Museum exhibit traces Jewish experience in New Milford

By Deborah Rose

A community is what it is because of the people who have shaped it, contributed to it, and are presently part of it.

Now, for the first time, a spotlight is being shone on a group of people whose stories and contributions to this community have not been historically archived.

The New Milford Historical Society & Museum is presenting a new exhibit, “New Milford: The Jewish Experience,” at its 6 Aspetuck Ave. campus.

“The exhibit traces the evolution of the Jewish people who came and lived in town since the 19th century,” said David Cohen, an historical society board member who spearheaded the project.

The exhibit tells of the experiences of Joseph Golden (1877-1947), who arrived in the early 1900s and is in modern local history referred to as the father of the Jewish community in New Milford, and others who helped shape the town.

Prior to Golden, two Jewish families – those of Alexander Levy and Max Neisner – were in town the latter part of the 1800s.

Videos, photographs, artifact and more are featured in the exhibit on display through the spring.

“It's very nice to have the historical society acknowledge that Jews had a lot to contribute to the town,” said Dorrie Hunt, a daughter of the late Merrill Golden (1910-2001), and granddaughter of Joseph Golden.

“It means a lot to me because New Milford means a lot to me and being Jewish means a lot to me….To have the town recognize that it had people in the town who contributed to the welfare of the town in ways that had nothing to do with religion – but were Jewish,” Hunt related the week before the exhibit officially opened.

Approximately 100 people attended the exhibit’s opening and reception Oct. 20. Hunt, now of Bloomfield, former New Milford Mayor Liba Furhman, Mayor Pete Bass, and Rabbi Mark Cohn of Temple Sholom in town were the guest speakers.

“New Milford was good to, and for, my family,” said Hunt in her comments at the opening. “And my family was good to, and for, New Milford.”

“We are indebtedly linked to New Milford and its Jewish community,” she continued. “We are living examples of the richness of the Jewish experience in New Milford.”

Furhman, a 40-year resident, greeted the crowd with a smile and called the opening “a wonderful occasion."

Mayor Bass reflected on how "tapestries of life" are "blended together" and contribute to the growth of the community.

"The amazing stuff people do in and out of this town every single day," he said, citing examples of guests and others from the Jewish community who have contributed in great ways to the town.

Rabbi Cohn described the exhibit as highlighting "Jewish presence locally and gives honor to those small but mighty few who made surety make a life for themselves and preserve our people's heritage and connection to one another."

"We literally stand upon their shoulders this very day," he said.

After a half-hour program that concluded with a blessing, guests were invited to view the exhibit, which is made up of several large panels that also includes maps, display cases of artifacts, and video interviews.

One panel tells the story of the town’s first synagogue, Temple Sholom, of which both Merrill Golden and David’s father, the late Harry Cohen (1920-2019), were founders.

The exhibit is “a comprehensive view that Jews and no-Jews can learn from,” said Cohen. 

Cohen is the only one from the Temple’s founding families from his generation who still lives in New Milford.

The exhibit will be up through April 22, 2025, at which time it will be moved permanently to Temple Sholom on Route 7 North.

“There’s a certain awe and humility almost in terms of pride, but almost humility,” Cohen said of how he feels about his journey to bring the exhibit to life with fellow committee members. “I’m standing in the footsteps of those who came before me.”

PIECING IT TOGETHER

The idea of the exhibit came about following the museum’s “The Black Experience in New Milford” exhibit in 2021. It is now part of the museum’s permanent collection.

“The Jewish experience was the next stage,” Cohen said, describing how the concept came from a discussion he had with Kathleen Kelly, board president, and Anita Regan, secretary.

“They were very enthusiastic about taking this on,” Cohen said of the women’s response to the suggested exhibit.

Beginning in January, three members of Temple Sholom, Sandy and Joan Ivler, and Lori Winterfeldt, and resident Ted Hine joined Cohen in launching the almost-year long project.

“It was exciting to dig into details” of the families, Cohen said.

Sandy Ivler agreed and said, “What was originally thought to be a one-piece show exhibit turned into a huge part of the (museum’s) Boardman Store.”

Maps, photographs, menorahs, candlesticks and other items were contributed by families in town and Temple Sholom.

Cohen and his wife, Jane, underwrote the exhibit in honor of his parents, Harry and Frances.

