J. M. Oppenheimer, Typed Letter Signed written to to Joseph Newman. Encouraging membership expansion for the B’nai B’rith Jewish fraternal organization.

In this letter, J. M. Oppenheimer, the president of the District No. 7 of the Independent Order of B’nai B’rith, gives Newman, whose lodge was in Marshall, TX, suggestions on how to increase membership, among them to “interest your rabbi… in some literary and social efforts for the lodge during the year.” At the time, this would have been Rabbi Henry Cohen (1863-1952), originally of London. Oppenheimer asks Newman to write him monthly about his lodge, and to remember that this year’s “Watch Word… is ‘An actual increase in the membership in every lodge in the District.’” Fraternal organizations were very popular in the 19th century, and this was no less true for Jews. In America, B’nai B’rith was founded by German Jewish immigrants in 1843. Members would join and belong to local lodges in various cities, where they could network, partake of social activities, and be part of a national movement that concerned itself with various Jewish causes. By 1907 Oppenheimer’s District No. 7 encompassed lodges in seven states; Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Texas. Civil War-related interest demands noting that the two people associated with this letter both served as Texas horse soldiers (cavalrymen) in the Confederate Trans Mississippi Department. Oppenheimer served in Company B, Texas 1st Battalion Troops Cavalry and Newman served in two regiments, the 25th Texas Cavalry and in Company I, 13th Texas Infantry.