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The American Jewish Publication
Society held its annual meeting on the second Sunday
in Cheshvan, and elected the following
officers:—Abraham Hart, President; Abraham S. Wolf
and Joseph Newhouse, Vice-Presidents; J. L. Moss,
Treasurer; Alfred T. Jones, Recording Secretary;
Solomon Solis, Corresponding Secretary and Hyman
Gratz, Isaac J. Phillips, Isaac Leeser, Elias P.
Levy, Moses A. Dropsie, and David H. Solis,
Managers. The Publication Committee reported that,
owing to the lowness of the funds, they had issued
but one number of the Jewish Miscellany last year,
namely, No. XIV., or the concluding portion of the
Path of Israel. The Society nevertheless resolved to
continue its organization; and to persevere in the
course commenced, to issue gradually such books as
cannot fail to be useful to the Jewish community, in
the full hope that those for whose interest it
labours will not allow it to lack the means of being
useful. May we ask our various ministers and elders
of congregations to take the matter in hand, and to
exert themselves to procure subscribers and to sell
the works already published? We would merely state,
at the same time, that on application to our
President, they will be supplied with the works
already issued, which are, Caleb Asher, Hebrew
Tales, The Prophet’s Daughter, The Life of
Mendelssohn, The Path of Israel, (in 3 numbers,)
Days of Old, Rachel Levy, The Jews and their
Religion, The Perez Family, Patriarchal Times, and
The Spirit of Judaism. The whole of these will be
sent out for three dollars, with a large discount if
taken in quantities, so as to make them all easily
accessible to schools. Will our friends think of
this? We assure them the subject is of greater
importance than they perhaps think; for in the above
they will find a body of good reading not accessible
in any other shape; and then it would be a disgrace
if it should at length appear that the Jews in
America, who do so much for charity, could not
support a society at the cost to each of one dollar
per year, the intention of which is to furnish food
for the minds of not the poor only, but the rich
likewise.
Let, therefore, all interested
(and who is not?) see to it, that the treasury of
this laudable institution be filled to overflowing,
and we assure them that all their benefits shall
return to them in the shape of useful books.
Ladies’ Benevolent Society of
Philadelphia.—This excellent charity elected, as
usual, its officers on the first Wednesday in
November, (the 7th,) and the former Board was
re-elected, with the exception of Miss Louisa B.
Hart in place of the venerable Mrs. Esther Hart, who<<475>>
retired on account of her age not permitting her to
take as active a part as she deems it requisite a
manager of a charity should bring to the fulfillment
of the good work. The ladies expressed all deep
regret at parting with so useful and intelligent an
associate, with whom they had consulted for more
than twenty-five years, and who retains her vigour
of intellect, though eighty winters have left their
indelible impression upon a constitution of body and
mind always vigorous, and still as active as the
advance of years could be expected to permit.—At the
organization of the Board, Mrs. R[ichea] Hays was
elected First Directress; Mrs. Abraham Hart, Second
Directress; Mrs. Anna Allen, Treasurer; and Miss
[Rebecca] Gratz, Secretary. We are disappointed in
not having as yet received the annual report, but
hope to present it in our next.
The Society of Mercy and Truth
of Philadelphia, at its last annual election, chose
the following officers:—Henry Marcus, President;
Solomon Levi, Vice-President; Moses M. Engel,
Treasurer; David A. Phillips, Secretary and
Messenger; Michael Asher, Isaac Myers, Jacob Pagel,
and Elias S. Linsé, Managers; Dr. Philip De Young,
Physician; and Drs. Kilduff and Johns, Apothecaries.
The Society consists of forty-two members, and has a
permanent fund of 450 dollars. Weekly allowances
have been given to members for twenty-four weeks’
sickness and for seven weeks of mourning, during the
past year.
