Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives
Archives
225 N. Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201
(406) 444-2681
mhslibrary@mt.gov
MC 368
B'nai B'rith. Baron De Hirsch Lodge
No. 420 (Butte, Mont.)
B'nai B'rith Baron De Hirsch Lodge No. 420 (Butte, Mont.) records
1892-1986
7 linear feet of shelf space
Baron De Hirsch Lodge No. 420 of the B'nai B'rith was formed in Butte, Montana,
in 1892. B'nai B'rith is an international Jewish fraternal order. These records (1892-1986) consist of correspondence,
financial records, minutes, membership and organizational records, legal documents, and miscellany of the B'nai B'rith
Baron De Hirsch lodge; Congregation Adath Israel, Congregation B'Nai Israel; and Sisterhood B'nai Israel.
MC 368
English
Administrative Note
B’nai B’rith was founded in 1843 in New York City, as the Independent Order of B’nai B’rith. Founders Henry
Jones and others established it as a Jewish fraternal benevolent and mutual-aid society. In addition to traditional
fraternal order activities, the B’nai B’rith engaged in political efforts in behalf of Jews worldwide. By the late
1800s it had spread to countries around the world. Its branch the Anti-Defamation League worked to combat
discrimination. The name was shortened to B'nai B'rith in 1930.
Baron de Hirsch Lodge No. 420 of B’nai B’rith was founded in Butte, Montana, in 1892. It followed in the
footsteps of the earlier Hebrew Benevolent Society, founded in 1881. Among the early leaders of B’nai B’rith were
William Gallick, Henry Jonas, and Alex Cohen. The lodge met at first in the Knights of Pythias Hall and later in the
Odd Fellows Hall. The Butte lodge was affiliated with B’nai B’rith Grand District Lodge No. 4 covering much of the
West. Lodge No. 4 had been founded in California in 1863 and established orphan asylums, homes for the aged, and
religious schools. The Baron de Hirsch Lodge supported many of these institutions and carried on both social and
charitable functions in Butte. Like many fraternal organizations, the Lodge declined in the 1970s to 1980s, due largely
to the aging of the Jewish population in Butte and to the lack of interest of younger people in fraternal orders.
Congregation B’nai Israel [Reformed] was organized in October 1901 by William Gallick and Henry Jonas, but at
first did not have a synagogue, a rabbi, or regular services. For high holy days a visiting rabbi would hold services.
Congregation Adath Israel [Orthodox] was founded a year later, led by Joseph Weinberg and B. Banks. By 1904 both
congregations had synagogues, rabbis, and regular services. The B’nai B’rith lodge was a place members of both
congregations could meet and mingle for social events and charitable work. In the mid 1960s the two congregations had
declined in population so much that they agreed to merge, under the name B’nai Israel. Sisterhood B’nai Israel was
formed about 1962 and continued until it merged into the general B’nai Israel congregation in 1973.
These records (1892-1986) contains subgroups for the B'nai B'rith Baron De Hirsch Lodge No. 420 of Butte,
Montana, Congregation Adath Israel, Congregation B'nai Israel; and Sisterhood B'nai Israel.
Baron De Hirsch Lodge No. 420 records consist of correspondence (1926-1986); financial records, including dues
ledgers (1892-1981); minutes (1892-1984 with some gaps); organizational records; printed materials, consisting
predominantly of bulletins and newsletters of Grand District Lodge No. 4; subject files; and miscellany. The bulk of
the correspondence is with B’nai B’rith Grand District Lodge No. 4.
Congregation Adath Israel records consist of correspondence (1944, 1958-1963); financial records, including
members ledgers; legal documents, including abstract of title, deeds, and contracts; organizational records, including
articles of incorporation, constitution, bylaws, and minutes; and Sabbath prayers in Hebrew.
Congregation B'nai Israel records consist of correspondence (1961-1986); financial records; legal documents;
organizational records, including articles of incorporation, committee files, and minutes (1951-1982, 1987); and
miscellany.
