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Philadelphia.—The Tenth Annual Examination of the
Sunday School at Philadelphia took place as usual on the Sunday after
Purim, the 26th of March, at the Portuguese Synagogue. The exercises
were as on former occasions, and the scholars acquitted themselves with
great credit, exhibiting both a knowledge of their lessons and a
thorough understanding of the subjects taught them during the year. The
number of the attendants is about the former average, considerably
exceeding one hundred, and it is extremely gratifying, that in the
absence of a proper day school there is this institution open to all to
obtain some knowledge of our religion. The superintendent in her report
expressed a hope that as several teachers have left from time to time,
and the classes being thus not sufficiently provided, many young ladies
would come forward to share in this interesting labour; and we sincerely
hope that her request so earnestly made will be responded to in a proper
spirit. It is a pleasing fact that some of the teachers, and these not
the least active, have originally been scholars, in preceding years; and
it is a proof that the instruction bestowed has not been in vain. The
superintendent also stated that a fund had gradually accumulated from
the savings of the annual voluntary contributions and donations, which
<<106>>has been invested in $1000 Pennsylvania State five per cent. loan, and
placed in the hands of Messrs. H. Gratz and M. Hart, as trustees; thus
securing the institution a sufficient fund to secure its permanence,
aided as it always will be by the liberality of the Israelites of our
city. The collections at the last exhibition amounted to nearly one
hundred dollars. The premiums, which were pretty liberally distributed,
consisted for the most part of the various works published by the
American Jewish Publication Society, and no fear therefore could be
entertained that the presents made to the children would scatter among
them anti-Jewish sentiments. We cannot close without expressing our
regret at the absence of many parents of scholars and other individuals
who ought to display a becoming interest in the cause of religious
education. There is an encouragement due to those who labour so
faithfully for the good of Israel, and this is best given by the
presence and evident approval of their exertions by those competent to
form a correct judgment. There is too much lukewarmness among us, too
little appreciation of the real value of our glorious religion and its
blessed influences on society, and hence those who readily labour and
work with becoming zeal, feel at times disheartened at the apparent want
of zeal in others. We hope that our benevolent ladies who deserve so
well of Israel for their zealous exertions in the cause of education,
will on future occasions be cheered by a larger audience, and that they
may then feel that their gratuitous labour of love is appreciated by
those for whose benefit it is exerted.
New York .—Synagogue Shaaray Tefilla.—This
beautiful building was considerably damaged by fire on the second night
of the Passover, to the amount probably of six thousand dollars. But as
the congregation had effected an insurance for a much larger amount in
three different companies, the loss will result merely in a temporary
inconvenience; they worship in the meantime in a large basement room
under the main building, which was from the first fitted up in a neat
manner for worship during the week days. It affords us pleasure to
accord just praise to the firemen of New York, who, finding that the
houses in which the conflagration commenced were beyond the power of
human exertion to be saved from the flames, applied themselves with
assiduity and success to save “the church” from destruction; and with
the help of Heaven they succeeded. The Shamas, who exerted
himself greatly to save the Sepharim, &c., lost much of of his
furniture, &c., but it has already been made good to him by the
liberality of the members.
The Immanuel Congregation of New York, under the
charge of Rev. Dr. Merzbacher, consecrated their New Synagogue on the
Sabbath <<107>>before the Passover (שבת הגדול);
we had an invitation, but were unable to attend; we expected a full
account of the proceedings, together with a description of the
Synagogue, but up to the moment of going to press we have not been
favoured with either, and we are obliged to be satisfied with the simple
announcement that another new building has been devoted to the service
of Israel’s God in the metropolis of the West.
Congregation Beth Jaacob of Albany.—This
congregation, not under the charge of the Rev. Dr. Wise, were to
consecrate a new Synagogue on Sabbath Acharay Moth. The Rev. S.
M. Isaacs of New York was invited to conduct the ceremonies. Perhaps we
may have some particulars in our next.
Columbia, S. C.—On the 26th of March, the Sunday
School at the capital of South Carolina held a public examination, and
from the report in one of the local papers it appears that the
exhibition was extremely gratifying to all concerned. We have received
no especial report frorn any of our friends in that place; this brief
notice must therefore suffice for the present.
New Orleans.—The Hebrew Benevolent Association of
New Orleans, held their annual election on the 26th of March, when the
following persons were duly elected:—A. Emanuel, President; M.