Hebra Terumath Hakodesh, New
York.—This charity, the object of which is the
relief of the poor of Palestine, received, by a late
packet from Europe, acknowledgment of funds sent out
for the relief of the poor of Jerusalem, Tiberias,
and Zafed. The money was forwarded by the venerable
I. B. Kursheedt, Mr. Solomon J. Isaacs, and Mr.
Simeon Abrahams, through the hands of the learned
and pious. Rabbi Hirsh Lehren, of Amsterdam. The
letter containing the receipt bears date of 25th of
Elul, 5609, (12th Sept. ‘49.) The money was
collected chiefly by the founder of the society,
whose principal object in establishing it was to
prevent those who may be willing to contribute for
the support of the poor of the Holy Land from being
imposed upon by unauthorized messengers, such as
formerly came over from time to time.
Baltimore.—We are requested to
announce that the Lloyd Street congregation elected,
on the 3d of October, the Rev. H. Hochheimer as
preacher. We give in our present number his
initiation sermon, which will give our readers an
opportunity of judging of his manner and style; and
we think that they will be gratified with its
perusal. From his introductory remarks, we should
conclude that Mr. H. is a young man,
<<476>>but
lately arrived from Germany. We have no personal
acquaintance with him. The sermon was delivered in
German, and translated by the editor.
The New York Henry Street
Congregation have elected the Rev. Mr. Sternberger,
lately arrived from Warsaw, as chief Hazan, the late
incumbent officiating as his assistant.
The Netherland Congregation Of
New York have re-elected the Rev. Simon C. Noot.
The Rev. Dr. Raphall arrived at
New York on Sunday, the 28th of October; he has
been received by all Israelites of that city with
marked attention. The first Sabbath after his
arrival, he preached in the Elm Street Synagogue,
over which Mr. Abraham Mitchell is president, and
on Sabbath תולדות
he preached in the Portuguese Synagogue. We learn
also that he has been invited to address the people
in Mr. Isaacs’ Synagogue in Wooster Street; and thus
far the Israelites of our sister city have honoured
themselves in honouring this distinguished stranger,
who on his departure from England was highly
complimented by his own congregation and the
authorities of Birmingham, who both waited upon him
with appropriate presents and still more suitable
addresses. If our space permitted us, we would give
the details which have reached us in the London
Jewish Chronicle at length; but this not being the
case, we must be content with this brief allusion.
We believe that we may announce that the learned
gentleman intends to deliver his lectures on Hebrew
poetry, &c., which have won him such a reputation in
England, at least in New York; and that it is not
improbable, so says report, that he will be
permanently retained in this country. We will give
particulars when they reach us in an official shape.
Mr. Nathan Oettinger, who has
for some time advertised his ability as a writer in
our magazine, has just finished, by our order, for
Mr. Judah Touro, of New Orleans, a handsome Sepher
of a medium size; twenty inches in height. The
letters are clear and distinct, and we have seldom
seen a manuscript better calculated for public
reading. We hope that he may be farther encouraged
to employ his time in multiplying copies of the word
of God. The work has been revised by Rabbi C.
Nussbaum, who certifies to its correctness. The Rev.
Mr. Noot, and Mr. Gabriel Micheler, arc also engaged
in similar labours, and we are pleased that at
length there are men in this country who are able to
furnish us with good copies or the law, so that in
future the Synagogues will not have to send to
Europe for the sacred word to be used in public
worship. We invite the especial attention of our
American readers to this subject.
<<477>>
Richmond.—We hear that Mr.
Julius Eckman has arrived, and will have no doubt
entered, before this, on the discharge of his
duties. We shall probably hear more particulars
concerning him before our next.
Shearith Israel Congregation of
Charleston.—We learn that on Sunday, the 11th of
November, Rabbi Aaron Selig, the missionary from
Jerusalem, was present at a meeting of this
congregation, and having presented the claims of the
poor of the Holy Land, the members resolved to
contribute each one dollar per annum for the relief
of all the poor, both of the Ashkenazim and
Sephardim. We rejoice at this resolve, and hope that
all other Jewish communities will follow the
example, and thus preclude the necessity of the
Palestinian Jews sending out, in future especial
messengers to make appeals for them to the
Israelites abroad. Fixed annual contributions, we
repeat, are the proper mode of giving permanent
relief, in relieving the people there from the great
distress under which they labour.