Sisterhood B'nai Israel records consist of financial records (1962-1974); minutes (1963-1973); and miscellany.
by subgroup and series
Collection is open for research.
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available
reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library
before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the
collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers. Montana Historical
Society Research Center, Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information available upon request
Preliminary processing by Jodie Foley; final processing by Ellie Arguimbau
Artifacts, books, and photos transferred to Museum, Library, and Photo Archives respectively.
Records of B'nai B'rith Grand District Lodge No. 4 (1863-1997) are at the Western Jewish History Center of the
Bancroft Library in Berkeley, California.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society Archives catalog.
Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.
Fraternal organizations--Montana--Butte.
Jewish society and
culture--Montana--Butte.
Jews--Montana--Butte.
Butte (Mont.)--Religious life and
customs
Montana
Jewish Americans
Detailed Description of the Collection
B'nai B'rith
Incoming Correspondence
1 / 1
A (correspondents include Daniel Alexander; The American Ort;
Anti-Defamation League)
1926-1931
1 / 2-3
B'nai B'rith [name changed from Independent Order of B'nai B'rith on
April 27, 1930]
1930-1934
1 / 4
B'nai B'rith Magazine; B'nai B'rith Woman's Grand Lodge
1927-1931
1 / 5
B'nai B'rith Wider Scope Committee
1926-1931
1 / 6
B-D (correspondents include Joseph Binnard; Butte Auxiliary for
Rehabilitation of Crippled Children; Butte's 4th of July Celebration; Caroline Kline-Galland Home; Louis
Dulian)
1927-1931
1 / 7
E-H (correspondents include Edward Eckstein; Ex-Patients Tubercular
Home for Rehabilitation; Sam Goodman; Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society of America [HIAS])
1927-1930
1 / 8-11
Independent Order of B'nai B'rith [renamed B'nai B'rith on April 27,
1930]
1895, 1927-1930
1 / 12
J-R (correspondents include Jewish Consumptive and Ex-Patient Relief
Association; Jewish Consumptive Relief Association of California; Jewish Consumptives' Relief Society of Denver; Jewish
Publication Society of America; Leo N. Levi Memorial Hospital Association; William Meyer; National Farm School;
National Home for Jewish Children; National Jewish Hospital at Denver; Ruby Rosenberg)
1927-1931
1 / 13
Rabbi Emanuel Sternheim, Congregation B'nai Israel, Butte
1928-1931
1 / 14
S-W (correspondents include Salvation Army; United Palestine Appeal;
United States Commission for the Celebration of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Birth of George Washington; Burton
K. Wheeler)
1927-1931
1 / 15
B-W (correspondents include B'nai B'rith; HIAS Emergency Fund for the
Relief of Jewish Refugees from Germany; Non-Sectarian Anti-Nazi League; Wolcott and Company)
1932-1934
1 / 16
A (correspondents include Sam Alderman; American National Red Cross;
Anti-Defamation League; Anti-Nazi League)
1941-1944
1 / 17-18
B'nai B'rith District Grant Lodge #4
1940-1944
1 / 19
B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation
1941-1943
1 / 20
B'nai B'rith local lodges
1941-1943
1 / 21
B'nai B'rith national office
1941-1942
1 / 22
B'nai B'rith War Service Dept.
1941
2 / 1
C-G (correspondents include Butte Anti-Tuberculosis Society; Butte
Auxiliary for Rehabilitation of Crippled Children; Butte Woman's B'nai B'rith Auxiliary; Avran Canby; Irving Cohn;
Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds; Edward Eckstein; 4th of July Celebration; William V.
Gamzon)
1941-1943
2 / 2
H-L (correspondents include Billy Hamilton and his Orchestra; Ira H.
