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Philadelphia.—On the 9th of July, our city
was visited with the most extensive conflagration,
perhaps, ever witnessed here, and many Israelites
shared in the same calamity, which overwhelmed their
neighbours; the loss falls on several who were not
able to bear it, and who had neglected to insure
their little property, whilst others were amply, or
partly covered by policies of insurance. The
benevolence, however, of the citizens has been
aroused, and committees have been formed to make
collections from house to house, and if we may judge
from the commencement, nearly enough will be raised
to make up the losses of the unprovided poor. As
many young females and others had lost their
clothing, owing to the rapid spread of the flames,
which precluded the saving of anything, almost, even
at a considerable distance from the origin of the
fire, an unexpected explosion of some hitherto
undetected agent having caused death and destruction
on all sides: the Hebrew ladies of Philadelphia met
the following Sunday morning and afternoon, and made
up a large quantity of garments to supply immediate
necessities; donations in goods were also handed in
to the managers of the Ladies’ Sewing Society, under
the superintendence of the members of which useful
body this benefaction took place. We incidentally
mention the loss or life, and we regret sincerely to
chronicle that among the slain, were at least two,
if not three members of a family by the name of
Marcus, the eldest son and daughter being certainly
killed. and a younger son being yet missing. Another
Israelite was severely wounded. A small special
collection has been taken up among the Israelites of
Philadelphia; in addition to which the Ladies’
Benevolent Society have made an especial
appropriation to supply the usual relief which this
association can afford according to its laws; and if
more aid is needed immediately, it is highly
probable that other societies would cheerfully
co-operate. No appeal for relief has been sent
abroad; but if any of our readers feel themselves
impelled to open their hand to their needy Hebrew
brothers: or to contribute to the general relief
fund, as there can be no doubt that all sums thus
obtained will be equally and equitably distributed,
we shall be happy to be made the instrument to place
their donations wherever they may direct us.
Young Men’s Literary Association of
Philadelphia.—Under this title a new society has
lately been formed in our city. We have not yet
received a copy of their by-laws; but we suppose
that the object of the founders is to improve
themselves in religious knowledge,
<<259>>which, if
properly carried out, cannot fail of producing a
happy and lasting effect. The officers are, Lewis Tobiason, President; Solomon C. Van Beil, Treasurer;
Jacob Lyons, Secretary; Jonathan Emanuel, Librarian;
Napoleon N. De Young, Morris Asch, and Abraham
Isaacs, Managers.
Bnai Jeshurun Congregation of New York,
having worshipped for more than twenty years in Elm
Street, and the neighbourhood having been rendered
unfit any longer for the situation of a place of
public worship, owing to the erection of a
station-house for a railroad company, have disposed
of their Synagogue for a fair price, and are at the
same time privileged to retain possession till, we
think, the end of October. They have purchased three
lots of 25 feet by 100 each, in Green near Prince
Street, and they propose erecting a new building
without delay, and hope to consecrate it some time
in the autumn. We rather think the time allotted too
short but the Israelites in New York are very
enterprising in Synagogue building; and if they are
determined to do it, they will no doubt succeed. But
we should be highly gratified to learn that the
school they intended forming could receive the same
liberal support which a building for a Synagogue is
sure to have extended to it in our sister city. But
education is so requisite, that we trust all party
feeling, if any there be, will be sacrificed to
carry out this one great needed element of our
organization, and as New York has all time means and
men on the spot to do it justice, it would be a
great shame education were to be allowed to languish
yet longer.
Buffalo.—The 26th of July, as we learn from
the public papers, was designated for the
consecration of a new Synagogue at Buffalo, New
York, and the Rev. S. M. Isaacs invited to preach a
dedication sermon; and doubtless before this number
of our magazine can reach our readers this new
house, erected for the glory of God, will have been
opened for praise and prayer to the sons of Israel.
