Gloria Jacobus
Gloria was born in New York City in 1927 and was adopted by parents who had been living in Wichita Falls, Texas, since 1919. Her father, originally from Cleveland, came to Wichita Falls for the oil business after serving in World War I, and he established her mother in the pipe and supply business as an independent oil producer, a rare role for a woman of that era. Gloria grew up in Wichita Falls, where a Jewish community of about 250 families supported both an Orthodox shul and a Reform temple. After an illness kept her out of school for several years, she returned to graduate from high school and then attended Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans.
In 1949 Gloria married Henry Jacobus, Jr., in Wichita Falls, in a ceremony performed by Rabbi Leo Lichtenberg, who had confirmed her years earlier. She moved to Dallas and immediately became involved in community work, always as an outgrowth of her Jewish involvement. Through the Council of Jewish Women she volunteered at Scottish Rite Children's Hospital and worked with the United Way, and at Temple Emanu-El she taught in the religious school for several years, served as a middle-grade supervisor, and chaired the Significant Book Series. She and Henry raised their children in Dallas and shared a long, devoted marriage of more than 43 years, though they endured the loss of their son Alan in a mountain climbing accident.
In 1965 Gloria and Henry were among the founders of Temple Shalom, born from Rabbi Levi Olan's concern for Dallas's unaffiliated Jews. Early services were held at Perkins Chapel, St. Mark's, and various churches, with congregants covering crosses with handmade tapestries and the fire department helping conceal a large cross for High Holy Day services. Henry served as the congregation's first president, and Gloria became its first woman president in 1977, balancing the budget during her term. She successfully advocated for the establishment of a Sisterhood. A dedicated woodworker who apprenticed to a cabinetmaker for seven years and ran a custom furniture business for twelve years, Gloria built the congregation's first portable ark. After retiring she taught adult literacy and continued her community service.
Full Transcript
I'm Rose Biederman with the Dallas Jewish Historical Society, and I'm speaking with Gloria Jacobus at her home, 9500 Inwood Road, Dallas. This is an oral history project, part of the joint project of the Dallas Jewish Historical Society and the National Council of Jewish Women. And, Gloria, I'll start off with asking where you were born. I was born in New York City. Born in New York City. Born in New York City. My parents were there. And they were living in Wichita Falls, Texas at the time. They had lived in Wichita Falls since 1919. And we came home. To Wichita Falls? To Wichita Falls. Did your mother go specifically to New York for you to be born?
Actually, I was adopted. Oh, okay. Okay. So you grew up in Wichita Falls? I grew up in Wichita Falls. And went to school there? Went to grade school, high school. I did have a period of illness which kept me out of school for a number of years. So I actually left public school in the seventh grade and did not re-enter public school physically until my senior year in high school. But I went back to the same class I dropped out from, so it was fine. And I graduated from high school and then went to Sophie Newcomb in New Orleans to college. What business was your father in in Wichita Falls?
He was in the oil business. Oh, really? Uh-huh. He actually established my mother in the pipe and supply business in Holiday, Texas, and she was in the oil business, an independent oil producer. Oh, that's interesting. So she really was quite ahead of her time because women weren't in business in those days, and especially that kind of business. But she was good, and she loved it. That's interesting. You mentioned that your father came from Cleveland. Did he come to Wichita Falls specifically due to the oil? Yes, he did. After he got out of the service in World War I he and my mother married while he was still in the service They had known one another for a number of years And they went to Butler, Pennsylvania.
My father worked for one of his oldest brothers. And the year before, another brother had worked in Butler, Pennsylvania for the oldest brother and had been sent to Fort Worth to be in the gas business. natural gas business. And then after mother and daddy lived in Butler for a year, they were sent to Wichita Falls because it was an oil boom community. Was there a large Jewish population there? I don't know really before my entrance onto the scene, or even in my early childhood, Yes, there really was because there was a very large Sunday school. Oh, really? And there were two, through the years, there were two communities, religious communities.
There was an Orthodox shul with a rabbi, and there was a Reformed temple with a rabbi, both congregations being supported by their members. Yeah. And there were about 250 Jewish families in Woodsboro Falls. And the main streets of Wichita Falls were certainly lined with Jewish-owned stores of various kinds. And on the high holidays, downtown Wichita Falls was dead because they always closed. To get a time frame, would you mind telling me when you were born? I was born in 1927. Okay. I got to Wichita Falls in 1930. Okay. I didn't realize that the Jewish population was that large at that time period. It was, and if you'll check around Dallas, you'll find most of them living here.
And did you come into Dallas often when you were growing up? Yes, yes, I certainly did. I went to the orthodontist here, and then later on took my children to the orthodontist. I had gone to His hands had gotten a little shaky by then But as a child we used to come to Dallas a lot When the Metropolitan Opera would come or the symphonies would come my parents had friends here We come to visit on the weekend People from Dallas would go to Wichita Falls and visit us. It was fun. So when did you move to Dallas? I moved to Dallas in 1949 when I got married.