Beth Elohim Congregation of
Charleston.—We are requested to invite attention to
the advertisement which appears in our Advertiser,
in respect to the vacancy in the ministry of that
community. The gentleman lately expected, accepted
office in Germany, and hence the renewed application
for candidates. The programme being so ample, there
can be no mistake as to the requirements called for,
and we presume that there will be many candidates
so soon as the knowledge of the vacancy reaches
Europe. Will the papers abroad notice this subject?
Token of Respect to Rev. J. K.
Gutheim, at Cincinnati.—We are truly pleased to be
able to chronicle that the friends of Mr. Gutheim,
on his retiring from office, did not content
themselves with their good wishes merely. They
resolved “to honour to whom honour is due,” and on
the evening of the 8th day of Tabernacles, they
presented him with a silver goblet about twelve
inches in height, neatly chased, and bearing the
following inscription: “Presented to the Rev. J. K.
Gutheim, as a token of esteem by his friends, for
the able manner in which he performed his duty as
minister of the Congregation Bnai Jeshurun; October
7th, 1849, 5610 ליל שמיני
חג העצרת.” The committee under whose
superintendence this mark of esteem was made,
consisted of Messrs. Henry Mack, M. Fishell, L.
Goldsmith, Isaac E. Hackenburg, and Benjamin Simon.
The presentation took place at a supper, got up in
honour of the occasion, and which was attended by a
select party of ladies and gentlemen. Everything
passed off to the satisfaction of all; and after the
cloth was cleared, Mr. Mack pre<<478>>sented the
goblet on behalf of the committee, and made an
address in German, to which Mr. Gutheim responded in
the same language, (he is equally ready in his
native and adopted languages,) in a most effective
speech, abounding in the purest sentiments. Sundry
toasts were also subsequently offered, and various
addresses were made, in both English and German
during the course of the evening, by several
gentlemen, among others, Mr. Solomon Friedman, the
president of the congregation Bnai Jeshurun, Mr.
Gutheim, Mr. Hackenburg, Dr. H. M. Cohen, Mr. Seixas
Solomon, &c. For our part, we have to thank the
company for having honoured us with their
remembrance, and as we were not present in person to
return our acknowledgment, we beg them to receive
this in lieu of an address, not the less sincere
though it is so brief. In conclusion, grace was
said; and the company dispersed after having spent a
pleasant evening, such as seldom enlivens the dull
routine of life.
The Bnai Jeshurun Congregation
of Cincinnati have in successful operation an
excellent Hebrew, German, and English school, the
first under the tuition of Mr. Freund, who is
represented to us as an intelligent gentleman from
Berlin, and the English department under Mr. John
Long. The officers of the congregation for the
present year are: Solomon Friedman, President; Abm.
Aub, Vice-President; Jos. H. Heinsheimer,
Treasurer; Max Fechheimer, Secretary; Henry Mack, L.
Goldsmith. M. Sulzbacher, and B. Frankel, Trustees.
Lafayette City, Louisiana.—A
letter before us says: “The Israelites of this place
have added one more place of worship dedicated to
the Supreme Ruler of the universe, the Great and
Holy One of Jacob, under the name and style of
Dover Tof, (Dabar Tob.) It is to be hoped that
our march is onward. Although our number here is at
present but small, we have a fair prospect of
increase. We have rented temporarily only a house
for a place of worship. We number about forty
families, who were formerly compelled to attend
Synagogue in New Orleans, at a distance of about two
miles from the centre of Lafayette.” They talk
already of buying a piece of ground to erect thereon
a permanent Synagogue. On Sunday the 4th of
November, the following gentlemen were elected
officers for the balance of the year 5610: Abraham
de Young, President; Jacob Meyer, Vice-President; H.
Asher, Benjamin Goldenburg, and B. Frank, Trustees;
N. Gunsburger, Treasurer; and, Julius Layn,
Secretary. They have adopted the German Minhag.
New Orleans.—Congregation
Shaaray Chesed. At the last election the following
gentlemen were elected officers to serve during
<<479>>the current year. Isaac Hart, President; John
Marks, Vice-President; L. Goldsmith, Treasurer;
Joseph Turner, Charles Emanuel, and N. Worms,
Trustees; and M. Kursheedt, Secretary. We learn from
a reliable source that there is a strong awakening
to religion in this congregation, and we trust that
the blessed fruits of this movement will soon be
made apparent.
