Family Activities
The ALC
The ALC was a group of about 18 boys, all about the same age and all Jewish. The group met at the Baden Street Settlement House, and its leader, who got the group together, was Levi Olan, a divinity student who in later years became a rabbi with a national reputation. He was a bright, well educated and articulate young man who helped steer the boys' interests into literature and other cultural areas.
The boys were asked to read recommended books, and from time to time they gave book reviews of the classics as well as current literature. Levi also led them to parks where they participated in games such as baseball (softball) and touch football. The boys also produced plays which were performed at the Settlement House before an audience of friends and relatives of the boys in the club.
Club leaders after Levi were Mitch Jossem, a sales manager at a necktie company, and Goodman Sarachan, a well-known attorney in Rochester.
The ALC was successful in introducing the boys to an area of life that they knew little about. More important, the boys formed lasting friendships that became important parts of their lives. The club gradually disbanded after high school because many of the boys went to colleges away from Rochester.
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