All right, and would you tell us just a little bit? You're married to... Oh, I'm married to Henry Jacobus, Jr., and we've been married 43 years plus. We've been very happy. Were you married in Wichita Falls or in Dallas? We were married in Wichita Falls, and the rabbi who married us, Rabbi Leo Lichtenberg, had been the last Reformed rabbi in Wichita Falls and had confirmed me. Oh. and then went into the service and when I was in college he and his wife used to visit me at school whenever they were in the area. After the war the rabbi settled as a Hillel director in Charlottesville, Virginia and I would go visit them and their children.
came when Henry and I got married and Rabbi Lichtenberg did the ceremony. And the first year that Henry had a vacation, after we got married, we went to Virginia to see the rabbi and his wife. So it was a long, lovely relationship. It continued through the years. That's interesting. I think we'll talk about your life in Dallas now. and I assume as a young matron in Dallas you became involved in community work? Oh, absolutely, instantly. Is this Jewish community or general community or both? Well, it was both, but it was always as a result of my involvement in the Jewish community. How was that? Well, for example, I worked at, oh, for about three years, I worked at Scottish Rite Children's Hospital twice a week, doing things with the children, crafts and things like that.
But I did that because I was a member of the Council of Jewish Women and that was one of their programs So that how I got involved with the United Way I did that because Jewish women were involved in the community And there were other projects that I did because of council. I don't remember what they were specifically, but through the years up until a certain point, I was always very active in counseling, so I was on the board and headed committees and things like that, up to a certain point. Were you active in Temple here? Yes. I'm saying Temple Emanuel. Temple Emanuel, I certainly was.
I taught in the religious school for five years, I think. I taught for two years, three years, and then became a supervisor. I taught in the middle grade, and then became a supervisor of the middle grade. So I guess I was involved with religious school about six years. Henry also taught there. In fact, he started first. I was still taking care of a little kid who wasn't ready for Sunday school at the time. But, so yes, we were very actively involved, and then I was chairman of the Significant Book Series for several years. In fact, I was still chairman of the Significant Book Series when we started Temple Shalom.
I see. Of course, I knew that Henry and his family had been very active in Temple, and so... Well, we stayed with it. I guess you have the distinction of being the first woman in Dallas elected to head a congregation. Yes. And so I would really like to ask you quite a bit about Temple Shalom and the story of its beginning. I guess how, why, when, and so forth. Why was this movement started? It was really started because Rabbi Levi Olin, uh... And what year are we talking about? Oh, uh, 1965. Okay. And I think it was in the spring because Shalom got started actually In the early fall we held our first service in October of 1965 at Perkins Chapel at SMU.
But Rabbi Olin was concerned about the unaffiliated Jews in Dallas. I had to laugh because at that time the figure was 1800. I don't remember whether that was individuals or families, but the number 1800 has stayed with me, because ten years later, after Shalom was fairly well established, there were still 1800 unaffiliated Jews in Dallas. But Temple Emanuel called a congregation a meeting to discuss the establishment of another Reformed congregation. Oh, really? Mm-hmm. And Henry could really tell you better. I don't know whether there was any concern that Temple Emanuel was getting too large, but there certainly was conversation and discussion about whether this new congregation, if it came to be, would be a partner congregation with Temple Emanuel.
whether it would be a branch, so to speak, or whether it would be independent. Rabbi Owen's feeling very strongly was that it should be independent. And leadership of Temple Emanuel was involved, and there were enough people who declared their willingness to help this new congregation, a new congregation get started, that it became a fait accompli. There were people like Henry Miller and Lewis Tobian and so forth who were very interested in this and supporters. Anyway, Henry was one of the people, one of the members of St. Le'Emmanuel who said he would work with this. Was there organized opposition to another reformed temple? No Everybody seemed to think it was a great idea and nobody seemed to know how it was going to come about It just couldn fall out of the sky There had to be planning and considerations and even the people who were involved really didn know They were charting new courses, I'll say that.
Well, was it like a voluntary committee to work on it, or was it appointed by Tim? No, it wasn't. Although Henry had been approached for several years on an individual basis, what would he think about being involved in this? And he really never did anything with it. And then after this meeting, there were X number of members of Shalom who volunteered not to depart from Temple Emanuel, but to help the congregation, help the congregation get started if there was enough interest, but it was worth pursuing. So how was it pursued? Do you recall any details? I don't remember the mechanics exactly. I remember there was a meeting at Dr.
Marvin Gerard's house, and there were seven of us there, and we've tried to remember who the Seven were, but Maury Neuberger was one, and the wives were involved, so I should say Maury and Janet, and Marvin and his wife. of course, Henry and me, Norman Ansbrook and his wife Edith, um, Alex Zelenka, Alex and Bula Zelenka, thank you, um, Sam Ablon, he was teaching also at the Temple Emanuel, and and his first wife were very actively involved. I can't remember some of the others. Okay. But anyway, I think Temple Emanuel had a list of people who had signed up that night of being interested in being involved but not volunteering to help chart the course.
Anyway these men got together and they did send out a notice to the list that the Temple Manual had provided of having a meeting and it was at one of the savings and loans and there were quite a number of people So the first thing, and there were people who showed up who we'd never seen before, or never knew, didn't know existed. And the first thing they did was set up a system for having a newsletter, communication, which I thought was brilliant. And this was all done from string out of the apron pocket. I mean, what we did, what anybody volunteered to do, they paid for, because there were no funds.
