Fred Glusman Family Papers

Bernard Glusman was born in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1906, while his parents Leopold and Sima Glusman were en route to Germany from Russia. At the age of 15 he sand in the choir of the largest synagogue in Frankfurt, Germany. At 22, he conducted his first service. He attended the Yeshiva Seminary and Conservatory in Frankfurt. In 1931 he married his wife, Anna, and became a cantor in Giessen, Germany. In 1937, Cantor Glusman and his family immigrated to the United States. Upon his arrival, Glusman worked as a cantor, and teacher and a shochet at the Sons of Israel Synagogue in Newburgh, N.Y. In 1946, Glusman became the cantor at the West End Synagogue in Nashville, Tennessee, where he served with distinction until his retirement in 1979. He passed away on January 27, 2000 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bernard Glusman’s son, Fred, was born in Germany in 1932. He came to America with his parents in 1937. He received his B.A. degree from Vanderbilt University. He then served in the Army and while stationed in Alaska served as an acting Chaplain, conducting all phases of religious activity for Jewish servicemen. Following his service, Fred moved to Huntsville, Alabama where he worked as a manager at the Huntsville Electric Supply Company. While in Huntsville he served as President of the Alabama State Association of B’nai B’rith, helped found the conservative congregation of Etz Chayim, and was active in the Boy Scouts. Fred later moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he became involved in the Jewish community. He served as executive director of Congregation Beth Jacob for 26 years and assistant kosher supervisor for an assisted living community in Sandy Springs.