Jackson; Sidney Keschner; Carl K. Kossen; Leo N. Levi Memorial Hospital)
1941-1943
2 / 3
M-R (correspondents include Arthur R. Meyer; Bill Meyer; National
Jewish Hospital at Denver; National War Fund; Navy Relief Society; Polheim Lodge, Sons of Norway; Queen Charlotte's
Maternity Hospital; Joe Reidinger; G. E. Rosenwald; Paul Roth)
1941-1943
2 / 4
S-W (correspondents include Salvation Army; Sam Schwartz; Julius
Shafer; Silver Bow Tuberculosis Association; St. James Hospital; Simon Sverdlik; United Service Organizations [USO];
Samuel A. Weiss; Wings for Norway)
1941-1943
Outgoing Correspondence
2 / 5-10
Chronological
1927-1946
General Correspondence
2 / 11
Anti-Defamation League
1949-1984
2 / 12
A (correspondents include Samuel Alderman; American Cancer Society;
American Financial and Development Corporation for Israel; American Legion Auxiliary; American Lung Association;
American National Red Cross)
1949-1977
2 / 13-17
B'nai B'rith District Grand Lodge #4
1949-1967
3 / 1-4
B'nai B'rith District Grand Lodge #4
1968-1986
3 / 5
B'nai B'rith Adult Jewish Education ("Time for Torah")
1965-1967, undated
3 / 6
B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation
1951-1966
3 / 7
B'nai B'rith local lodges
1949-1972
3 / 8-10
B'nai B'rith national office
1949-1983
3 / 11
B'nai B'rith National Youth Services Appeal
1949
3 / 12
B'nai B'rith Vocational Service
1952-1971
3 / 13
B'nai B'rith youth groups (includes Aleph Zadik Aleph and B'nai B'rith
Girls)
1955-1970, undated
3 / 14
Butte Jewish Welfare Chest
1964-1976
3 / 15
Butte Woman's B'nai B'rith Auxiliary
1949-1959, undated
3 / 16
B (correspondents include Ben Barnett; Baron de Hirsch Lodge; Mrs.
David Blumberg; Boy Scouts; Boys Town Jerusalem; Butte Chamber of Commerce; Butte Citizens' Project; Butte City Youth
Council; Butte Dept. of Recreation; Butte schools)
1949-1959, undated
4 / 1
C-D (correspondents include Central Universal Yeshivah; Merle D. Cohn;
Committee for Legacy Development; Community Chest; Congregation Bikur Cholim; Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare
Funds; Development Corporation for Israel)
1949-1973, undated
4 / 2
Barney and Edward Eckstein
1949-1959, undated
4 / 3
E-F (correspondents include Ed Ehrilich; Ezras Torah Fund/Torah Relief
Fund; Fidelity Lodge #8 IOOF; Leslie Fiedler; First National Bank of Butte; Al Fischer)
1949-1979
4 / 4
G-I (correspondents include Earle N. Genzeberger; H. M. Ginsburg, M.D.;
Girls Town Jerusalem; Leo M. Goldberg; David Goldman; Sam Goodman; Dr. Samuel Horowitz, Beth Aaron congregation,
Billings; International Tours)
1950-1984
4 / 5
J-L (correspondents include Jewish Digest; Jewish Education Service of
North America; Jewish National Fund; Jewish Welfare Federation; Phil Judd; Junior Chamber of Commerce/Jaycees; Junior
League of Butte; Jerry Karasik; Archie Katz; Benjamin Kelson; Sid Keschner; H. I. Kleinhaus; Morrie S. Kraus; Leo N.