And we'd plan other meetings for people to get together and meet one another. We talked about, at the savings and loan at that first meeting, what we voted on was the names. Oh, was that right? Uh-huh. How was that a rhyme? They were just, names came up, you know, somebody stood in front of the room and said we need to have a name and people would call out names and somebody would take down the list and then everybody voted on and the one that got the most votes got the name and that's how we did it. They were very specific too, they didn't want Shalom, they wanted Shalom.
I mean once it got to that, and that was fun because I know a lot of people named the names of congregations they had come from. So periodically we'd have get-togethers at somebody's house. Now who did the first work on communication with the newsletter, do you recall? And was that sent to all the members of Temple, or just to the people who expressed interest in this? Well at that time it was sent to the people who expressed interest in this, but the evolving leadership made sure that Temple Emanuel had copies of the biologist and knew what was going on and he was involved and so forth.
At that meeting at Temple Emanuel, to get this whole thing started there were people men who stood up and said I will contribute you may count on me to help financially which was really a lovely thing And they did Not many but they did Also, there was criticism from leadership for Temple Emanuel later on, because these people who had volunteered to contribute financially were approached. I mean, they had said they would, so we asked them, and then were criticized for asking them. It got to be a not nice situation. Oh, okay. Okay. I don't remember the name of the woman who did the newsletters and she did a wonderful job.
She did them at home, she minigracted them, she sent them out. She did not stay a member for more than a couple of years. Oh. I hope these newsletters are on file somewhere. I had copies, I had saved a copy of every one of them and I had pinned them over to the Shalom Archives a number of years ago, but the archives have not been kept up or well attended, so I have no idea where they are. I probably have copies of a couple of the first ones, especially since Henry was sending out very sweet messages. Henry actually... Well, it sounds like he was very involved.
Oh, he was very involved, and he actually, They, early on, like at that first meeting at the Savings and Lone, had been sort of appointed by the group who was there to be the leader. I see. They didn't call him a president or anything. He had no organization. Yeah. But he really was the leader. Why do you think that came about? I don't know. because he was so sweet. You know, there were other men who were involved who certainly had leadership capabilities, and demonstrated them aptly. Maury Neuberger, Marvin Girard. Marvin was the second president of Temple Charon. And Henry was the first, is that right?
Henry was the first, and Maury was the third. Okay, okay. that we're referring to, was that, were those the founders or was that? Oh, I would say so, definitely. But people like Alex Velenka was very actively involved and contributed mightily, financially, physically, oratorily. You know, personally, Sam Adlon Lewis Ralph Cohen did, without mentioning. In fact, he conducted, Lewis Ralph conducted his first day with Alex Serena. At Perkins. At Perkins. Did you have a borrowed Torah or what? Well, if you really want the facts of history, yes. We had a borrowed Torah. We were unable to borrow a Torah from Temple Manual. They simply didn't lend this one.
I know my voice stopped. I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings, but this actually is a fact. And that was very hurtful, I will have to say. And we didn't want to keep it, we just wanted to use it on Friday night. Alex Zelenka found us a Torah. It was a small one, you know, maybe 12 inches and length and the tree and the trees. And we used it happily, and we carried it around with us. Whoever he borrowed it from allowed him to keep it as long as he needed it, and of course he took very good care of it. Sheriff Israel presented us with the Torah as a gift.
Oh, really? About eight months later, six months later. And where were you at that time? Were you still at Perkins or? No, we had two meetings, two services at Perkins and then we moved to St. Mark's Chapel. And we were there for about a year. And you would use that on Friday night or Saturday? We used it on Friday night. Okay. And did you hold High Holy Day services there or were you? I'm trying to remember what we did the the first couple of years with High Holy Day services before we went to North Haven North of the Streech I can remember I think once we held either Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur because it was a day, it must have been a Saturday when the kids were in school.
I don't remember. I'll have to. You got me on that one. That's okay. Okay. I recall when you were meeting at the North Haven Methodist Church. North Haven Methodist Church. How did that come about? I don't know who found that for us. I really don't. Somebody in our congregation knew the minister there and arranged it. And they were very nice about it and they worked very well for us. One of the things it did, it taught the women in our congregation to get to work and make lovely large tapestries, whether embroidered or woven or whatever, in order to cover the crosses and the Jesuses on the wall when we held our services.
But they did, and it was marvelous. We held our High Holy Day services at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Royal Lane. And that was a church in the round. I know where we held services before that, our High Holy Day services, at Midway and Royal, I believe, the Christian Church. With a high roof? With a high roof. And they were wonderful to us, just marvelous. Anyway, going back at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, the church in the round, and in the center, and inside it's a dome ceiling, and in the center there's an enormous cross coming down, and that really wouldn't do for high holiday services.
