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History of the Corpus Christi JCC
By Helen WIlk 2004
The earliest documentation of Jews living in Corpus Christi dates from about the mid 1800's. In 1875 Captain Richard King deeded property to the Jewish community of Corpus Christi for a cemetery, Hebrew Rest, on Brownlee Blvd. By 1877 there was a functioning Hebrew Benevolent Association. Finally, by about 1927, the Jewish community reached a size to organize itself.
In a city that numbered about 30,000 people in 1928, Temple Beth El and Community Center, with 60 family memberships, elected Ed Grossman as first President. Land was purchased on the corner of Eleventh and Craig Streets and, in 1930; a small wooden Temple was built. The State of Texas chartered Temple Beth El in 1930 and Rabbi Sidney A. Wolf, assumed the pulpit for 40 years/ Temple Beth El served as the community center as well as the place of worship.
There had always been members of the Jewish community who favored more traditional religious practices and they have often held separate religious services in private homes. In 194. they formed a new congregation and later adopted the name of B'nai Israel Synagogue and hired Rabbi Yonah Geller to conduct their first High Holy Day services for the Temple Beth El annex. Once they purchased their own building on Elizabeth and 13th street activities in the Jewish community were now taking place in two locations.
Even in the earliest days the Corpus Christi Jewish community had a fund that was used to offer help to local Jews who were experiencing financial difficulties. Funds were often sent to Jews in other communities as well, such as the Jewish Widows and Orphans Home in New Orleans. Many Jews who were passing through the city and needed assistance also turned to this fund. During the First World War this fund became part of a national effort called the United Jewish Relief ... and during the second World War was rename the Jewish Welfare Fund.
In 1952 representatives from B'nai Israel Synagogue and Temple Beth El met to discuss ways to integrate activities for the Welfare Fund and to find a way to provide more youth activities. By January 1, 1953, those meetings had produced the idea of creating the Jewish Welfare Fund and Community Council. Serious concerns were raised about the use of Jewish welfare funds to help underwrite the cost of operating a local Jewish Community Center. Very few small Jewish communities had JCC's in the 1950's and there was concern that having one would take away leadership and funds from each of the congregations. Rabbi Yonah Geller was very much in favor of the creation of the JCC and felt it would be a positive force for both the Synagogue and Temple. Rabbi Wolf was more reluctant to endorse the idea inasmuch as the Temple had also served as the community center. However, once it became a reality he joined in the activities wholeheartedly.
Local businessman, Ben Marks, was a driving force in the development of the JCC, and was elected its first President. Ben was the visionary who brought together a group of people from each congregation to explore the possibilities of creating a Jewish Community Center that would provide programming for residents of all ages and would conduct the national charitable campaign called the Jewish Welfare Fund, later known as the Combined Jewish Appeal. As an active member of B'nai Israel Synagogue, Ben was aware of the tensions between the two congregations and how that affected the youth of the community. He had a vision of a place where ALL the youth could gather and interact and create a more cohesive community. He was daunted by the task at hand and those who said it would not be possible to bridge the difference between the congregations. Using his business management skills and talent for bringing people together, and initial committee was formed with people representing Temple Beth El and 3 from B'nai Israel Synagogue to begin the planning. A site committee was sent out to find property and recommended the purchase of an 8-acre tract of land from the Braslau family on Everhart near the corner of Staples. The Braslau's offered to donate part of that property and the offer was gratefully accepted.
With the help and advice from the Jewish Welfare Board, Southern Section, located in Atlanta, Georgia the committee began looking for an executive director for the fledgling Jewish Community Council. That search brought Chicago native, Harold Benowitz to Corpus Christi from his previous job at the JCC in Nashville, Tennessee. He arrived before there was JCC building to house his office so he set up shop at Gulf Security Building at 1806 Alameda and as activities got under way they were helo at the synagogue and temple and the YMCA swimming pool.