FAMILIES

Levy immigrated from England in 1869 and appears to be the first Jewish individual in town. He owned a home on South Main St., which at that time was a neighborhood where successful New Milford merchants resided, related Cohen.

“He was well respected and a well-integrated individual in New Milford society,” he said. “He was a 33rd degree Mason and a justice of peace…and at that time, the justice of the peace was politically appointed. He was pretty immersed.”

Shortly after Levy arrived in town, Neisner discovered the town and, like Levy, became part of the fabric of the community.

He ran a variety store and owned a building on Bank Street, which he rented out to the Masons and other groups too. 

Unfortunately, Levy and Neisner and their families left New Milford after the Great Fire of 1902 that set 33 buildings in town ablaze and affected 75 businesses on Bank Street and the surrounding area. 

“They either did not have any insurance proceeds or had inadequate proceeds and they decided to pack and leave for Bridgeport, which was expanding rapidly and had more Jewish families,” Cohen explained.

It wasn’t until the early 1900s that the next Jewish family – the Golden family – came to town.

Joseph Golden traveled from Hamburg, Germany, to New York via steamship in 1898 – with only 10 cents.

He connected with family already in New York, and eventually assumed a job as a peddler with a route that passed through New Milford.

“He would stay overnight in New Milford and at some point, he became so entranced with the beauty of the Housatonic River Valley and he thought the opportunities to open a store were great because he felt New Milford was a growing town and he could apply his skills in opening a mercantile business,” Cohen related.

With a vision for the future, Golden gave up his horse and cart and opened up a retail store, first on Railroad Street. It later moved to Bank Street.

After his death in 1948, his sons Merrill and Lawrence Golden continued operating Golden & Sons until they retired in 1970.

Merrill and his wife, Marjorie, were an active part of civic life in the New Milford community.

Among the groups he served were the Chamber of Commerce, New Milford Community Ambulance, New Milford Fire Association, the Lions Club, Water Witch Hose Co. #2, the American Legion, the John Pettibone Memorial Scholarship Fund, the historical society, the Village Fair Days Committee, the town’s 250thAnniversary Committee, and the New Milford Visiting Nurse Association.

Hunt recalled a special memory from 1957, when the town was celebrating its 250th anniversary, and Connecticut Gov. Abraham Ribicoff came to town to speak at one of the celebrations.

“It was very meaningful to my father to have him and spend time with him because it showed that Jews had a place,” Hunt said, noting Ribicoff is the first and only Jewish governor the state has had.

Like Golden, Alex Kramer, also Jewish, had a desire to be successful and did that by working hard, saving money, and eventually opening Kramer’s store on Bank Street. 

“Joseph and Alex both were “two independent entrepreneurs” who had great impact in the community, Cohen related.

Information about Kramer and others are also included in the exhibit.

CONGREGATIONS

Joseph Golden formed New Milford’s first Jewish congregation, Beth Aaron, in 1910.

It was a congregation of about 15 orthodox families and they met at his store, according to Ivler.

After his death in 1947, Jewish families in town traveled to Danbury to attend services, up until about 1958.

As there was no longer any organized Jewish congregation in New Milford, Joseph’s son, Merrill, decided to “pick up the ball and say ‘We have to have a congregation here,’” Ivler said. 

A small group formed, held conversations, and decided to establish a reformed congregation to be called Temple Sholom in New Milford.

The congregation initially met in space at the First Congregational Church on Main Street, but eventually moved into a building the Temple erected and opened on Route 7 in 1971.

The exhibit can be seen at the New Milford Historical Society & Museum at 6 Aspetuck Ave., New Milford, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and by appointment. For more information, call (860) 354-3069 or visit www.nmhistorical.org.

Deborah Rose/Marilyn Leif, left, and Dorrie Golden Hunt, granddaughter of Joseph Golden, who is referred to as the father of the Jewish community in New Milford, share a moment at the opening reception for a new exhibit that honors the Jewish experience in New Milford at the New Milford Historical Society.

Deborah Rose/Nearly 100 people attended the opening of a new exhibit at New Milford Historical Society that celebrates and honors the Jewish experience in town.

Deborah Rose/Guests peruse the exhibit at the museum's Boardman Store.

Deborah Rose/A variety of artifacts are among the items that make up the exhibit that will be on display through April 2025.

Deborah Rose/Many local families contributed memorabilia, letters, decorations and more for the display.