So our women got together again and what they did they made like a box kite and on On each side was the Jewish symbol and the menorah the Star of David the burning bush and I think the Tree of Life And the fire department would come across the street and attach our kite over the cross so you didn see the cross and that what we did Oh, how wonderful. And every year the fire department, when it was high holy days, they'd come on over and put it up. And the church allowed us to leave it up through Yom Kippur. In other words, we put it up at Rosh Hashanah.
So the fire department didn't have to keep coming back and forth. Was this a voluntary thing of the fire department? Yeah, it sure was. Oh, my. That's wonderful. It really is. Then we had a lot of great experiences. And that was a very happy time in congregational life. About how large do you think you were before you settled at the Methodist Church? Well, we were at the Methodist Church at that point when we were using St. Luke's for high school. Oh, I see. We were at the Methodist Church. Well, why did you have to use St. Luke's? It was larger? It was larger and there wasn't room and uh... Okay.
About how large was your congregation do you think at that time? Would you hazard a guess? Um, we had a rabbi, so it was large enough to support a rabbi. I don't know, a hundred and fifty thousand or maybe. Okay, and the name of the rabbi? Our first rabbi was Herschel Jaffer. He's in New York now. And he was with us three years. And our second rabbi was Saul Besson, who most of us knew because he had been the third rabbi of Temple Emanuel for a number of years. Well, three years, which in those days was the usual time for the third rabbi. When did you find the need to have your own building?
I sure that was always a thought Oh yes it was always a thought And um oh Phil Warren was president when we broke ground, and he was the seventh president. So it was seven years after we got started. I can't even remember. And what was his name again? Philip Warren. Okay. Well, all of the past presidents are active to a degree. It's beginning to get smaller through the years, but we're always available. Was it difficult getting the funding for the building? Not really. You found a lot of support in Dallas? We found a lot of support in our congregation. Well, that's wonderful. That really is.
There were pledges made and we did get a professional fundraiser. Eddie Green, Edward C Green, found a property for us and got it at a very good price. We did do a study on the center of the Jewish population in Dallas. Who conducted that? Your membership? Well, they did go through organizations to do that. Okay. And the city was helpful. Yeah. Well, that's interesting. So, which is why we were looking in the area where we were looking. At that time, of course, that really was the center because most of the congregation of Temple Shalom was still in North Dallas but not that far north. So that, and the newer members who would join, who came from out of town lived further north so that at the So, at the time we bought the property, it really was the center of the Jewish population.
So, let me ask you, the building for Temple Shalom is located on Alpha and Well, Chris, when was that building completed? Do you recall the year? I guess it was about 1967. Yeah, sorry about that. All right, we're going to clarify. The groundbreaking for the new building was about... 1972. Okay. And do you recall approximately when the building opened? Approximately 1974. Okay. Okay. And who was your rabbi then? Rabbi Besser. Rabbi Besser. Okay. And he was our rabbi for 16 years. For 16 years. Okay. Okay. When were you elected president? What year? 1977. In 1977. In 1977. I had served on the board, and then we did have a succession at the time.
Presidents only served one year, for one thing. But the year before I took office, the congregation changed them, or voted to change that ruling in the by-law and allowed a second year succession. You could be the president again at a different time in our one year ruling, but you just couldn't succeed yourself. But at that time they changed the ruling, but I did not serve a second year. I chose not to. But there was a succession that was pretty well organized, and you committed yourself you became a vice president. So I was committed for two years before I took office. You recall any special or significant event during your term?
Yes, we balanced the budget. Oh, well that's significant. More significant Also we began to pay our fair share of these to UAAC which had been a problem with us prior to that because there were so many things that we needed to do and we wanted to get them done at home first Sure I curious how did you did individuals donate various like ARC Oh, yes, tons of money. We did have a professional fundraiser to guide us in the fundraising for the building. And the things that he told us actually worked out. I guess that's why they're professional fundraisers, because they know the statistics so well, and people do tend to react the same in a given situation.
We had to get X percent of the total estimated cost from a certain percentage of the congregation. And if we did that, then we knew, according to the professional fundraiser, that we would raise sufficient money to build a building. Well, we did. We got the X percent, I don't know whether it was 40 percent that he said from 10 percent of the congregation or something like that. Whatever it was, it worked. We did it, and then we got other contributions of different sizes and so forth, and that was the way we went at it. At that time, our congregation's feeling was that everything was congregational, And we didn't want names to indicate that this person had more money or gave more money because the person who gave less money, it might have cost them dearer to do so.
So we did, as in, within fundraising you have to say, you know, $5,000 for the art. Well, we don't have a name on the arch, but there is a little plaque, but that didn't necessarily mean that so-and-so actually gave that amount. I don't know how they worked it out. Gave most of that amount or something like that. But you could walk around Temple Sharon today and you find various and assorted little plaques on the wall There one which says Sunday School Wing Gloria and Henry Jacobus It means that we gave a sum for the construction of that particular area of the building. Um, and that's the way we did it.
That's not the way it's being done now. Now, uh, the congregation is, is a leadership place. Oh, gone the way that a lot of congregations do, walls with names on them and plaques with a whole list and so forth and so on. So. How did you get your Torahs and how was that funding provided in the same manner? Oh, that's interesting. Well, our first Torah was a gift from a congregation Sheriff Israel. And Joe Goldman was at our Friday night service at St. Mark and presented us with the Torah as a gift from the congregation chair of Israel, which has to have been one of the sweetest encounters, religious encounters, our congregation ever had.
