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Philadelphia. We have more than usual
pleasure in announcing that at length there are
well-founded prospects for the speedy establishment
of a general and Hebrew school under the supervision
of the Hebrew Education Society of Philadelphia. The
Board of Managers, at a meeting held on the 12th of
January, appropriated one thousand dollars towards
paying the expenses for one year with the conditions
that a limited number of pay scholars can be
obtained, and the services of one competent Hebrew
and English teacher be secured; which all, we think,
can be readily accomplished. In addition to the
above sum, there is an appropriation of two hundred
dollars for one year made some time since by the
Kahal Mikvé Israel; and we hesitate, therefore,
little in predicting, that if the proper spirit only
animates the parents or those who have children
under their care, Philadelphia will soon have cause
to boast of a school second to none in the country,
wherein all the necessary branches of education are
taught in connexion with a knowledge of our
ancestral religion. We fervently hope that we shall
not have to chronicle a failure, after having been
permitted to expect at length the realization of a
long deferred hope.
The Young Men’s Hebrew Literary Association of
Philadelphia elected, on the 22d of December
last, the following as their officers for the
current season : Abraham Isaacs, President; Solomon
C. Van Beil, Treasurer; Jacob Lyons, Secretary;
Solomon L. Linse, <<575>>Librarian; Hezekiah W. Arnold, Louis De
Young, and Morris J. Asch, Managers.
The Congregation Bnai Israel, composed mostly
if not entirely of Israelites natives of Holland,
was organized about four years ago, and the worship,
which is conducted on the strict principle
recognized at Amsterdam, has hitherto been held in a
hired locality; since notwithstanding the good
intentions of the members, they have not been able
to afford the outlay to erect a proper building for
themselves. They have, however, resolved to begin
the work in earnest, and have already purchased a
suitable piece of ground, but they lack the means to
defray the expenses of the building. They have
accordingly requested us to make a public appeal for
them to the various congregations of America to aid
them in their pious work, which we now cheerfully
do. Any donation intended by the pious-minded for
this worthy object may be sent to Mr. Abraham Leon,
President of the congregation, 95 Chatham Street,
New York; Mr. S. A. Lichtenheim, 21 Oliver Street;
Mr. Philip Levi, 32 City Hall Place; or Mr. M. S.
Cohen, Reade Street; all of whom are authorized to
receive donations and subscriptions, and we
sincerely trust that this appeal may not be made in
vain.
Baltimore. Having a little leisure, we spent,
during the current month, a few days at Baltimore,
and we may truly affirm, that we were greatly
gratified at witnessing the progress which our
brothers have made in that city. It is now about
seventeen years ago that the first serious
organization was attempted to unite the scattered
few into a regular religious community, and now
there are two orthodox congregations, each with its
regular Hazan and preacher, and a properly organized
school; in addition to which, there is a reform
society, worshipping after the form of the Hamburg
temple, which is sufficiently well known to many of
our readers. We could only find time to visit the
oldest Synagogue, though it is not yet four years
old, in Lloyd Street, both to look at the school,
which is kept in the basement, on Thursday, and to
attend worship on the Sabbath, and though we did not
find all as we could have wished it, we saw enough
to please any friend of Israel. There were assembled
about two hundred children of both sexes in four
class rooms, under as many teachers, two of whom are
for Hebrew and the others for English. The names of
the latter we did not learn, but the others were the
Rev. Mr. Hochheimer, the minister of the
congregation, who thus spends his time usefully in
diffusing knowledge among the youthful portion of
his flock, <<576>>and Mr. Sachs, who has for some
years already officiated as the regular teacher of
that community. The Rev. Dr. Aaron Gunzburg also
superintends the school attached to his Synagogue in
Eden Street, but we were compelled to defer a visit
thereto to a later period. On the Sabbath, the
Synagogue was filled almost to its full capacity,
and we should judge that the space was not large
enough for all those who belong to the congregation;
hence we should not be surprised that before many
years a new Synagogue will have to be erected to
accommodate the constantly increasing number of
Israelites in the flourishing city of Baltimore; but
we hope that whether this be the case or not, every
effort will be made by those in authority to elevate
the moral and religious standing of those entrusted
to their care, and to unite for a common good though
they worship in different Synagogues.
Cleveland, Ohio. The Synagogue “Tifereth
Israel” was duly consecrated on the 22d of Tebeth,
the 27th of December last, at which occasion the
Rev. Isador Kalisch, the Rabbi of the congregation,
delivered an appropriate sermon in the German
language. We have received from the reverend
gentleman in addition to the sermon, the manuscript
hymns in Hebrew and German, composed by him, which
were sung on this occasion, but our space this month
absolutely precludes our doing more than merely
alluding to them; at the same time that we cannot
now enter upon the discussion which Mr. Kalisch
invites in reference to the rights of ministers as
the proper superintendents of public worship.