The Rev. Moses N. Nathan will,
as we learn, in all probability assume before long
the ministry of the Portuguese congregation in New
Orleans, and sure we are that one more able of doing
efficient service could hardly have been found among
our ministers.
St. Louis.—We have received a
communication from Mr. Henry Myers, secretary of the
United Hebrew Congregation of St. Louis, which
states that the increase of the Israelites belonging
to their body has been very great, even beyond the
most sanguine expectations, within the last twelve
months. During the last holy-days, the Synagogue was
crowded almost to suffocation, not less than from
five to six hundred persons being present, whereas,
but a few years back, they could count scarcely more
than about fifty or sixty. They have been likewise
fortunate in engaging the services of the Rev.
Nathan Davidson, who acts both as Hazan and Shochet,
a fact which renders his labours more than usually
arduous. Mr. Myers speaks of his capacity in the
highest terms, and having witnessed the service at
London and New York, thus having no mean standard of
comparison, he avers that Mr. Davidson’s manner is
not surpassed even there; and he informs us
accordingly that every one left the house of prayer
perfectly satisfied with what he had heard and seen.
There is also, as Mr. Myers writes us, a German
Synagogue in St. Louis, which will soon become an
important body, since there is a constant increase
in the Jewish population. They have also two
benevolent societies in a flourishing condition, and
they talk about organizing another one; we are
promised the details of its progress. All these
facts speak for themselves, that there is great
cause for hope, and little ground for despair of our
progress in the United States.
Montreal.—At the last annual
election, the following officers were chosen: Samuel
Benjamin, President; G. Ascher, Parnass; Myer
Solomons, Treasurer; Dr. A. H. David and David Moss,
Trustees; and Gershom Joseph, Secretary. The Rev.
Abm. de Sola has also been re-elected Hazan for
three years, without asking of him to stay out the
period of this engagement; at the same time he was
informed that the congregation regretted their
inability to remunerate him according to his merits.
Such a flattering testimonial is creditable both to
minister and <<480>>people, and we doubt not but
that their connexion will prove agreeable and useful
to both.
San Francisco, California.—Yet
another new congregation! there where the Pacific
bathes the western shore of America, have for the
first time ascended on high hymns of praise to the
God of Israel; and there where formerly no Jew could
dwell under the rule of the abominable Inquisition,
the Lord One has been invoked in the assembly of the
faithful. We could say much were we to follow our
feeling, but we forbear, and only give the following
extract from a letter from Mr. Morris Samuel to his
brother in Philadelphia. Indeed comment is needless.
 San Francisco, September 22d,
1849.
“As this is the season of our
new year, I wish you much happiness and many
returns. About forty or fifty Israelites have
engaged a room to celebrate the ensuing Fast Day,
and have invited me to attend; they contemplate
building a Synagogue here shortly.”
OBITUARY.
Died at Montreal, Canada East,
on Tuesday, 16th October last, Sarah Harriet, the
beloved wife of Benjamin Hart, Esq., of the same
city, aged sixty-three years.
* * * “If we are desirous ‘to
give of the fruit of her hands’ to a ‘virtuous
woman,’ like of whom Solomon speaks; if we would
duly observe this injunction of the wise king: then
we cannot but sorrowfully remark that ‘a virtuous
woman’ has indeed departed from us; and that in
regretting her, we regret one who, in the discharge
of her various duties as Israelite, mother, wife,
and friend, few could excel; one, who suffered not
the pleasures and vain frivolities of the world to
obliterate entirely from her mind the requirements
of her faith; one who, fondly beloved by her husband
and children, and esteemed and admired by a large
circle of friends, cannot but be missed and lamented
by them; one who was the kind and liberal friend of
the poor; one who, as she never cherished enmity or
ill-will against her neighbour, has gone to her last
resting-place, disliked by none, but esteemed and
regretted by all.”—Extract from Rev. Abm. De
Sola’s sermon. |