It really was beautiful and lovely and moving and sincere. And about a year or two later, we bought one of the Torahs that had been buried in Czechoslovakia. And I don't know where we got the money. You know, it was from the congregation. And from then on, any Torahs that we obtained, the congregation provided the funds for. When we got the Torah from Sheriff Israel Gene Weinfeld Mrs Robert Weinfeld both of of whom were charter members Gene Weinfeld and I real quick ran out and got some material and Gene made a Torah cover and I embroidered it and I made the hard top to fit over the trees and then we tacked the Torah cover to the hard top and our Torah had our own cover and a simple shroom on it Our membership at that time was so totally involved in any and every aspect of congregational life.
It was very thrilling. It really was. Everybody was working toward the same goal, and consequently everybody was very happy. I'm not saying that there weren't little snippy problems, you know, because that's human life, or human nature, but when it came to things really for Temple Shalom, it was a lovely once-in-a-lifetime experience. You can't do that kind of thing more than once. How was the philosophy of Temple Shalom shaped or determined? By the rabbi or by the ritual committee or the membership themselves? Pretty well by the membership, but the rabbi's philosophy, religious philosophy, was very compatible with the membership. Okay. So you hired a rabbi that would fit your...
Right, yes, we did. Yes, we did. Yes, we did. And Rabbi Bessel was working for the union at the time. He was living in Washington, D.C. And we had him come for an interview just like any other rabbi. And even though we had known him, not all the congregation I would guess at least half, maybe more than half, but at least half had known him. At least knew who he was, or that he had been in Dallas and so forth. In fact, it was a very compatible set of things. Okay. And I had to go back to the women for a minute. Because when the building was built and we had four permanent chairs on the beamer, the women needle pointed the seats and the backs of the chairs and the chairs came from Israel.
So there was a lot of stealing about everything that was done and the chairs were exquisite. I guess for the record I should ask the rabbi that succeeded, Rabbi Besser. Rabbi Roseman. Oh, I thought there was... All right, Rabbi Roseman. And he's a present rabbi. Yes, I'm right. You may be thinking of Rabbi Goodman, who was our assistant rabbi, who carried on between between Rabbi Besser and Rabbi Roseman. But he was always, he was hired as the assistant rabbi and was simply the only rabbi we had for a period of time and did a beautiful job. He really did. He's in San Antonio now. So how large is the congregation today, would you estimate?
860 families. My, well I think that's a success story. Yes, I think it is too. And you have a beautiful building and with a new addition. And now we have a chapel which has been added and a bride's room. And when we first started Temple Shalom, we had our religious school at Hockaday in their kindergarten rooms, and we had 90 children in the first grade and below. Hmm. No, we had 90 children. Over half of them were in the first grade or below. Oh, okay. Well, it was a young congregation. There was one kid in the fifth grade. I know, it was my son. There were two in the sixth grade, And we had a totally voluntary teaching staff.
The director of the Sunday School was a volunteer a doctor Did you have any professional guidance Yes and I glad you asked me because there were two people from Temple Emanuel who were so marvelous From the day we got started, they started talking to us and working with us. And one was Ray Israel, who was always on call, always available, always volunteering, totally supportive, and provided us with just wonderful kind of educational leadership. And the other was Sam Atlas, who would come and teach us songs and talk to us about music and what we should do with it and how we should go about it for the group that we had.
And how we could have a choir, even the seven people or six, and it was really wonderful. That's interesting. I'm glad I asked that question. I'm glad you did too, because I would have felt terrible to have left it out, out because they really were an integral part of our structure. Yes. Is there any other area that I may not think of that you need to comment on that we did? Yes. When I took office, one of the things that had been a problem between Temple Emanuel and Temple Shalom was that, and with both congregations, both administrations were aware of it, was that there were people who would leave one congregation without completing their financial obligation and join as a new member in the other congregation.
And then a year or so later, they might go back without completing their financial obligations. And while that might, I'm sure it can't have sat very well with Temple Emanuel, it was a terrible problem for us because we had different funds which when one joined, one committed themselves, honorably, hopefully, to see through whatever they committed. If it was a year or five years or whatever, we had bank loans and these were all based on people's commitments. Ron Mankoff was president of Temple Emanuel at the time And Ron and his executive administrator and Gloria I and our executive administrator who was Margaret Steeke who was marvelous with us for years she only retired two years ago got together and discussed this and verbally with a handshake with our administrators there, promised that any new member who came, we would ask and we would check with the other temple to see if they had left leaving financial responsibility, obligations, and we wouldn't take them until they cleared that up.
That's interesting. I don't know whether that's still the case, but I know at least for that year, and I really think for a couple of years afterwards, both congregations and both administrations were very careful about that. And it worked. That's very interesting. I had a ball being president. I loved the congregation. I certainly knew all the people. I did set a rule that I would not listen to any hearsay, any gossip, any complaints, or any compliments unless I heard them first hand. I would talk I don't talk to anybody, but don't call me and say, so-and-so said, or did you hear that such-and-such happened. That worked, too.