Levi National Arthritis Hospital; Louis Levitt)
1949-1982
4 / 6
Montana School of Religion at University of Montana (held class in
Judaism)
1964-1969
4 / 7
M (correspondents include Samuel Maidman; William Meyer; Montana Chest
X-Ray Survey; Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology; Montana cooperative Extension Service; Montana
Governor Bonner; Arthur Myers)
1952-1967
4 / 8
N-R (correspondents include National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis, Silver Bow County chapter; National Jewish Hospital at Denver; Joseph Neyman; D. N. Oppenheimer; Milton
Prell; Prudential Federal Savings; Red Devil Fireworks Co.; Roland R. Renne, Montana State College; Samuel Rivin; David
Robinson; Rocky Mountain Association for Mentally Retarded Children; George C. Rudolph)
1950-1981
4 / 9
S (correspondents include Silver Bow Chapter Montana Council for
Traffic Safety; Silver Bow Council of Dental Health for Children; Silver Bow Council Volunteer Fire Dept.; Silver Bow
Tuberculosis Association; I. Simon; Florence and Phin Singer; Southern California Trust Fund Committee for [Julius and
Ethel] Rosenberg Children; Albert A. Spiegel)
1949-1978
4 / 10
T-Z (correspondents include United Givers of Silver Bow County; United
Jewish Appeal; U.S. Treasury Dept.; U.S. Veterans Administration Center, Helena; United Way of Silver Bow County;
White's Funeral Home; Norman Winestine, including memorials)
1949-1986
Financial Records
5 / 1
Assessment notices from District Lodge
1927-1980
5 / 2-3
Bills, receipts, etc. [scattered]
1927-1974
5 / 4-5
Cash books (include dues, expenses, etc.)
1892-1942
5 / 6
Charitable donations and expenses
1925-1929
5 / 7
Check stubs
1955-1965
1
Dues ledger
1892-1896
5 / 8
Dues ledger
1897-1914
6 / 1
Dues ledger
1915-1924
2-3
Dues ledger (includes some personal information)
1924-1981
1 / 1
Dues ledger sheets (includes some personal information; sheets for
non-current members removed from volume)
1924-1953
4
Expense distributions journal
1939-1951
6 / 2
Financial reports for monthly meetings
1951-1953
6 / 3-4
Financial reports to District Lodge No. 4
1945, 1948-1979
6 / 5
Financial Secretary manual
1983-1984
6 / 6
General ledger sheets
1927-1938
6 / 7
General ledger
1952-1980
6 / 8
Insurance policies
1931-1967
7 / 1
Journal (include dues and expenses)
1901-1924
7 / 2-3
Journals (include dues and expenses)
1953-1984
7 / 4
Tax exempt forms and procedures
1977-1979
1 / 2
U. S. savings bonds
1918-1960
7 / 5
Miscellaneous
1929-1958
Organizational Records
8 / 1
Charter and bylaws (Baron de Hirsch Lodge #420; Grand District Lodge #4)
1892,1963, undated
8 / 2
Committees and officers
1952-1984
8 / 3
Constitution (District Grand Lodge #4)
1955, 1958, 1976
8 / 4
Convention programs (District Grand Lodge #4: Butte, Mont. 1936;
Portland Ore. 1967)
1936, 1967
8 / 5
Delegates to conventions
1976-1984
8 / 6-8
Directories of lodges in District 4
1955-1986
8 / 9
Laws, manuals and rituals
1922-1961
8 / 10
Mailing lists
undated
8 / 11
Medical qualification for membership
1895
8 / 12
Meetings, picnics, and parties announcements (earlier ones are in
scrapbook)
1952-1980
8 / 13
Members register
1892-1896
8 / 14
Membership change reports to District Lodge
1953-1954, 1958-1971
9 / 1
Membership lists [scattered]
1897, 1952-1992
9 / 2-3
Membership reports to District Lodge
1925-1980
9 / 4
Memorial resolutions (additional in minute books)
1927-1942
9 / 5
Minute book
April 1892-Feb. 1895
9 / 6-7
Minute book
Nov. 1908-Apr. 1926