Cincinnati—We are highly pleased to learn
that the Israelites of this flourishing city have
made a commencement in the establishment of a Jewish
hospital. Several instances had occurred where
deceased persons belonging to our persuasion had
died in the general hospitals and been buried
without the presence or knowledge even of the Jews,
without a brother or a sister in faith being present
to repeat a prayer or to do the least office of
kindness and affection. This at length roused the
sensibilities of several rightly feeling men, and,
as we understand, Mr. Hyman Moses and Mr. M. E.
Mehring undertook to make <<260>>collections
sufficient to furnish a house with the necessary
articles, and having succeeded in this, the hospital
has been opened forthwith, by placing in it a
superintendent, who if necessary, is authorized to
get assistants to aid him in his labours. The
physician is Dr. Henry M. Cohen, whose medical
education and amenity of manner well qualify him for
his profession, which we trust will be rendered
useful to himself and beneficial to others. Our
informant expects that, perhaps, 500 subscribers at
three dollars per annum may be obtained to carry on
this laudable, we may say necessary charity; since,
as he told us, there are many Israelites all round
Cincinnati, many living in the country, and this
without friends or family around them, who when they
are taken sick have to seek the large city, where
they make their purchases and payments; and
hitherto, they had to go to the general infirmaries,
because they could obtain no Jewish boarding-house
which could render them assistance, even by paying
for it. These now, it is supposed, will with
pleasure contribute to the fund of supporting a
Jewish hospital, besides being ready to pay the
usual charges in case they themselves should
compelled to obtain admittance there when disease
assails them. Even young females, it is supposed
will contribute, in fact, all who have a prospect
before them, that they may at some day be compelled
to seek a place of proper attention during sickness.
Add to this the general wish to aid the sufferers in
being or prospect, so common among Jews, and it is
expected that the hospital just begun, and with such
small resources, not be suffered to languish for
want of proper support; and we think, indeed, that
if it be properly managed, charges being made to
those who can afford it, and giving them all the
comforts they can obtain for the same amount in
other institutions, success cannot be wanting; for
every Jew must be anxious to have around him in the
moments of suffering those who sympathize with him,
not alone by pitying his pains and sorrows, but by
sharing his religious sentiments, and his hopes of
the future; and he must ardently desire not to have
his hours of illness embittered by the appeals of
those who prowl about sanitary establishments, and
omit no opportunity to preach their unwelcome
doctrines to all ears, in season and out of season;
not to mention the dread which the conscientious
invalid must feel of being tampered with in moments
of unconsciousness, as there are zealots who
would not hesitate to baptize, as they call it, a
Jew or heretic, or infidel, in extremis, so as to
prepare his soul for heaven, even if he be
entirely unaware of the act or ceremony which is
performed on him. We have, by the by, in our power
information of an outrage, as we have no doubt it
was, perpetrated lately, precisely under <<261>>such
circumstances, not, indeed, in a hospital, but at
the house of a wealthy and uncompromising enemy of
our people, where a dying man was formally inducted
into the church; but delicacy for the living
prevents us from speaking of it now.
Should, however, our suspicions be confirmed, that
the reported apostacy was the work of heated
zealots, perpetrated upon an unconscious man,
sinking into the embrace of death in the midst of
those who hate Israelites and their law we shall not
hesitate to speak out as the case will then richly
demand. In the mean time it must be evident that
such infamous acts can take place; the very
absurdity of this making converts, who never in this
life will find out that they have been converted is
no bar to the mind of those who believe that beyond
the pale of their church there is no salvation, and
that without baptism no one can be saved. We trust,
therefore, in the deepest sincerity, that the
experiment just commenced in Cincinnati may not
fail, and that its triumphant success may induce
other congregations to follow so noble an example.
We regret that our information is so meagre; but
hope that before long we shall obtain full
particulars, which we shall endeavour to lay before
our readers, who cannot fail to feel a profound
interest in it, no less than we.
Mobile.—We omitted to state
in our last that
the Israelites of that city had lately erected an
iron-railing fence around their burying ground, by
which it has been greatly improved in appearance.