It worked good. At least I slept well. I didn't have to worry about things. I really didn't know whether they were true or not. Have you always been reformed? Yes. Okay. Have you seen changes in the Reform? Oh, yes. Tremendous. Absolutely tremendous. Could you name one or two or something that comes to mind? Well I really think that anybody who listening and is my age will know they it pretty obvious because as far as reform congregations are concerned especially in the south and I have to say that because I know that observations are different in the north and the east But there has been a return to or seeking for traditional, more traditional observances.
Wearing the talis, wearing the top. Is that done at Shalom? lot of Hebrew yes that is done that is damage you know not everybody but the fact that that is very much in evidence songs being sung in Hebrew rather than in English prayers frequently being recited in Hebrew and not in English. I know Temple Shalom has a cantum. Yes, and oh does she have a gorgeous voice. Oh, she is just something else. She really is. Just a beautiful voice, and a good speaking voice, too. Now, I'm not aware that that was ever done in a reformed council. I'm not aware of it either. It certainly is now.
It certainly is now. So that's why the changes. All over the country. Well, the changes that I'm speaking of certainly are evident in Temple Shalom. They're also evident in Temple Emmanuel. They don't have a counter. But the rabbi would like to have one. Oh, really? Or their head rabbi would. The congregation, at least as it is now, wouldn't allow it, I'm sure. but there are other areas where the rabbi certainly had his way. And it has changed a great deal along the same lines. And Henry and I have gone to services there, and not frequently, but we have. And I would say we prefer to the congregation.
The men have keepers. A lot of people is used. When I say a lot, a lot more, a lot more. But the young people are really being trained that way from Hebrew Union College. I really think that its youth movement, or its initiation, the change, probably is a combination of young people, and I'm not talking about today, I'm talking about ten years ago, and None of the results would be establishing the state of Israel. Have there been changes in your personal observance of holidays from when you were a child? Oh, yes. And after you were married and today, more observance, less? Oh, absolutely personal. I mean...
Yeah, in your own life. And involvement with Jewish religious life in Dallas, as far as going to temple or things like that? Well, let's say home observance of holidays. Do you feel that there's been a change in your life, or about the same? Have changes affected you personally in your own personal observance? I don't really think so. Henry and I always say the homo-treeks when we sit down to dinner. I like the Shabbos candles. Yes, I don't like Honnix candles anymore. I really think that has to do with age more than anything, or not having children around. Hanukkah was always a fun holiday for me but not a religious experience for me Of course you know that we lost the sun in a mountain climbing accident And for several years after Alan's death, I couldn't sing.
I mean literally and really was reluctant to go to services and most of the time didn't. But time healed and I am Jewish and I love being Jewish and I'm glad I'm Jewish so I I really couldn't resist involvement that I was familiar with and didn't want to. I'm a community person. I may be a private person, but I believe in the community. And of course I took office two years after Alamance was killed. Could you comment on the Jewish community as a whole in Dallas when you came to Dallas to live and if it has changed from that time until now? Well, I certainly think it has.
Of course, with population growth, communities change. And when I came to Dallas, I had the feeling that I knew every Jew in town. And that was comfortable. I know I didn't actually, but I had that feeling. And from different congregations, I mean not just the reform congregation, because I was active in the center for years. I was in charge of programming before the building was, the first building was built here when there was still busing kids in South Dallas. And so I really knew Jews, all spectrums in Dallas. I certainly don't now. Also I think that with the tri when I first married communities still had a stability that we don't see anymore because of the mobile community now.
And there's people in and out, and you make friends, and five years later they need someplace else. But as people come in and out, and out they bring ideas in and take ideas away and yes I think there's been a tremendous change I don't really know how to describe it exactly it certainly has broadened our knowledge of Jews in the United States although I've always had the feeling that Jews in the South were always aware of Jews in the rest of the United States I've always felt that way and I've always felt that the reverse was not true and the Jews from other parts of the United States never knew what to expect when they came south or in southwest.
That's true. I know you have a... Another aspect of Temple Shalom before we get off the subject, would you comment on the auxiliary organization, Sisterhood and Brotherhood? Well, that's an interesting question because initially when the congregation started, it was the feeling of the leadership, at that time all male, that we wouldn't have any auxiliary group. And while I don't think that was very far-sighted, I certainly understood, even understand and understood at the time what their thinking was, or what their feeling was. We were so few in number that I know that there was concern that if we splintered up into smaller groups, we wouldn't be able to accomplish some of the wonderful things we were doing already as a total group.
If you take 60 people and start dividing them up, you're not going to get the same kind of results. But there were women who felt totally left out because their areas of expertise weren administration or organization They wanted to be involved, they wanted to do things, and they really didn't have an opportunity of self-expression in this area, which is something that was exciting because so many people did. And it was actually in our original bylaws that we not have any auxiliary groups. And I remember a board meeting at Maury Newburger's house, and I went before the board with a request, a statement and a request, that they allow a sisterhood to be established, that sisterhoods were an integral part of temple organizational life.
