's
Nobby’s Dress Shop - owned and operated by the Nabe Family
Rosen’s Electronics, Inc. ? - 104 East 2nd Street
Schwachter’s "Ladies Better Ready To Wear" - Logan Street - owned and operated by Harry Schwachter
Sherman’s Credit Jewelry Company
Sohn’s Men’s Shop - owned and operated by Max Sohn
Sol’s Shoe Store - Logan Street
Steckler’s ? Clothing Store - owned and operated by Isidor Steckler
United Clothing Store - East 3rd Avenue - begun by the father of Don Zappin who now (2005) operates the store. Bernard Zappin, a brother of Don Zappin, also operated the business until his death.
Williamson Bargain House - owned and operated by Mollie V. Gaskel
Jewish Families That Once Resided in Williamson
Albert, Appelbaum, Azarch, Bank, Beinhorn, Belford, Blackman, Bodenger, Brown, Caplan, Crigger, Friedberg, Gaskel, Gelperin, Ginsburg, Goodman, Hess, Kabot, Kahn, Kaplan, Klayman, Levine, Ligum, Lovitch, Moskowitz, Nabe, Ofsa, Poliakoff, Preiser, Rosedol, Rosen, Rosenfeld, Rubenstein, Schwachter, Shein, Sherman, Sohn, Steckler, Stein, Stone, Yarus, Zappin