10 / 1
Minute book [fragile: covers gone and binding broken; some items
removed to separate folder]
May 1926-Dec. 1935
10 / 2
Loose items removed from 1926-1935 Minute book (include Butte meeting
of National Conference of Christians and Jews; U.S. Congress resolution re Nazi Germany persecution of
minorities)
1933-1934
10 / 3-7
Minute books [two long gaps in 1940s]
Jan. 1936-Sept. 1984
10 / 8
Minutes [handwritten loose sheets]
Nov. 1984-Nov. 1988
10 / 9
Minutes (District Grand Lodge #4)
1929-1930
11 / 1
Report of delegates to district Grand Lodge #4 convention
1929
11 / 2
Report of Service Committee (lists members in armed
services)
1941
11 / 3
Resolutions (predominantly memorial, include C. Katz, B. A. Mayer,
Louis S. Cohn, L. Israel, Joseph E. Oppenheimer, Boris D. Bogen, Louis Marshall, Nathan Oppenheimer, Henry Cohen,
Maurice Kaufman, Jack A. Israel; also several topical resolutions; additional resolutions in minutes)
1921-1967
Printed Material
11 / 4-7
Bulletins and newsletters (District Grand Lodge #4)
1928-1984
11 / 8
Bulletins and newsletters (local lodges)
1949, 1968-1974
11 / 9
Bulletins and newsletters (national office)
1931-1964
11 / 10
Bulletins and newsletters (Temple Beth Aaron, Billings)
1964
11 / 11
Catalogs and price lists (lodge materials and books)
1931-1984
11 / 12
Silver Shirts "Liberation" [Anti-Semitic newsletter, published in
Ashville, North Carolina, by William Dudley Pelley]
September 1933
11 / 13
Travel brochures (sponsored by B'nai B'rith)
1960s-1970s
11 / 14
Miscellaneous brochures, publications, etc.
1950s-1970s
Subject Files
11 / 15
B'nai B'rith Americanization Program
1930?
11 / 16
Boys Town Jerusalem
1983-1988
11 / 17
Butte Jewish Welfare Chest
1953-1958
11 / 18
Edward Eckstein estate
1974-1980
Miscellany
12 / 1
50th Anniversary celebration
1942
12 / 2
Blank forms and letterheads
undated
12 / 3
B'nai B'rith lodges working structure [organizational
chart]
1931
12 / 4
Caroline Kline Galland Home for the Aged and Feeble Poor rules and
regulations
1924
12 / 5
Census of Jewish population in Butte
undated
12 / 6
Certificates
1966-1977, undated
12 / 7
Computer system manual for membership
1980
12 / 8
Greeting cards to Soviet Jews
1971?
12 / 9
Humor
undated
12 / 10
Israel Ministry of Social Welfare list of recognized
agencies
1967-1968
12 / 11
Memorial service format
undated
12 / 12
Play: "No compromise" by Stanley S. Jacobs (written for 89th annual
meeting of District Grand Lodge #4)
1952?
12 / 13
Rules for public speaking contest
1931
12 / 14
Service format
undated
5
Scrapbook (mostly announcements for meetings, picnics and social
events; also includes a few clippings and photos)
1933-1951
12 / 15
Spokane B'nai B'rith meeting announcements
1962-1966
12 / 16
Stamps (includes Palestine, Soviet Union, and brochure for Israel
stamps)
1927-1968
12 / 17-18
Thank-you notes for sympathy and hospitalization flowers
1920s-1970s
12 / 19
Time-table for presidents and secretaries of lodges
1954
12 / 20
W. W. Waymack speech in response to Charles A. Lindberg's
isolationism
1941
12 / 21
Miscellany
undated
Clippings
12 / 22
Call for united front against un-American principles; news from around
District Grand Lodge #4; obituary for Norman Winestine
1936-1986
Congregation Adath Israel [Orthodox]
General Correspondence
13 / 1
A-W (correspondents include Robert Adelstein; Block Publishing
Company; Ezrath Cholim Amamith, Jerusalem; George Goldstein; Rabbi I. F. Katz; Max H. Kert; Murray C. Lind; B.