With the city population at 140,000 in 1953 there were 430 Jewish families. Remarkably there were 74 Jewish teenagers and about 100 Jewish grade school children. A very active Jewish Youth Council and Teen Canteen began bringing the kids together under the supervision of Etta Fleisher and Sylvia Greenberg. Athletics were an important aspect of the programming and Julius Brownstein and Bill Weinstein devoted countless hours coordinating the athletic program. The brand new JCC boy's high school basketball team, playing in the city church league, amazed everyone by becoming league champions during their first season! The teenagers also participated in the Jewish Welfare Fund campaign, planning and executing their own fundraising events. Future leaders were being groomed.
Meanwhile the children from 5-11 years old got together each Sinday afternoon for Sinday Fin-Day under the directionof Betty Benowitz. There were games, crafts, dancing, sports and drama with 60-100 kids participating. The summer Day Camp sessions were held at Temple Beth El with 65 children enrolled during the first year. Jerry Levy and Clara Racusin led a committee of parents who planned these activities.
Boy Scout Troop 218 was chartered and soon 26 boys were experiencing the excellent Scout program supervised by Scoutmaster Irv Block and assistant Scoutmaster Hank Josephs. This troop became the fastest growing troop in the city.
Under JCC sponsorship the synagogue Rabbi, Yonah Geller, and Temple Rabbi Sidney Wolf, rotation the courses between the two congregations, created an 18-week adult education seminar. Studies included: Differences between Judaism and Christianty; Birth of Israel; and Great Passages from the Bible.
Additional programmin provided a Yiddish film series, Men's softball league and Men's Bowling league.
In 1954 the land on Everhart was purchased and local architect Walter Wisznia designed a small, 1540 Sq. Ft. multipurpose building. Local builder Jule Pels built it at a cost of $9,700.00. Now there was a central place for activities and a focus for future development.
By the end of the first year in existence everyone seemed to acknowledge the extraordinary accomplishments of the Corpus Christi Jewish Community Council.
In fact, Hal Benowitz and Ben Marks were invited to the regional Convention of the Southern Section Jewish Welfare Board in Houston Nov. 6-8, 1954 to tell the "Corpus Christi Story". This report was used as a prototype for other small communities that had not as yet organized. Hal and Ben made personal visits to Beaumont to present the report and lend an hand toward the community's organization. The report was widely circulated to Galveston, Waco, and Austin. It continued to be distributed to Fort Worth, Oklahome City, Tulsa, Shreveport, Bakersfield, Alburqueque, Spokane and Seattle. Amazing, Corpus Christi's success in establishing a JCC in a small community provided the groundwork used by many other citites.
The preschool that had been founded by Temple Beth El in 1951 relocated and became a part of the JCC in 1967. It continues to build its reputation as the finest preschool in the city.
The Youth Activity building was completed in 1959 and designated as the Ben Marks Youth Building, a well deserved tribute to the founding President. The following years saw a swimming pool added and a classroom building designed by Jack Solka in 1970 was needed to accommodate the growing preschool. Jack Solka also designed the larger activity addition in 1980. When the original office structure was damaged by fire in 1993 a new office wing and conference was added to the 1980 expansion and the original "temporary" office building dating from 1954 was demolished.
Grounds, playground and new equipment continue to be improved with funds provided by the Parent-Teacher Organization of the preschool and contributions from the entire community. The Day Camp, like the preschool, also hold the reputation of providing a wonderful array of activities for the children of Corpus Christi. All the children's programs are available to the entire community and provide a place for kids from various religions, races and ethnic groups to play and learn and build friendships.
Each year the JCC continues to conduct the campaign of the Combined Jewish Appeal and allocates funds to Israel, the JCC, and numerous other Jewish agencies. Children's activities, adult programs, a communityswimming pool and participation in civic programs have made the Jewish Community Council an important component of Jewish life in Corpus Christi.
As we take note of the 50th Anniversary of the JCC we acknowledge the role it has played in our community and we express our thanks to those visionary men and women who helped make it a reality. In June of 1954, at the first annual JCC meeting, Ben Marks said: "The Jewish Community Council of Corpus Christi is just out of its swaddling clothes. We were conceived out of the cloth of every man, woman and child in Corpus and were were dedicated to the simple idea that to work and play and study together in unity and self respect was an ideal within our grasp."
Mission Accomplished...more to come!
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