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Philadelphia.
The congregation Mikve Israel have, during the past summer, put their
Synagogue in complete repair, extended the gallery, so as to increase
considerably the number of seats, and added likewise four new benches down
stairs, besides adding two new windows and increasing those in the gallery
by additional ranges of glass. In addition, the interior and front have
been painted throughout in a neat style, and the former with lighter
colours than heretofore, so that the whole has a bright and cheerful
appearance. The ladies on their part have furnished new covers for the
Tebah, and mantles for the Sepharim. The expense, we believe, cannot be
less than from sixteen to seventeen hundred dollars, which has been
furnished from the treasury of the congregation, without any extra
exertion, except the donation of the ladies just mentioned.—In
consequence of these repairs, the Synagogue was closed from the second
week after Passover till the Eve of Rosh Hashana, service being held
during the mean time in the session room of the congregation, which, as
was remarked, was literally crowded during nearly the whole summer to its
utmost capacity. Since the above evening, however, the congregation have
assembled in their Synagogue, and it affords us much gratification to
state that the assembly has evidently been more numerous than in several
preceding years. We could add some farther particulars, but we forbear;
and we trust that the progress of the congregation will be best chronicled
in the exhibition of a greater state of religiousness, and in a strict
adherence to our laws.
At
an election held at the last semi-annual meeting the following gentlemen
were elected officers of the congregation for the current year:
A.
Hart, Parnass; J. A. Phillips, J. L. Moss, Mayer Arnold, and A. S. Wolf,
Adjuntas; Hyman Gratz, Gabay, and Solomon Solis, Secretary.
New
Orleans.—As it was found almost impracticable to unite all the
Israelites at New Orleans in one congregation, a number of gentlemen
lately resolved to establish one with the Portuguese ritual. They
accordingly organized on the 21st of August last, under the name of K. K.
Nefutzote Yehudah (the Scattered of Judah), and elected the following
gentlemen to serve in their respective offices till the second Sunday in
the month of December, 5606, on which day of the year the regular annual
election is regularly to take place: G. Kursheedt, President; H. Florance,
Vice President; J. L. Moss, Trustee senior; J. C. Peixotto, Trustee
junior; J. Rodriguez, Treasurer; and D. C. Labat, Secretary. The signers
to the printed constitution, sent us, amount in number to thirty-four,
which has been increased without doubt long ere this. The congregation
have already purchased an eligible piece of land for a burial-place. We
have no other information of interest to communicate, farther than that
the laws adopted for the government of the association appear to us to be
well fitted for their object; as they embody but few restrictions, and
open the door of admission to all Israelites by application to the board,
a majority of whom can admit the applicant. Persons, however, who have
married against the Jewish laws are excluded. The form of prayers is
unalterably fixed according to the custom of the Portuguese Jews, and it
is the only article in the constitution which the signers have pledged
themselves not to alter or abolish at any future revision of the laws. 1f
any religious questions should arise, they are to be decided, upon
application of the officers, by the highest authorities amongst us in the
United States, whose decision shall be final.
We
also believe that the German congregation in New Orleans progresses
prosperously; and we learn that they lately have purchased a lot of ground
in the first municipality on which to erect a Synagogue. We would be glad
to receive from some of our friends there a statement of their progress.
Cleveland, Ohio. We
learn, from the public prints, that the Congregation Anshi Chesed, of
Cleveland, laid the foundation of a Synagogue on the 6th of October, no
doubt to replace the building which was last
year destroyed by fire. We trust that those who have the means
will aid this distant congregation in their pious efforts to re-establish
their house of prayer.
Augusta, Ga. The Sunday
School in this town lately held an examination of the scholars, who are
represented to have acquitted themselves creditably.