Kursheedt, Vice-President; David Sanger, Treasurer; Leopold Cohn,
Secretary and S. Magner, A. Harber, E. Jacobs, G. G. Levi and N. Worms,
Managers. The anniversary ball, (for which we received a ticket of
invitation,) for the benefit of the Society, took place on the evening
of the 20th of March, and it was numerously attended; many distinguished
citizens and dignitaries of the state being likewise present. It passed
off to the entire satisfaction of all, and much praise is due to the
committee of arrangement, for the manner in which the whole was
conducted. But it is really a matter of congratulation that the result
in favour of the charity was all that could be expected, the net
proceeds amounting to seven hundred dollars; which will in a measure
replenish the exhausted treasury, the Society having expended, chiefly
on account of the fearful epidemic last summer, fifteen hundred dollars
during the last year.
Europe.—As so much interest is now felt about what
is going forward in Europe, and the question being frequently asked “How
will it affect the Israelites?” we lay before our readers the following,
from our friend Mr. Solis, who is now in Europe. Of course it is all yet
doubt and uncertainty as regards the future; but the letter is by the
latest mail from England.<<108>>
London, 7th April, 1848.
Rev. I. Leeser,
Dear Sir,—Although the Continent is all on the qui
vive, here things drag their slow length along, The Jewish Disabilities
Bill passed through the committee of the whole house, on the 3d inst,
with some little opposition, but without alteration, and will come up
for its final passage on Monday next.
It is to be seen whether the earthquake in Europe
has awakened the House of Lords to that proper respect to the rights of
the whole people as will insure its passage through their chamber, or
whether they will wait until the shock comes home to them, before they
will grant this tardy justice. Surely they must have great dread of the
capability of those they pretend to despise, as to think the admission
of such an insignificant few, as the Jewish representation could ever
be, would put their civil and social system in jeopardy.
In the absence of any thing of interest here, I
will give you a few gleanings from the continental papers.
It seems in many places, that though the people
wish for, and claim, the widest liberty for themselves, they still wish
to exclude the Israelites from the full enjoyment of that blessing: and
that freedom to our oppressed race must be delayed until the Christian
population becomes more enlightened. At Pressburg (Hungary), on the 22d
March, the Israelites were subjected to all the horrors of the dark
ages, upon their insisting on their right of entering the National
Guard: the Senate nobly supported them in their demands; but the Burger
Guard were at last obliged to issue a proclamation, stating that in
order to prevent further excitement, the admission of the Israelites
into the National Guard is suspended until the laws on this point shall
have changed.
A second proclamation stated, that the Jews had, of
their own accord, quitted the ranks of the National Guard. In another
place, bands of people had been robbing the rich Jews and nobility. The
proclamation says:
“The law relative to the Jews is liberal, yet
moderate; on the fundamental principle equal rights are expressed,
without which the welfare of the country cannot be consolidated; but the
practical working of these laws cannot be carried out until the
Christians are emancipated from their civic rantings and prejudices, and
the Jews, on the other hand, shall have rendered themselves worthy of
their equalization by moral improvement.”—The German Jew inhabitants of
Posen, imitating the conduct of their Polish brethren, have formed an
association for the maintenance of public order and tranquility. The new
King of Bavaria has promised, in his first speech, laws for ameliorating
the condition of the Jews; and the King of Prussia, laws of equal
representation, without any reference to religious opinions. In the
Papal States the Israelites have freely joined the bands of volunteers
now forming.
The Diet at Frankfort assembled for the purpose of
forming a representative body for the various principalities and
kingdoms of Germany, have determined that there shall be no religious or
property qualification; but that every citizen, without any distinction
whatever, shall be considered qualified for an elector or a
representative. Thus, whilst we see the governments and rulers on the
Continent ready to admit, and freely to offer, full rights of
citizenship to those of our faith, and only restrained from carrying out
their intentions at once, to the fullest extent of justice, by the
clamour and bigotry of the ignorant classes—here, where no such
opposition is offered, and where the middle and lower classes look upon
the Israelites more as benefactors than otherwise, and would rejoice
were their sphere of usefulness extended, the measure of civil
emancipation is kept in abeyance by the nightmare apprehensions of that
house who are legislators by “divine right.”
The Piedmontese Journal of the 1st inst. contains a
decree of the Provisional Government of Milan, investing the Jews with
full political and civil rights. The question of marriage will be
regulated by a future law. Thus progresses the enfranchisement of our
people. Should I leave for Germany, I will write you from thence.
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