There was a National Temple Sisterhood organization, and I used all kinds of arguments that people need certain arenas in which to do their work the best, and that not having auxiliaries was not a good arena for a lot of women, and that they should be considered. There was untapped talent and interest and so forth being ignored, wasted. I took Janet Newburger with me, and I took Pat White, Mrs. Leon White, who was past president. To make it a little stronger, to try to support my argument from every angle I could possibly think of, I did manage to drop the little hint that it might not be as easy to get a charter for our congregation if we didn't have a sisterhood.
And there were just all kinds of things, reasons that I came up with. I really did feel very strongly about it. And after the vote was taken that night, the board decided to approve the establishment of a sisterhood. Do you recall about what year this was? Well, it was probably 1967. Oh, okay. Okay, so it wasn't very soon. No, it was close to a year, I think, before we did. Okay. But the Sisterhood got established, and actually it was a slow start, but it started immediately, and there were women involved, and it didn't take away from the congregational life activities that I spoke of. Even though there was a sisterhood, and it was very small, as you can imagine.
Pat Weiss was our first sisterhood president, and she had been very active as far as total congregational involvement was concerned, and continued to be so. But at least we did have a sisterhood, and it was there for people who wanted to join, and they did. Was a Brotherhood also established? Yes. Bob Weinfeld, I mentioned June before, Bob Weinfeld got the Brotherhood started maybe six months later. But really, there were so many things to do, and we were all adults. Well, Henry and I were senior members, and we just couldn't seem to do everything fast enough. So our sisterhood today is remarkable, so is our brotherhood.
They do wonderful things and still don't take away from the congregation and still provide other arenas for activities and but they've been very supportive of the congregation certainly and just done beautiful jobs and I'm very proud of them. They're very upbeat, positive, contributed to the community, the total community as well as the Jewish community and I think they're marvelous. Do you think there's a possibility of another Reformed congregation in Dallas? Oh, I wish there were. We certainly need it. Henry and I have been approached a couple of times to not to advise in the formation of another congregation not sponged by anybody except a group of people who want one.
But it's interesting, from our experience, I really think that that's something people ought to do themselves. And as they do it, if they have questions or if they want to know somebody else's experience, then ask us, or ask any one of us who were in on the ground floor of the Temple Shalom. But to start out advising? No way. No way. I think a lot of things. Number one, it would be foolish. Number two, it would be presumptive. Number three, it would probably not be appreciated in the end. But it is really the kind of thing I think people need to do for themselves, and then if they have a question, ask.
But I think there is another Reformed congregation. I'm not sure. I know there's a young- Well, there's one in Arlington. Well, yes, that's true. That's true, but I think there's another one north, maybe in Richardson, or- I know there's not one in Plano, but I do think there's a small one, maybe Carrollton, or I don't know. But I know there was a young congregation that we helped periodically. When I say helped, we would lend them a Torah for High Holy Days. I built the first ark for Temple Shalom. It was a portable ark, and we still have it, and it was lent several times to this congregation.
Yeah, I know there's a congregation near Tomeed in Carrollton. I think maybe that's the one I'm thinking of. And it may be. I think they started out conservative. They started out conservative, and I'm not sure. I not sure either But that who I was referring to because they have we have actually we done things with a lot of little congregations I mean Temple Shalom has done things with a lot of little congregations, but near to me got, since Henry and I knew a young couple who were involved, they had come to us first to find out how to go about approaching Temple Shalom for assistance, And so we have kept up sort of with what's been going on, but I really don't.
They did start out conservative, they were, but I believe when they had a meeting a couple years ago and decided to align themselves with the reform movement. That may be Rabbi Nancy... Caston. Caston is their rabbi. Oh, really? Yeah. I think, I don't know... she employed as her rabbi i don't know i don't know whether she just conducts friday night services or if she's uh i really don't know but i know she does conduct the services oh that'd be great she's terrific and um so since she's rabbi stern's wife i assume she's reformed i don't know She is. Okay. Oh, she is. Your mentioning of making the ark is a perfect lead-in to my next question, that I understand you have a particular skill and that you do woodworking, you make furniture, and it may be, I don't know, but it may be a little different than most women, a skill.
Yes, I think it is. And so I would like to ask you how you learned this, how you, something about it. Okay, I don't think that the skill is different from most women. I've come to the conclusion that most women would probably make very, very good woodworkers. It's simply not a field that is easy, well, it's certainly easier today. It was not a field that was easy for women to get into. and women probably never thought about it very much. But since I was in it, and did have several female students, to learn different aspects of it. How did you learn Well I apprenticed to a cabinetmaker for seven years Oh really Here in Dallas Here in Dallas I sure did I started out years ago making doll furniture for Sarah doll hall Sarah being our daughter And then Henry gave, I used to carve it, and hand do it.
And then Henry gave me a saw, a little table model jigsaw one year for a gift, just in our breakfast room. And then I never made any doll furniture on that, but I made children's bookends and puppet stages and toys of different kinds and sold for the toy stores here. But then I only did that about two or three years and decided I was taking away too much time for my family and there was time later on for me to do that. Well, later on we moved to this house and there was space out in the back. There was a stable out in the back.
