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New Haven, Connecticut.—In a late hasty tour
through Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York, we
stopped first at New Haven, and were gratified to
find quite a numerous and well-organized community.
They have for Hazan the Rev. Mr. Zunder, and Mr.
Maylander for Shochet. They occupy, for the present,
a pretty hall, situated in a good position. Mr. L.
Waterman was Parnass until lately, but he has
resigned. We omitted to note down the name of his
successor. The attendance has increased to that
extent, that they require to place additional seats
for the holydays; but there is enough room yet to
introduce them. Our sojourn was limited to but a few
hours, wherefore we could not obtain all the
knowledge we desired.
Hartford, Connecticut.—We found here a body
of Israelites consisting of about fifty families,
who as we learn from a letter before us, and as we
were convinced by such an actual intercourse which
our short stay allowed, are thriving and doing a
respectable business. The congregation was organized
about four years ago; and the officers who are
annually elected at the quarterly meeting held on
the middle days of Passover, are, Mayer Stern,
First President; Isaac Hartman, Second President;
Abraham Hollander, Comptroller; and Hirsh Wallach,
and Alexander Rothschild, Trustees. The means at
command not being yet sufficient to build a proper
Synagogue, they have rented a hall which they have
fitted up; it will hold about one hundred and fifty
persons. The service is read by Rev. M. L.Strauss,
who acts as Hazan and Shochet. There exists also
here a Hebrew and English school with about
twenty-five scholars, under charge of Mr. Lazarus
Mosbacher.
Boston, Massachusetts.—Here we found a
numerous body of Israelites, some of whom we should
judge to be engaged in large and
<<381>>flourishing
business. The Minister is the Rev. Joseph Strouse,
who also conducts the Hebrew school of the
congregation. The President is Mr. Moses Ehrlich. We
have not as yet received the particulars as to the
other officers, and numbers of the people, which we
had expected. They have a large room in Washington
Street; but we learned from the president that they
had resolved to build forthwith, a lot of ground
having already been purchased. We think that there
are at least a hundred and twenty families in
Boston, who though mostly in moderate circumstances,
are all able to support themselves; and if we
understood aright, there are few or none either here
or in other northern towns, who require charity for
their support. We hope that some of our friends
there will favour us with particulars at their first
leisure.
Providence, Rhode Island.—At Boston we
learned that a small body of Israelites was settled
in the capital of Rhode Island; but our time did not
permit us to visit them this time.
Bangor, Maine.—Here, also, there is a small
Jewish community. We did not visit it, and met with
none from there. Besides these places, there are
Jews at Portsmouth, New Hampshire; New Bedford,
Massachusetts; at Bridgeport and Meriden,
Connecticut; and in most other towns of New England
where the situation or business prospects hold out
the means of obtaining a decent livelihood. The
whole time we spent in New England, was from Monday
to Thursday evening; wherefore our information is
necessarily as meagre as we have given it.
Albany, New York, has now three
congregations; the old . Beth- El, the Beth-Jaacob,
and the new society of Dr. Wise; the latter of which
we hear intend consecrating a church they have
purchased, on Sabbath Teshubah. The Beth-El
Synagogue, in Herkimer Street, of which Rev. Ferst
Traub is Hazan, we found in excellent order. The
President is Louis Spanier. The Beth-Jaacob, in
Fulton Street, under charge of Rev. Katzenberg, is a
neat structure, and was under repairs, to be ready
for the holydays, during our visit. We should be
pleased to receive full accounts of the state of the
congregations in this city. We think the
average number of families belonging to each, is
somewhat exceeding fifty.—We are happy to announce
that the litigations consequent on Dr. Wise’s
retirement from his former office have been amicably
adjusted, and all charges, &c., dropped on all
hands. We could not communicate any more pleasing
intelligence to our readers; since concord should
always prevail between the various divisions of our
brethren, if unfortunately even circumstances compel
them to separate into different congregations in the
same city.
<<382>>
Utica, New York.—Here too we met with a
congregation having a place of worship, which,
however, we regretted not to find in as good order
as it should be. It is situated in Hotel Street, and
is a wooden structure; and a little expense
judiciously applied would render it as well-looking
as the Beth-El at Albany. We hope that this will be
speedily attended to. The minister is a learned
Polish Rabbi, who wears the national costume. His
name is Rabbi Pesach Rosenthal, . and he officiates
as Hazan, Preacher, and Shochet, and attends to
other duties besides. He is an illustration of the
peculiar devotedness of the Jewish teacher to his
calling, not rarely met with in countries where the
yoke of oppression weighs heavily upon us.
Syracuse, New York.—In this city exist three
benevolent Societies, the Society of Brotherly Love
אהבת אחים of which
Wm. Henochsberg is President, Israel Bronner
Treasurer, and M. Henochsberg Secretary. It has
lately laid the foundation of a widows’ and orphans’
fund. The other is called “The Mutual Assistance
Society,” רודף חסד
under the Presidency of Isaac Garson; Solomon
Lederer is Treasurer, and M. A. Marks Secretary. The
members of both number about fifty each. The annual
contribution is three dollars, and the weekly relief
during sickness is the same amount. The last is a
ladies’ society, called and has sixty-five members.
The President is Mrs. Fanny Bamberger, and Mrs. Rosa
Stone is Treasurer and Secretary. All three attend
to the funeral rites of the respective members.—The
Synagogue costs about $10,000, of which a
considerable sum is still unpaid. It has a clock
under the western gallery, which performs its work
in silence;—and wherever one is introduced or in
existence in Synagogues, we hope that pains will be
taken to obviate the peculiar annoying and
monotonous ticking which we have observed in
some places, by which the worship is greatly
interrupted.