Richmond, Virginia. The
Common Hall (Council), of this city, lately enacted a law, punishing all
violations of Sunday with a fine ranging from five dollars to ten,
whereas, the state law, imposes only one of ten shillings currency, or
$1.67. In consequence of, this new ordinance, several Israelites have been
fined for the infringement of a law which they deem a violation of their
natural rights as citizens, who are guaranteed by the constitution against
the enactment of any law favouring any religious denomination, and they
contend that keeping Sunday is a Christian custom, and hence to enforce it
by special enactment is virtually to enforce Christianity by authority of
the state. Hence several articles have found their way in the public
papers, some of them by Christians, condemning the ordinance in question.
As it is based upon a state law, however obsolete it may have been, we
question very much whether it will be repealed, especially since Sunday
keeping, or honouring the Sabbath as it is called, has of late years come
to be looked upon as more meritorious than formerly. We shall watch the
progress of the matter with a good deal of interest, more for the abstract
right, than for any gain the Israelites of Richmond may obtain by its
repeal, as we sincerely believe that if this were all they should and
would probably yield obedience at once; but the subject assumes a
different aspect, when the effort is made evidently from no other motive
than to favour a particular religion, at the expense of those of the
community who differ from the majority. We shall probably speak of the
whole matter more at length hereafter; we therefore dismiss it for the
present with this general notice.
London. We were informed
a few days ago, through a private source, that the Rev. David Piza, late
of Montreal, has been elected assistant Hazan of the Portuguese Synagogue,
Bevis Marks, London.
Norway.
The European Times states that the committee of the Storthing, to whom the
subject of the admission of Israelites into Norway had been referred,
reported favourably upon this measure, thus acknowledging the injustice
which has been so long done to us; as even occasional travellers were
subject to incarceration, which was carried out so late as last year, for
violating the territory of the northern kingdom by their presence. It was
understood when the subject was last up before the Storthing,
(Parliament,) that the admission of Israelites to the territory of Norway,
should also be accompanied by their being rendered equal in the eyes of
the law, and it was supposed at that time, that several members voted
against the bill, because it only allowed Jews to come into Norway, whilst
it did not remove civil disabilities. We hope to be able before long to
report favourably to our readers.
France.
The August number of the Archives Israelites, just received, contains the
resignation of the Hon. A. Crémieux, of his office as delegate to the
Central Consistory of France, from the Consistory of Marseilles, in a
letter to Mr. Altares, president of the latter body. He assigns no reason
for this step, and the editor expresses much regret, that in future the
meetings of the Jewish delegates will miss the advice and countenance of
this noble representative of our interest, who, with Sir Moses Montefiore,
hastened forward to effect the liberation of our oppressed brethren during
the cruel persecution at Damascus. We hope, however, that Mr. C. will
still lend his aid, whenever practicable, to forward whatever wholesome
measure may stand in need of his influence; and we scarcely permit ourself
to doubt that such will be his course.
The
Jews of Corfu. There are about 2,000 Jews in Corfu. They inhabit a
separate quarter of the city, but which is not separated from the rest of
the town by a wall, as is the case at Rome, at Ancona, and other towns in
Italy. The Jews of Corfu, are, generally speaking, slovenly, both in their
houses and in their dress, and their ignorance is so great, that numbers
among them do not even know the principal events in the history of their
nation. Those of a higher class are merchants, and trade chiefly in cloth
and linen; the middle class consists of artisans, and for the greater part
of tailors. The lower classes are the most numerous; they are dealers in
old clothes, porters, and sailors. They are generally speaking, laborious,
and have, in the midst of a very poor population, attained to comfortable
circumstances, and even riches. The Greeks hate them, and seize every
opportunity for injuring and illtreating them; so that their situation
would be very pitiable, if the English did not take them under their
protection. Twenty years ago no Jew dared show himself in the streets
during the holy week; but things have changed since that time.
The
name of their Chief Rabbi is Ribas; he is a native of Gibraltar, and
prides himself on being an Englishman. He belongs to the old school, which
observes the law most, strictly. He would forbid the carrying umbrellas on
the Sabbath, on the ground of the fourth commandment being violated
thereby. But however rigorously the Jews of Corfu keep the Sabbath in
other respects, they are not prepared to go to such a length in its
observance.—L’ Univers Israelite.