And for an anniversary present, the year after we moved in, Henry had one room in the stable outfitted with electrical outlets and a floor and a ceiling and pegboard on the wall and so forth. And I started getting my hand tools with my green stands, which I'd been saving for years, and took sixty hours of woodchop at Lake Highlands High School over in East Dallas, and then lucked on to this cabinetmaker who would take me on as an attendant. You could take courses at a high school? It was a night course which was offered by Richland Junior College. Oh, okay, okay. And there were two courses that was interesting.
One was called carpentry, and one was called woodworking. And I took the woodworking, because I knew the difference. And it was a very good experience. They said I was the only person who came back for a second course. But there were all adults, but we had very good instructors, and we... I already had a lot of equipment that I bought. I had a lot of books. I could never get anybody to talk to me and there was a lot of the nomenclature I didn't understand, but I used to stand out in my little shop with a book in one hand and a table saw next to me and what it said do I did and hoped it would work.
Taking the course at Slate Highlands really was an eye-opener and a wonderful experience because I was able to familiarize myself with different pieces of equipment which I would never buy unless I knew what to do with. And the whole thing just went on from there. And then I went into business and I made custom order furniture for 12 years. Is that right? And I retired two years ago. My, I wasn't aware that you were really. I've got furniture all over the city. It's very exciting. I made this table. How wonderful. So I made this table. But actually we're like the shoemaker's children. There are a lot of things we'd like to have that I haven't made.
But business was very good and I enjoyed what I did. I loved it actually. Did you, from beginning to end, did you do everything? No, I didn't do any finishing. I had, through the years, I had three different people who I used as finishers, who were marvelous, and I loved them, and they did wonderful jobs for me. But finishing is a whole other education, and it's a whole other setup. And on top of that it isn't something I like to do. I like to work with wood. I like to, I've got a wood shed out back that looks like a mini lumber yard built the same way and I carry in my planks and I start.
But I loved it. Are you still doing it Actually surprisingly no I have made a few gifts since I retired and I have a list this long of things that I wanted to do and I will but I enjoyed my leisure and when I say that I'm not lazy I do teach in the literacy volunteer program which I couldn't do if I was still in business and I am taking lecture courses at SMU which I couldn't do if I was still in business and I do work at the Stoop Hot at the First Presbyterian Church which I couldn't do if I was still in business so it isn't that I'm wasting my time and I'm reading a lot, which I love.
But in woodworking, it isn't something that you pick up like needlepoint and put down. Or if you're doing needlepoint, you're dressed and you can go out. In woodworking, you're not dressed. You look terrible and you've got sawdust all over you. and you can't interrupt your train of thought. It takes too long to get back into it. If you're measuring and you've got wood out and you're cutting, you can't think about anything else. Otherwise, cut your fingers instead of the wood. So it's a whole different life for me, which I'm enjoying tremendously. I never went out to lunch. Well, I don't go out to lunch now much either, but at least I'm available.
You know, it's just, I never felt constricted when I was doing it because I was doing what I love. Right. But this is a different lifestyle for me and I love it too So I haven really done much I will but I don want to give up teaching because I think that in the whole picture of life it's much more important for other people, for me to teach somebody how to read, than it is for me to make another piece of furniture. It's an iffy kind of a situation, but I guess we all go through that. Is that connected in any way with the project that NCJW started?
Oh, Lyft? No, it isn't actually. Lyft is still in operation, but the Literacy Volunteers of America, which is what I'm doing for, is from the public library system. Is it teaching? It's teaching American illiterists how to read. It's not English as a second language. Well, what is LIST? Isn't that the same thing? It is, it's a different approach. There are about five different literacy programs in the United States. Well, honestly, I wasn't aware of that. The interesting thing is, I hadn't thought about doing this. I certainly was aware of LISP. I was living here when they started it. But as I said when we first started, I'm involved in the community, but it's always as a result of my congregational affiliations.
In a newsletter from Temple Shalom there was an article about the literacy volunteers of America from the Dallas Public Library and they needed tutors and if you were interested in finding out about this but this was an adult project of Temple Shorn so one of many actually. In fact, there was a whole list of projects, and I picked on that one and called . . . And do you go to the library to teach? I sure do. I don't go to the public library because my students live out northwest, so I go to the Post Forest Library, but I'm about to get a new student, so it depends on where the student lives, as they find it, which library is the most convenient.
That's interesting. And the same way I got started with the Stutok was something Temple Shalom was doing, adult education or, you know, social action, it was the Social Action Committee. And I've been working down there for five years. So... Do you have a regular day? Mm-hmm. Tuesday. Well, I have to say that you've painted a wonderful picture of your woodworking and what that really involves, and I understand what you're saying. When you're working on that, you can't stop and go to lunch. No, and also, you know, you'd have to run in the house, take a bath, change clothes, run out, you're killed a day. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, Gloria Jacobus, I want to thank you so very much for this most really interesting time, and thank you for giving us your time, and especially your insights about Temple Shalom. Thank you. Thank you, Lily.