Page 24 - Jewish News_January 2020

24A January 2020 COMMUNITY FOCUS

Sarasota-Manatee has Jewish connection to the circus

By Kim Sheintal, President, Jewish Genealogical Society of SWFL
arasota has had a rich circus into the International Clown Hall of cus Ring of Fame Foundation’s Special ley Circus, was Jewish.
heritage since 1927 when John Fame in 1989. His father was Jewish Award of Recognition in 2003 on St. Richard Fuchs, a Jewish employee
SRingling moved the winter quar- and Irish; his mother was Scotch and Armands Circle for her efforts which of John Ringling during the 1920s and
ters of the Ringling Bros. and Bar- Indian. Adler said, “All the races in me helped preserve Sarasota’s rich circus 1930s, was one of the incorporators of
num & Bailey Circus to Sarasota. It heritage. Rita Adler the Ringling Museum.
then moved from Sarasota to Venice was a remarkable Jew- Jewish clowns Billy Bob “Todd”
in 1960. Jewish circus performers and ish lady who will be re- Steinberg and Chuck Sidlow per-
businessmen have played a major im- membered for her love formed for Circus Sarasota (Florida’s
pact in Sarasota achieving its status as and passion of the arts only not-for-profit resident circus).
the home of the American circus. and circus in Sarasota. Sarasota’s Big Top Tours (Sara-
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bai- Nate Eagle, whose sota’s circus history bus tour company)
ley Circus has been owned by a Jewish Jewish family came is owned by Roberts Collins, who is
family longer than it has been owned from Poland to New Jewish.
by the Ringling brothers or Barnum Billy Bob “Todd” Steinberg, Chuck Sidlow, Mariko Sidlow and Roberts York in the early 1900s, After 92 years, the Jews continue
and Bailey. Ringling Bros. and Bar- Collins presented “Jews in the Circus” at Temple Beth Israel in 2012 was an agent for a group to contribute to the circus scene in
num & Bailey Circus was bought in are having a terrific scramble to come of midget circus performers and a ring- Sarasota-Manatee. Known as the Cir-
1967 by Irvin Feld, a Jewish entre- to the top.” master for the Ringling Bros. and Bar- cus Capital of the World, our commu-
preneur. In 1968, Feld created Clown Albert White, a Jewish clown in num & Bailey Circus starting in 1952. nity has many Jewish circus performers
College in Venice to train clowns. For Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Mr. Fribush, payroll coordinator and businessmen to thank for making
its 20 anniversary, Clown College Circus, persuaded the circus to engage for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bai- this recognition possible.
th
was featured on a CBS special hosted Temple Beth Sholom’s Rabbi Barry
by Dick Van Dyke. After Irvin Feld’s Konovich as the circus chaplain in the “Someone To Talk To”
passing in 1984, his children took over 1970s.
the Feld production business, the Ring- Rose Hanlon, English born and volunteers needed
ling shows and Clown College. The Ir- Jewish, was the first woman clown for
vin and Kenneth Feld Productions, Inc. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ponsored by National Council to an adult, a safe adult, who can help
changed its name to Feld Entertain- Circus. of Jewish Women, “Someone them.
ment, Inc. in 1996. Feld Entertainment Jacob Rheuben Erlich, profession- STo Talk To” is a puppet presen- The program is presented in Sara-
Inc. moved its Virginia-based corpo- ally credited as Jack Earle and remem- tation for first graders that gently talks sota County schools on Tuesdays
rate operations to Ellenton in 2012. bered as the Jewish Giant, performed about four different kinds of abuse. As starting in January. You don’t have to
Feld Entertainment, Inc., still in Ellen- for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bai- savvy as today’s first graders are, they memorize anything. We stand behind
ton, is a live show production compa- ley Circus. Earle was one of the world’s may be experiencing things which they the curtain with scripts in hand.
ny which owns a number of traveling tallest humans at 8 feet 6½ inches tall. think are normal but are not. Some- Sound interesting? Please contact
shows. Clown College closed in 1997 Frank Miller, who was Jewish, was times things happen that they know Susan Horowitz at sbhorowitz55@
after 25 years in Venice, followed by head of the concessions for Ringling are wrong but generate enough fear of gmail.com.
three years in Baraboo (Wisconsin) Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. continuing consequences that they are This is an important community
and its last two years in Sarasota. Milton Bartok, a Jewish circus too afraid to tell someone. Through the service program that has been serv-
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey worker, became well known as a pat- puppets and their conversations, we let ing children for many years. We would
Circus held its final performances in ent medicine marketer, minstrel show the children know that they need to talk love to have you join us!
May 2017. producer and, later, circus owner. His
Many Jewish people have per- family spent winters in Sarasota begin-
formed and managed activities for ning in the 1940s. The Sarasota Yacht
the circus in Sarasota-Manatee. Frank Club, which usually excluded Jews,
Bartlet Adler, known as Felix Adler or invited Bartok to join, despite public
“The King of Clowns,” performed for knowledge of his religion.
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Rita Adler, often seen riding el-
Circus for 20 years. He was inducted ephants in the circus, received the Cir-
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