THE MEMORIAL BOOK OF PÁPA JEWRY - JewishGen

6. Malbish Arumim (Kreuzer Association)
The association was founded in 1880 with the aim of providing clothes and school
equipment for poor students. In 1894 the membership fee was 2 fillérs (2 pence or cents), that is
the explanation for the name “Kreuzer Association”. Out of loyalty for the monarchy, they
distributed new clothes and winter shoes among poor children every year on the name-day of
Queen Elizabeth, with all due ceremony. Later on spectacular ceremonies were abandoned out of
regard for the poor parents and the needy received the aid inconspicuously. Aladár Schossberger
was the last president of the association. His brother, living in the USA, supported the
association.
7. The Girls' Association
It was founded by a very energetic teacher, Mrs. Rosenthal née Franciska Reiner.
Although the members were all exclusively girls of the Israelite faith, there were hardly any
lectures on Jewish subjects. They had lectures on a high level by writers and artists invited from
the capital. Several times they had performances in the town theatre, which attracted much
attention among the local population. None of the local cultural associations could compete with
the Israelite Girls’ Association, which fulfilled its mission faithfully – spreading Hungarian
culture.
8. Bikur Cholim. The Association for Visiting the Sick.
According to the tradition, visiting the sick is one of the sacred precepts, whose fruits a
person enjoys in this world, with its assets remaining intact for him in the world to come. The
Bikur Cholim Association set for themselves the observance of this commandment. The
association was founded in 1770, and reorganized in 1860. In addition to visiting the sick, they
also supported the family of the sick breadwinner. In 1894 they helped 80 persons. The
association had 200 members.
The chazan Viktor Schiffer, respected by all, fulfilled the post of book-keeper and
treasurer for decades, managing the affairs of this humanitarian association with great zeal.
There was a witty remark by Kive Schreiber, a scholarly descendent of the Pozsony
rabbinical dynasty, which was widely quoted in Pápa: How come there are still poor people left
in Pápa? If a rich man has a new baby, marries off his daughter, or has any other simcha in his
family, he is in a hurry to send tzedaka to the poor, and he does the same if his family is
bereaved. The other way round as well, if the poor man has a new baby or is bereaved, the rich
man helps at once. Before a holiday, and on the occasion of Purim, the rich never fail to send
their charity to the poor. The rich always give and the poor always get; however, the difference
between them is never levelled. The rich stay rich and the poor stay poor. The scholar gave the
following answer to the unpleasant question:"It is because they, in fact, don't give, even if they
should." They observe charity only in theory and not in practice. This is the reason for the
foundation of the
9. Gomlei Dalim Association (Helping the poor.)
in 1836 in Pápa, to replace the alleged individual charity by communal efforts in service of the
sacred goal. The association had 150 members, carrying out their sacred mission with the help of
weekly membership fees and synagogue contributions.
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