The
Jews in India. We find in the Report for July last, of the Society
for Promoting Christian Knowledge, the following information respecting
the Jews in India:—
Portions
of the Holy Scriptures, it appears, in the Mahratta language, have been
for some time in circulation in that part of (Western) India; and the Rev.
George Pigott, Secretary to the Bombay Translation Committee, mentions in
particular a translation of the Psalms, by Rev. P. Farrer, as being in
daily use among the Jews at Bombay, whom Mr. Pigott describes as a very
interesting portion of the native community. From another quarter, also,
further information has been obtained by the Committee respecting this
people. They are said to have been established in that part of India from
time immemorial, and to have been found, when they first attracted the
notice of European settlers, to have had no communication, which they
could record, with any of their race dispersed in other quarters of the
globe. It is stated that they possessed none of the prophetic books of the
Old Testament, and were ignorant of the history of their people subsequent
to the first captivity; that they did not keep the Feast of Purim, and had
never heard of the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem. It has been
observed, also, that none of them bear any of the names peculiar to the
tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and so common among the Jews after their
return from Babylon. They call themselves “Beni Israel,” and are known
under that appellation among their Mahratta neighbours; they dislike being
called “Yahoodi” (Jews), the common name of the Hebrew race in the
East, and they disclaim all connexion, except that of community of faith,
both with the black Jews of Malabar, and their fair brethren of Arabia and
Persia. They are described as retaining the marked features of their race,
and as being distinguished from the Hindoo and Mahommedan natives by
superior intelligence, and an integrity of character, recommending them,
not unfrequently, to offices of trust and responsibility, particularly in
the army, where they are generally marked as among the best soldiers in
their respective regiments, and often rise to be native officers. The
Committee are informed, that these Jews have almost entirely lost the
knowledge of their original language, for, although they repeat their
prayers in Hebrew, very few of them can understand the words they use. But
Mr. Pigott observes, that “there has been a marked improvement among
them since they became acquainted with parts of their own Scriptures,
through the Mahratta translations.”—Jewish Intelligence.
Married,
On
Wednesday the 15th of October, at the residence of Mr. S. Solis, Mr.
Solomon N. Carvalho, of Bridgetown, Barbadoes, and son of Mr. D. N.
Carvalho, of Philadelphia, to Miss Sarah M. Solis, of this city, daughter
of the late Jacob S. Solis.
Kos Jeshuoth.
We
call the attention of our readers to the advertisement on the second page
of our cover, for the publication of a new religious magazine, by the Rev.
David M. Isaacs and Mr. Moses Samuel, of Liverpool. The former of these
gentlemen is well and favourably known by his lectures, he having filled
the office of preacher in Liverpool, Manchester, and Dublin, and latterly
in the former city alone. No doubt the readers of the Occident will
remember the account we gave of the testimonial of respect bestowed upon
him by the young men of his congregation, and consequently, so far as he
is concerned, we have every reason to expect an efficient labourer in the
fertile field of Jewish literature. But not less than himself is his
colleague, who has contributed already to our literature, by his life of
Mendelssohn, and the translation of that learned philosopher’s
Jerusalem. It will be perceived that the Rev. Mr. Isaacs, of New York,
brother of one of the editors, is the sole agent for the work; and his
appointment is a sure guarantee that the subscribers will be promptly
served.
We
have not been positively informed whether the work has yet been commenced;
but we have heard that there is, at least, every prospect of its speedy
issue. The prospectus presents a wide range; for instance, sermons,
original essays, reviews, commercial information; but the chief object of
the editors seems to be the extension of strictly orthodox principles
among Israelites; and in this wish we trust that they may be amply
successful, whilst we hope that they may so convey their instruction as to
find general access to all minds. No doubt the editors are fully aware of
the difficulty of the task which they have undertaken; and they will
therefore use such exertions as will insure in the best manner the success
so absolutely requisite to make a religious journal a vehicle of useful
information.
We
refer our readers to the Rev. S. M. Isaacs, No. 94 Elm Street, New York,
whilst we offer our services to convey names of subscribers and
remittances to their proper destination.
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