The Nugget, 1937, published a description of the Beth Israel Sisterhood. Young people meeting together lead to adults knowing one another better and the beginning of the congregation.
Numerous attempts have been made during the past fifteen years to organize a Jewish Community in the borough of Wilkinsburg, but it was not until a group of young Jewish girls, between the ages of twelve and fourteen years, got together and formed a local branch Young Judaea Club that any of these attempts materialized. This club was under the direction of a sponsor and was affiliated with the National Young Judaea Organization. In this way, young girls of the same faith were brought together in a spirit of social and Jewish activities, and in the same way parents who had never before met came together and became acquainted. However, as the girls grew older. their interests began to change and their school-work became more of a burden, giving them less time to devote and, therefore. the club was disorganized.
At about this time, young Jewish -boys of approximately the same ages, organized a social group, which is still in existence and which is doing a fine piece of work in the field of charity.
However, the parents and the adult group of the Jewish people were as yet unorganized, but on a Thursday afternoon in February of 1936, twenty Jewish women met at the home of Mrs. Sigmund Arnold of Trenton Avenue, and decided to form an organization to be known as the Jewish Women's Club of Wilkinsburg, whose purpose it would be to foster a Jewish Sunday School and to promote social activities among the members.
Only two weeks after this first meeting, the Sunday School was begun under leadership of a Superintendent, recommended by the Southwestern District of Pennsylvania Jewish Religious Schools, and five teachers also recommended by the same organization. Fifteen months later, nine students were confirmed during a beautiful ceremony at the Congregation headquarters, 759 Penn Avenue.
The membership of the organization gradually increased from the original twenty members until the present sixty-five, and it is hoped that the membership will continue to grow. Many very interesting meetings and programs are sponsored to which friends of other denominations are always welcome.
When the men, husbands, brothers, and friends of the women, organized the Beth Israel Congregation, they asked the ladies to become affiliated with them, so that by working hand-in-hand a fine Congregation could be built up. It was then that the name was changed to the Beth Israel Sisterhood.
For the most part, the present officers are serving their second terms. Mrs. Sigmund Arnold is President, assisted by Mrs. Sidney Schwartz and Mrs. David Horr as Vice Presidents. Miss Clara Knee is Recording Secretary; Mrs. M. Falk, Corresponding Secretary; and Mrs. S. Berkovitz, Treasurer. The Board of Directors is composed of the following six members: Mrs. M. D. Shuster, chairman; Mrs. Saul Lieber, Mrs. Paul Stein, Mrs. Chas. Biron, Mrs. M. Wolfe, and Mrs. Lou Weiner. Among plans for the coming year is an adult class in the study of Hebrew.
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“Beth Israel Sisterhood,” in The Nugget: Wilkinsburg Golden Jubilee 1887– 1937, pp. 114–115.