Sept. 18, 1930
From “Noted motion picture magnate joins temple board”
At the last meeting of the board of trustees of Congregation B’nai B’rith, Los Angeles, Louis B. Mayer, vice-president of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios and [one of the] leading citizens of Southern California, was appointed to fill an unexpired term on the board.
Mr. Mayer is noted for his prominence in religious and philanthropic affairs. He has co-operated with Rabbi Magnin and other Jewish leaders of Los Angeles in every worthy cause.
From “Services held at government quarters”
Rosh Hashonah services were conducted at the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Alcatraz, last Saturday under the auspices of the Jewish Welfare Board.
Adriel Fried conducted the service, after which the men were given special holiday dainties prepared by the Mothers’ Club of the Y.M.H.A.
The Jewish bed-ridden patients at the Letterman and Marine Hospitals were remembered with holiday comforts prepared by San Francisco Auxiliary No. 1 of the B’nai B’rith.
Sept. 25, 1970
From “Convict blows the shofar: Rosh Hashana in San Quentin” by editor Geoffrey Fisher
I along with my wife and Jewish Bulletin staff writer Mary Shepper attended a unique Rosh Hashana service last week.
It was not unique because it was held in a sanctuary, nor that it was conducted by a rabbi, nor that there was an ark which contained a torah.
Nor was there anything unusual in the performance of the cantor chanting traditional prayers. The shofar was blown, and the kiddush afterward, followed by a festive Rosh Hashana dinner with background music provided by a quartet of musicians, was in the finest traditions of the holiday.
What did make all this unique and different from other Rosh Hashana services this Jewish New Year of 5731 was this all took place behind the maximum security walls of San Quentin Penitentiary.
We, together with some 30 others, were the guests of Beth Shalom, the prison congregation.
Dressed in prison blue denims and wearing yarmulkas, these men, many of them long-term convicts, joined with their guests from the outside in singing Lift Thine Eyes, Thou Shalt Love, Adonoy Yimloch, Grant Us Peace and Ovinu Malkenu.
Rabbi Jacob Traub, prison chaplain and spiritual leader of San Francisco Congregation Adath Israel, conducted the service.
A prison inmate was the cantor and blew the shofar. Musical accompaniment was supplied by an inmate pianist.
It was a dramatic evening — an emotional incident for this writer that drove home vividly that spiritual experiences recognize no barrier, no boundary, no region, no class nor political distinction in touching the minds and hearts of Jews.
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