Whilst we were there we heard a general wish
expressed for the erection of a Synagogue of proper
size, the temporary rooms they have not being large
enough to contain one half of the persons who do or
ought to belong to the congregation. But we regret
to say, that up to the time of writing this, we have
heard of no steps taken to carry this wish into
execution, although it is two months since we left
Mobile, and we had hoped that no time would be lost
to do what is necessary in the premises. We fear
there is an undue dread of failure felt by a few
members who thereby prevent others from acting. But,
unless we greatly err, and we believe that we have
taken proper means of obtaining correct information,
there is actually no difficulty whatever in the way
of success; and that at least it will be but
anticipating a clamorous demand for room for more
worshippers, treble to what is now on hand, before
the lapse of two years; many who now do not belong
to the congregation will no doubt join so soon as
they see a proper Synagogue to go to; and hence,
every day uselessly spent in vain deliberations will
make the want more apparent, and not serve as a
striking illustration of the wisdom and foresight of
the timid. We trust, therefore, that at the next
annual meeting of the congregation, if not before,
the work will be <<262>>taken in hand; and, we
hesitate not to predict that it will succeed beyond
the hopes of the most ardent. As an illustration of
the necessity of more space for the worshippers, we
will merely remark that the ladies’ department
contains but 36 seats, and the men’s 60, all of
which are rented. There is, therefore, no room for
children, none for those who have not secured a
seat, none for strange Israelites, of whom there are
many in Alabama; and the natural result is,
therefore, to be expected, that on holy days, when
every one is anxious to hear the prayers, there is
no standing room even, and people are uncomfortably
crowded. There can, therefore, be no question but
that twice or three times 96 seats could readily be
taken if they could be had; and that hence the
revenue thence arising would be ample to pay the
interest of any indebtedness likely to occur, and
leave a surplus to diminish the principal every
year. We dislike, as we have stated on another
occasion, the wild, reckless spirit of speculation,
which would build Synagogues not wanted and without
the prospect of obtaining the means of payment when
demanded; but timid caution is something equally
reprehensible, and we trust, sincerely trust, that
our friends in Mobile will not commit the folly of
laying up means for posterity, whilst they
themselves are without a place of devotion suited to
their demands, and the increasing number of their
brothers. We hope at the same time, that our
well-meant advice will be received in the spirit it
is given, since the present are nearly the very
words which we addressed them, when we were
worshipping in their midst the day before we left
their city. To them also we say, as we have done to
others, “advance,” and everybody else too will bid
them, “God be with you,” if they only proceed in the
true spirit of concord, union, and brotherly love.
New Orleans.—Whilst in the southern
commercial metropolis, we inspected two plans for a
new Synagogue to be erected by the Shangaray Chassed
Congregation, laid before us by the courtesy of the
President, Mr. Isaac Hart. They were both very
pretty, and whichever was adopted, we have no doubt
but that the building will be an ornament to the
city, and a credit to the people who erect it;
though we are free to state that the simple front of
the plan first obtained struck us, at the time, as
the most appropriate. We learn now from the
Asmonean, that the old building in Rampart Street,
hitherto used as a Synagogue, has been pulled down
since we left, and that the commencement had already
been made with the new structure. We are truly glad
to learn it, as the building in which we met the
people, was very inconvenient both for congregation
and the minister; and in delivering an address
there, we found that it was very difficult to speak
<<263>>with anything like satisfaction and emphasis,
owing to the faulty arrangement, for which, however,
no one was answerable, as everything was fitted up
as well as the nature of the house allowed it to be
done.—We shall be pleased to learn that the whole
work will soon be completed, and at as early a date
as the middle of next December, the time stated by
our contemporary. In the meanwhile we hope to be favoured with some account of the progress of the
work as it gradually proceeds to completion: Will
our friends keep us advised? The Asmonean also,
informs us that a large room in that elegant
building, the St. Louis Hotel, now unoccupied, has
been rented to the congregation by the Directors of
the Citizens’ Bank of New Orleans, to be used whilst
their building is unfinished.