Rochester, New York.—The congregation of this
place is under the Presidency of Mr. J. Katz. The
minister is the Rev. Mr. Doski. We had no
opportunity of visiting the temporary Synagogue
where they worship, or of making the personal
acquaintance of the minister. We heard persons speak
of their intention of soon building a Synagogue, and
we trust that they may speedily commence the good
work. Every day’s delay is a hindrance to a proper
progress. Here too is a Ladies’ Benevolent Society;
but we failed to obtain the particulars.
Buffalo, New York.—Here we learned to our
regret that the people are divided into two
congregations; still, there seems to exist a good
understanding between the two bodies. The elder or
<<383>>Polish congregation, have a pretty Synagogue
in Pearl Street, in the rear of the American House
in Main Street. It has the fault of being too far
back from the front entrance, but we hope that
before long the people may be able to remove the
obstruction which now separates them from the
street. The Rev. Isaac Moses Slatki is minister of
the body. The other or German congregation, under
the Presidency of Mr. E. J. Bernheimer, is about
fitting up a place of worship in Ellicott Street, at
no great distance from the other. From what we saw,
we should say that there are a great many Israelites
at Buffalo, so that it may perhaps be practicable to
maintain two respectable congregations, with all the
necessary appliances. We should be pleased to learn
all the particulars of the resources and the number
of Israelites and other matters of interest, from
some of our friends. Will they attend to it?
Poughkeepsie, New York.—Although we had no
opportunity to visit this city, we learned in
travelling that a congregation was organized here.
In Hudson there are several families, but no
congregational organization. The same is the case at
Troy, Schenectady, Watertown, Oswego, Binghampton,
and probably other places in the State of New York,
of which we could obtain no account. Upon the whole,
it will be seen, however, that the field of Judaism
is extending, and this very rapidly in the Northern
States, where not long since the face of an
Israelite was but seldom seen, and where our mode of
worship was entirely unknown. May the future be
still brighter than the past has been!
Richmond, Va.—We
are pained to hear that a dispute has arisen between
the Portuguese and German Congregations, relative to
the possession of the burying-ground. It was given
by the city of Richmond, when Major Wolfe was a
member of the Council, to the then Israelitish
congregation, which was the Portuguese, years and
years before the Germans were thought of; hence, at
a first view of the case, we should say the custody
belonged to the original possessors, though all
others are entitled to its use. Perhaps, however,
there are some points in the question which we do
not understand. We extort them all, however, to
pursue the path of peace. Let them remember the name
of the old association of Israelites, Beth
Shalome.
The Rev. David M. Isaacs, who for many years
was the preacher of the Liverpool congregation, was
lately induced to resign his office, and to remove
from the city. We now learn from the Jewish
Chronicle of August 29th, kindly lent us by the Rev.
S. M. Isaacs, of New York, at a meeting was held on
the. 24th of August, which was largely attended, for
the purpose of devising ways and means to induce
<<384>>the reverend gentleman to resume his
ministerial functions. A resolution was moved by Mr.
Lewis Samuel, and seconded by Mr. N. Goldsmith,
which will give our readers the main features of the
transaction. It is as follows: “Resolved, That this
meeting, having heard with regret of the resignation
and departure of our respected friend and lecturer,
the Rev. D. M. Isaacs, do pledge themselves to use
their utmost exertions to obtain his return and
re-engagement, and request most respectfully that
the wardens of the congregation do immediately place
themselves in correspondence with the Rev. D. M.
Isaacs, the purpose of endeavouring to secure his
re-engagement.” The unanimous adoption of the
resolution is certainly highly creditable to all the
parties; and we trust that Mr. Isaacs may soon be
reinstalled in the exercise of his sacred functions,
by which hitherto he had secured to himself so large
a share of public approbation. At the same time it
was recommended to place seat-holders on the same
footing with members and give them the right of
suffrage, a measure which we deem highly necessary
for the advancement of religion, only to be denied
upon an urgent necessity being made out on the
contrary side; and we trust that in America, too,
this subject may demand and obtain. as it deserves,
the profound attention of several congregations
which are faulty in this respect. Want of space
prevents us now from enlarging.
England.—It is no news to our readers to
announce to them that again a bill to emancipate the
Jews, by a repeal of the test oath, has been once
more rejected by the House of Lords, as the daily
papers have long since announced it; but we insert
it merely as a matter of record. Equally
unsuccessful with Baron Lionel Rothschild, the
member from London, has been Mr. David Salomons, the
newly elected member from Greenwich. The House would
not admit him to his seat without taking the oath
“on the true faith of a Christian;” and he had to
withdraw in consequence, although he had already
voted several times, and spoken once in quality of a
member of the Commons. It is probable that the
question will be farther agitated, and that justice
will be done at last. In the mean time, we recommend
to Messrs. Rothschild, Montefiore, Salomons,
Goldsmith, and others, to do themselves justice by
encouraging Jewish literature, establishing a
college for the training of ministers, and do other
things to elevate our character. They would thus
impose more respect upon the House of Lords for the
Jewish character than all expenditures otherwise
directed, and all the hollow sympathy of a faithless
premier and his vacillating supporters. Will they
try? Our word for it, their means would be well laid
out, and success would not be long doubtful. |
