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In the fall of 1890, Frank's newspaper work took
her to the Northwest to visit a number of the
region's booming new towns. During this tour, an
event occurred that transformed Frank into the
Jewish community's first "lady preacher."
Arriving in Spokane, Washington (then known as
Spokane Falls), on the eve of the High Holy Days,
Frank was shocked to find that, despite the
presence of many affluent Jews, the town had no
synagogue. Apparently the community's Orthodox and
Reform elements were so divided that they were
unwilling to join together for services. When Frank
expressed her dismay, a prominent member of the
community—knowing her by reputation—offered to
arrange for Rosh Hashanah services if she would
give a sermon. Frank readily agreed.
At five o'clock that afternoon, a special
edition of the Spokane Falls Gazette
announced that "a young lady" would preach to
Spokane's Jews that evening at the Opera House.
Intrigued, the townspeople—Christians as well as
Jews—flocked to the theater. Frank did not
herself conduct the service; a woman preaching from
the pulpit on the High Holidays was extraordinary
enough in the late nineteenth century. But the
impassioned sermon she delivered after the service
made a deep impression on the audience. Speaking on
"The Obligations of a Jew as Jew and Citizen," she
entreated her listeners—for their own sake and
that of their children—to overcome the
differences between Reform and Orthodox ritual and
to form a permanent congregation. A Christian man
in the audience was so deeply inspired by Frank's
words that, at the conclusion of the service, he
offered to donate land for the construction of a
synagogue.
Frank so impressed Spokane's Jews that they
invited her to remain throughout the High Holidays.
In the sermon she delivered on the eve of Yom
Kippur, she elaborated on her earlier theme.
"Drop all dissension about whether you should
take off your hats during the service and other
unimportant ceremonials," she implored her
listeners, "and join hands in one glorious
cause."
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