P.S.—We learn that on the 21st of July the
corner-stone was to be laid by Rev. Messrs. Gutheim
and Nathan with due solemnities.
The Nefutzoth Yehudah Congregation of New Orleans,
at their last election, have chosen the following
persons to serve for one year: Gershom Kursheidt
President; George Jonas, Vice President; A. T.
Ezekiel, Treasurer; E. Sampson, Benjamin Florance,
Judah David, and J. E. Esdra, Trustees.
Syria.—We are pleased to announce that in
Damascus, where ten years ago so bitter a
persecution prevailed against the Jews, they have
been invited to elect a member of the Town Council,
in obedience to the orders of the Grand Sultan. Meir
Seliman Pharchi is the delegate chosen in
consequence of this invitation.
Paris—Foundation of a Jewish Hospital.—We
have heard a great deal of the indifference to
religion existing in the capital of France. But, if
one may judge from the constant symptoms of great
acts of beneficence which look towards supporting
religion, we should say that there has been of late
a great change for the better. The editor of the
Archives Israelites, in his May number, says: “Among
the establishments, the most imperiously demanded is
a Jewish hospital. Let the individual opinions of
each of us concerning our ceremonies, especially
those which concern dietetic laws, be more or less
rigid, it is nevertheless the duty of an Israelitish
administration to take care of those under their
charge, who would sooner die than enter an hospital,
where the observance of their religious rules is
impossible. Moreover, when we think of the
interference of the clergy, who seek to fish for
souls, and who often find auxiliaries against the
tolerant wishes of the directors of hospitals, in
the sisters (of charity) who attend on the sick, no
one can deny that a Jewish hospital is
necessary.”—After some farther remarks he continues:
“Thanks to Mr. James Rothschild, Paris
<<264>>will
have a Jewish hospital. He has just purchased a
piece of ground in Rue Picpus, Nos. 62, 64, and 66,
measuring 7,500 metres, of which 800 are occupied by
buildings, and the other 6,700 are laid out in
gardens, walks, &c. The buildings consist of three
houses contiguous to each other. The price of the
purchase, with the expenses and building, will reach
nearly 120,000 francs, about $22,800. A large
portion of the land can be taken, independently of
the hospital, for the use of the poor class.” The
consistory of Paris very properly called on Mr.
Rothschild, on the 22d of May, to thank him for his
generosity. Dr. Cahen, in a few, well-chosen words,
expressed the gratitude felt by the whole community,
and used this remarkable phrase: “God has given you
wealth, but He has also given you a heart to make,
so charitable a use of it as this is.” Mr. R. was
greatly moved by the act, and the words addressed to
him; and made a suitable reply. His wife was
present, and active as she is in all that is
charitable, she took part in the conversation which
afterwards sprang up between them and the
deputation, and Mr. R. made particular inquiries
after many matters of interest to the congregation,
and showed himself ready to continue them his
kindness.—It is not often, our readers will confess,
that we praise the rich; but such an act of true
benevolence as this just exhibited by Mr. Rothschild
of Paris richly deserves to be recorded in our
magazine; and we hope to hear that he has found
imitators in this country; for though we have none
who control such ample resources, there is no lack
of means among us, if their possessors could once be
persuaded that they could devote a considerable
portion of their wealth to worthy objects of charity
without robbing their families, the usual plea for
parsimonious withholding of liberality when called
upon for any great good.
France.—We are gratified to learn from the
last number of the Archives Israelites received,
that the Jewish central consistory of France has
been invited by the minister of public instruction,
to elect one delegate to the superior council of
public instruction. At first the Jews had been
excluded, the prerogative to send delegates having
been conferred on Catholics and Protestants (we have
just now forgotten the proportion); but the
remonstrance made by the Jews, we are glad to see
had its proper effect, and one of their own people
was to be chosen between the 1st and 10th of June,
to represent their interests in that important
council. We trust that on all occasions Israelites
will be ready to watch that their rights are not
invaded or set aside, either daringly or
inadvertently, as either cause is no excuse for a
crying injury to our rights. |
