Isidor Straus: Educational Alliance
<h4><a href="https://vmps.omeka.net/exhibits/show/straus-family/straus-family">Return to The Straus Family: A History of Public Service and Philanthropy</a></h4>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">The Educational Alliance on 197 East Broadway in New York City was founded by a group of Jewish philanthropists including Isidor Straus. The building was erected in 1891. Originally it was a settlement house for Eastern European Jews immigrating to New York City where English was taught as was vocational instruction. Today The Educational Alliance provides community services and activities to neighborhood residents at several locations. The Lee Kohns Cultural Arts Center is part of the original Educational Alliance building. The entrance on Jefferson Street bears his name. Lee Kohns was the son of Lazarus and Hermine Straus Kohns. Hermine was the daughter of Lazarus and Sara Straus. A plaque where the Educational Alliance's auditorium is located is dedicated to Lee Kohns. A second plaque bears the name of his son, Robert Lee Kohns and the Robert Lee Kohns Foundation. A third plaque in this hallway reads: "Isidor Straus, philanthropist, humanitarian and ardent supporter of programs to help the poor and downtrodden become part of the American dream. A man of vision and compassion, committed to the growth of America as a democratic homeland and a land of freedom and opportunity. A founder and the first president of the Educational Alliance 1891 - 1912."</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">An article by Ilene Scholnick Ausubel, Vice President of Development at the Educational Alliance, reads, “The legacy of Isidor Straus and the other founding philanthropists continues on today. For 125 years, the Educational Alliance has been the place where the people on the Lower East Side and East Village have come for the opportunity to create a better life. Today, the Educational Alliance serves 50,000 people through 36 programs and remains focused on providing educational projects and culture, social services and recreation.”</span></p>
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Educational Alliance
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/Brockhaus_and_Efron_Jewish_Encyclopedia_e2_221-0.jpg
https://edalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/EA-vector-logo-03.png
Educational Alliance & The Straus Historical Society
Building photo - before 1906
Plaque photo - unknown
Educational Alliance & The Straus Historical Society
Isidor Straus: Educational Alliance <br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org">The Straus Historical Society</a><br /><br />See also: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educational_Alliance">Wikipedia</a>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">Links:</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">Adler, Joan. “Many Waters Cannot Quench Love – Neither Can the Floods Drown it” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 3 No. 2 (New York: August 1995); pp. 3-8.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/______nwsltr895.pdf"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#c51b35;">http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/______nwsltr895.pdf</span></b></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;"></span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">“Hon. Isidor Straus, House of Representatives: 1894-1895” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 4 No. 1 (New York: August 2002); pp. 1-8.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/________nwsltr802.pdf"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#c51b35;">http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/________nwsltr802.pdf</span></b></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;"></span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">“Monuments, Buildings, Memorials, and Library Collections Dedicated to Straus Family Members” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 11 No. 1 (New York: August 2009); pp. 1-7, 12.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/_________nwsltr809.pdf"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#c51b35;">http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/_________nwsltr809.pdf</span></b></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;"></span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">Ausubel, Ilene Scholnick. “The Educational Alliance” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 16 No. 1 (New York: August 2014); p. 7.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/nwslttr814.pdf"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#c51b35;">http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/nwslttr814.pdf</span></b></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;"></span></p>
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Medium: Logo & Photograph
Plaque
Plaque
Isidor Straus, Educational Alliance, NYC, Jewish, Community, Education
New York
Lee Kohns (1864-1927)
<h4><a href="https://vmps.omeka.net/exhibits/show/straus-family/straus-family">Return to The Straus Family: A History of Public Service and Philanthropy</a></h4>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">Lee Kohns was born in Columbus, GA., September 1, 1864. His mother, Hermine Straus, was the daughter of Lazarus and Sara Straus. His father was Lazarus Kohns. Both his parents, his father directly and his mother indirectly, were of that group of liberty-loving German Jews who along with many other liberal Germans found that the harsh and autocratic government of '48 made life there unbearable and came to America, the land of opportunity and freedom, to start their life anew.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">Lee Kohns' father built a small business in Auburn GA., and Lazarus Straus, after running a general store in Talbotton GA., transferred his modestly successful business to Columbus, Ga. Shortly thereafter the Civil War with its disastrous financial aftermath greatly depleted their small capital. They came to New York and, after paying off their pre-war debts, which, although of doubtful legal sanction were morally binding, started again in separate enterprises.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">Lee Kohns was educated at Donai Institute and public school, and in 1884 graduated from the College of the City of New York. His father in the meantime had become partner of L. Straus & Sons, founded by Lazarus Straus. Upon his graduation Lee Kohns entered the employ of his grandfather, father, and uncles Isidor, Nathan and Oscar S. Straus. He remained a member of the firm, being for a long period managing partner, until his retirement in 1923. Through his interest in L. Straus & Sons he became a partner in Abraham & Straus, of Brooklyn, and later when it was incorporated became a director and vice-president. He was for many years, and at the time of his death, a director of the American Exchange-Irving Trust Company and the National Guaranty Insurance Co. He held at varying times the presidency of the New York Board of Trade & Transportation, and the presidency of the Crockery Board of Trade.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">Lee Kohns' recognized integrity and business ability was such that he was offered the Fusion nomination for President of the Borough of Manhattan on the Gaynor ticket in 1909, which he declined, and again in 1918 he refused the office of Deputy Commissioner of Public Welfare. He also declined various public offices offered him by Presidents Cleveland and Roosevelt.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">After the World War, Lee Kohns, believing that a proper understanding of each other by the peoples of France and the United States was essential for the well-being of both countries, conceived the plan of establishing a chair of American literature and civilization a the Sorbonne (University of Paris). He accordingly endowed this chair which very properly was named for him. Although the plans for the establishment had been perfected less than a year before his death he saw the great enthusiasm among well-informed people of both countries, and that the work was about to start with every prospect of becoming a valuable contribution to international good-will.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">Lee Kohns died January 18, 1927, in his sixty-third year. Although he had never held, nor been candidate for, public office, he devoted a large portion of his time, energy and ability to public and semi-public matters. Primarily a business man, and a successful one, he did much more than merely to attend to his own personal business, he was always alive to, and keenly interested in, any movement which would improve civic conditions and tend to give greater opportunities to the mass of the people. As a result, at the time of his death, he was first vice-president and chairman of the executive committee of the Educational Alliance, trustee of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropic Societies, trustee of the Andrew Freedman Home, trustee of the United Hospital Fund, and trustee of the College of the City of New York.</span></p>
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The Straus Historical Society
http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/3323485_orig.jpg, http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/1527008_orig.jpg
The Straus Historical Society
Circa 1890s
The Straus Historical Society
Lee Kohns (1864-1927) <br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org">The Straus Historical Society</a>
<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">Links:</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">“Hermine Straus Kohns 1846-1923” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 7 No. 1 (New York: February 1999); pp. 4-7.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/_________nwsltr299.pdf"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#c51b35;">http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/_________nwsltr299.pdf</span></b></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;"></span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;">“Unsent Telegram from Lee Kohns after ‘Titanic’” Straus Historical Society Newsletter Vol. 3 No. 1 (New York: August 2001); p. 10.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/_________nwsltr801.pdf"><b><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#c51b35;">http://www.straushistoricalsociety.org/uploads/1/1/8/1/11810298/_________nwsltr801.pdf</span></b></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#000000;"></span></p>
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Medium: Photograph
English
Figures
Lee Kohns, Jewish, Straus Family, Trade, NY, Manhattan, France, Educational Alliance
Historic