Manischewitz Sales Corp.; Mrs. Isadore Platt; Rabbi I. Prager; Carl Weissman)
1944, 1958-1963
Financial Records
13 / 2
Bank books and deposit slips
1947-1963
13 / 3-4
Bank statements
1956-1963
13 / 5
Bills, etc.
1956-1963
13 / 6
Cash journal (re tickets)
1936-1944
13 / 7-8
Cash journals
1952-1963
13 / 9
Check stubs
1956-1963
13 / 10
City and county taxes
1957-1963
1 / 3
General ledger sheets
1949
13 / 11
Members' ledger
1956-1962
13 / 12-13
Passover food orders
1957-1962
13 / 14
Treasurer's journal
1936-1944
Legal Documents
14 / 1
Abstract of title
1916
14 / 2
Deeds and contracts; tax exempt status
1917-1957, 1986
Organizational Records
14 / 3
Articles of incorporation [photocopy]; constitution;
bylaws
1901, undated
14 / 4
Minutes
1944, 1956-1960
Miscellany
14 / 5
Blank forms and letterhead
1944, 1956-1960
14 / 6
Guest register
1956
14 / 7
Hebrew calendar and prayers
1960-1961
14 / 8
Sabbath prayers [in Hebrew]
undated
Congregation B'nai Israel [Reform]
General Correspondence
15 / 1
Chronological (correspondents include D. N. Oppenheimer; George
Goldstein; Ann Goldberg; Earl Genzeberger; Jonathan David Company; Dora Wehl Englander; Newt Rudolph; Mitchell Ehrlich;
Bartels Agency; Montana Dept. of Revenue; Ezras Torah; Natalie Fisher)
1961-1986, undated
Financial Records
15 / 2
Check stubs
1958-1962, 1966-1976
1 / 4
Journal
1954-1959
15 / 3
Ledger sheets
1951-1960
15 / 4
Treasurer's reports (additional in minutes)
1965-1974
15 / 5
Miscellaneous
1950s-1960s
Legal Documents
15 / 6
Quitclaim deed to City and County of Butte-Silver Bow
1987
Organizational Records
15 / 7
Articles of incorporations [photocopies]; amended constitution and
bylaws; involuntary dissolution [photocopy]
1897-1981
15 / 8
Committee and officer lists
1964-1965, 1978
15 / 9
Committees: Building Committee
1965-1975, undated
15 / 10
Committees: Cemetery Committee
1964-1982
15 / 11
Membership lists
1962, undated
15 / 12-13
Minutes
1951-1982, 1987
Printed Material
15 / 14
"Congregation B'nai Israel celebrating 90 years of Jewish history"
[prayer book in English and Hebrew]
1993
15 / 15
Newsletter
May 1963
15 / 16
"Your Jewish Heritage : Questions and Answers on Traditional Jewish
Life and law for Children and their Parents"
1961
Miscellany
15 / 17
Days of Atonement memorial cards
1961, undated
15 / 18
Drawing of B'nai Israel Synagogue by Sonia Berman Ehrlich; also
webpage showing photos of temple
1976, 2009
15 / 19
Rabbinical Assembly questionnaire
1967
15 / 20
Services (including prayer booklets and invitations)
1933-1997
15 / 21
Temple repairs needed
1964
Sisterhood Congregation B'nai Israel
Financial Records
15 / 22
Bank statements, check stubs, bank books, etc.
1973-1974
15 / 23
Journal
1962-1974
Organizational Records
15 / 24
Minutes
1963-1973
15 / 25
Vote on merger with Congregation B'nai Israel
1974
Miscellany
15 / 26
"A Thought for the week"; calling list; sympathy card; Butte
Ministerial Association directory [fragment]
1966
Transfers to other programs
Transfers
15 / 27
List of separations to Museum, Library, and Photo Archives
2011