No one more than we can claim proper independence
for the ministry; but we still must doubt the right
of determining on the mode of worship by any single
individual or separate congregation without concert
with properly educated persons of ether bodies, and
even then with more care than the present reform
mania will permit on all occasions. We shall not,
however, lose sight of the subject, should it be in
our power hereafter, and we hope that Mr. Kalisch
may yet have an opportunity of discussing the
question in our pages.
New Orleans. We stated lately that for the
Sunday School just then established by the Sephardim
Kahal, Mrs. Cohen was elected Secretary. We regret
to learn that domestic affliction has caused her to
resign, and Mrs. David Goodman has been chosen in
her place. At the same time we must correct an
inadvertent error we made in giving the name of Mrs.
Henry Florance in place of Mrs. Benjamin F.
as the superintendent of the school. Both the ladies
we number among our warmest friends; but in the
present instance, it would be welcome to neither to
have the credit due to the daughter of our venerable
friend, Mr. Israel <<577>>B. Kursheedt, of New York,
transferred to another. We must also congratulate in
this connexion, this ancient Israelite who has seen
the Jews in America grow to their present position
by slow degrees, that he has been spared to witness
his children and their immediate connexions taking
so active and prominent a part in our public
affairs, since it was mainly owing to his wise
instruction that they have been fitted to assume the
rank they occupy as leading Israelites both in New
York and New Orleans; and we hope that he may yet be
spared longer to see good fruits result from his and
their deeds.
California. We have before us a letter dated
San Francisco, about the 1st of December, which
gives some gratifying details of the progress of
Jewish matters in that distant quarter of the globe.
On the 13th of October, there was finally organized
“the first Hebrew Benevolent Society of San
Francisco,” or חברה שערי
חסד של אמת, when the following gentlemen were
duly elected: A. Wassers, President; M. Rehfish,
Vice-President; G. Mac Cowan, J. J. Joseph, H. Hart,
and H. Krause, Trustees; H. M. Lewis, Treasurer; and
J. H. Rosenbaum, Secretary. After which it was
resolved to open books for the admission of members
for four weeks, at the end of which time the society
had increased to upwards of one hundred and twenty
members. In addition to this, there was formed, in
October, another society, composed mostly of
Germans, and counting about sixty members. It bears
the name of Eureka. During the prevalence of the
cholera, a Humane Society was formed, composed of
members of both the other associations, to render
personal assistance to the sick, and to attend to
the burial of the dead. Mr. J. J. Joseph, late of
Charleston, was the president. In Sacramento City
also a Hebrew Benevolent Society has been organized
and a burying ground purchased. The burying ground
in San Francisco, our correspondent states, was
purchased last April by the “First Hebrew Benevolent
Society” as a public property for all the Jews of
the place. It is neatly fenced in, and has a house
with all the requisites usual among Israelites. This
proves that our brothers in the far West do not
forget their origin, and we trust to be able to
chronicle soon a permanent organization of
congregations in all places where Jews are settled.
In fact, from all we learn, the best spirit
prevails, from which we expect the best results. We
also learn from another source that the Israelites
are about erecting a large hospital for themselves;
the building is to be fire-proof, to have a
dispensary, nurses, and two physicians; the poor are
to be admitted gratis, and others at the rates
chargeable at similar institutions. Mr. Marks has
<<578>>given the ground for the purpose; it is
valued at $6000. Mr. Hart gives $1000; Mr. Davidson,
and many others, $500 each. This is cheering, and
betokens still greater progress.
Jamaica. The late visitation of the cholera,
has called into action the benevolent feelings of
our people, and efforts are made to erect an
institution wherein children of a certain age can
receive maintenance, clothing, serviceable
education, religious instruction, and be trained to
industry, without running the risk of jeopardizing
their faith. The circular before us is signed by the
Rev. Isaac Lopez, Rev. Solomon Jacobs, Edward Lucas,
Aaron De Cardova, Emanuel Lyons, D. Hart, David
Lopez, Phs. Bravo, and S. Magnus, and is thus
composed of the leading men of both the
congregations of Kingston. We hope to be able to
report good progress hereafter.—At Falmouth they
discuss the propriety of forming a congregation; but
we regret that there is much difference of opinion
about the proper steps to be taken. Let us exhort
the people to union; and let no division of
sentiment about the custom, whether German or
Portuguese, prevent the consummation of the good
work.
New Publication. We have received a new work
styled the Polyglott Pocket-Book, compiled by I.
Strause, who lately was minister of the New Haven
congregation. It is a phrase book of the English,
German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese
languages, and has obtained the approbation of many
eminent teachers in various parts of the country. We
likewise recommend it heartily to our readers, and
trust that they will, as far as they can, encourage
our able fellow-Israelite in the laborious work
which he offers to their kind attention. It is
published by William Radde, of New York; but many
will doubtless have an opportunity of seeing Mr.
Strause himself, as he purposes visiting the South
and West during this winter. |
