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(Continued
from issue #8.)
Early settlement of the Israelites
in Savannah—Their religious history—That of their successors,
&c.
Manuscript page 14. "1774, September 14.
Having a sufficient number of Jews here to make a congregation, we came
to a resolution to meet at the house of Mordecai Sheftall." The
congregation convened punctually for a length of time at Mr. Sheftall's
house. He was a man of exemplary piety, and adhered closely to all the
rites and ceremonies of his faith. He had fitted up a room in his house,
at his individual cost, for the accommodation of the congregation.
Religious affairs progressed harmoniously, the members of the
congregation were gradually augmenting, and experienced no interruption,
until the commencement of the American successful struggle for liberty
cause a temporary dissolution.
Some short time subsequent to the ratification of
the definitive treaty between Great Britain and the United States, many
Israelites arrived in Savannah, and made it their place of residence.
Manuscript,
page 23. "1786, July the 7th, corresponding with the 1st
day of Tamuz, 5546. We met, and re-established our congregation
of K. K. Mickva Israel. We hired a place for a Snogo [synagogue], and chose the
following named persons for the heads of the congregation:
"Philip
Minis, Parnass; David N. Cardozo, Gabay; Levi Sheftall, Cushman Polock,
Joseph Abrahams, Adjuntas; Emanuel De la Motta Hazan, (this gentleman
acts gratis); Levy Abrahams; Secretary."
The
house hired for a Snogo was owned by one Miss Morgan, and situated in
the rear of St. James Square.
Manuscript,
page 25. "1787, July 31, corresponding with the 16th day of Ab. The
society called the Mashebet Nafish, laid this day the foundation stones
for a wall to be built around the piece of ground given by Mordecai
Sheftall for a burial ground. Laying the first stone was given to
Mordecai Sheftall, the second stone to Levi Sheftall, the third stone to
P. J. Cohen, the fourth stone, to Cushman Polock. The ground given for a
cemetery was conveyed by Mordecai Sheftall, Esq., by deed in trust to
the following named persons:—Philip Minis and Levi Sheftall, of
Savannah; Isaac De Costa and Joshua Hart, of Charleston; Abraham Hart
and Joseph Gomports, of London; Sampson Simson and Solomon Simson, of
New York, and Isaac Hart and Jacob Rivera, of Newport, Rhode
Island." This conveyance was made and executed in the thirteenth
year of the reign of George the Third. The Snogo established in 1786 was
sustained for many years. Service was performed regularly on the Sabbath
and holidays, and on one occasion the assemblage numbered "73 males
and females." The aged, the main prop of the Snogo, having closed
their earthly career, removals, and the influence of a combination of
untoward causes, conspired to produce a suspension of public worship,
and the building was surrendered to its owner. On the 30th of November,
1790; "Levi Sheftall, Sheftall Sheftall, Cushman Polock, Joseph Abrahams, Mordecai Sheftall, Abraham Depass, and
Emanuel De la Motta, and their successors," were by charter of
incorporation declared to be a "Body corporate by the name and
style of the Parnass and Adjuntas of Mickva Israel at Savannah."
The requisitions of the charter have been obeyed, and the election of
officers in no instance omitted on the day it prescribes. For a series
of years after the building used as a Snogo was given up, there was no
place for public worship: indeed, it was not discoverable that any
marked predilection to have one existed. This, however, might be
rationally imputed to the paucity of Israelites who inhabited Savannah,
and the want of intelligence on doctrinal points of the religion of
their ancestors. There were four or five individuals among them, not
more advanced in years than biblical learning, who always looked with
cherished anticipations to that period, when, through their
instrumentality, a temple should be reared in Savannah, dedicated to the
hallowed worship of the "God of Israel." Some of them lived to
see their fond hopes realized; a Snogo of neat workmanship, through
their untiring efforts was erected, and consecrated on the 21st
July, 1820, and consumed by fire (accidentally) on the 4th
December, 1829. The building committee was Abraham Delyon, David Lyon,
Moses Sheftall, and Sheftall Sheftall. The three first named are
"humble tenants of the grave," the last survives, far advanced
in honourable old age. After this calamitous event, which was deeply
regretted by the liberal-minded of all sects, Dr. Moses Sheftall, who
was president of the congregation, roused to action all his energies to
supply the loss sustained in the destruction of the Snogo. An
investigation of the finances of the congregation took place, and it was
satisfactorily ascertained that auxiliary aid would become necessary to
insure the building of another Snogo. After some time had elapsed, Dr.
Sheftall commenced his work. Subscriptions
in money were liberally made by the limited number of persons to
whom the list was presented, as it was not designed or intended to raise
more funds than were absolutely necessary, together with what was in
hand, to defray the cost of building a Snogo by contract. Those of
different sects who voluntarily aided us in building a house of worship,
have entitled themselves to a tribute of our warmest and most grateful
thanks, and evinced a readiness to reciprocate favours, the like of
which have been extended by some of the Israelites, both male and
female, from the creation of the Union Society, to all the present
charitable institutions of the city of Savannah. The present Snogo is
built of brick, on a lot of ground granted by the corporation of
Savannah to the Hebrew congregation, and I had the honour, Mr. Editor,
of being present when you imparted to its consecration all the solemnity
its great importance legitimately demanded. It is (as I have understood)
in serious contemplation at a proper season, to enlist the services of a
gentleman of ability to discharge the functions of Hazan. When this "shall
come to pass," then the Snogo shall awake from its slumber; and
rise from its solitude,—its walls echo the gladsome song of
thankfulness, and "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one,"
shall be heard with the holiest feelings.
I
have, Mr. Editor, brought the history of ourselves to a
conclusion. It might probably serve to beguile some leisure moments of
your distant readers. It will, I am convinced, convey a proud and
elevated interest to many of those who reside in the city of Oglethorpe,
particularly the descendants of the settlers of 1733, whose adventurous
grandsires left their homes for the more perfect enjoyment of religious
liberty in the untried clime of the new world, and whose fathers, born
upon the genial soil of Savannah, now quietly repose within its bosom.
Mordecai Sheftall, Sen.
Savannah,
24th August, 1843.
SUPPLEMENTARY
STATEMENT.
We
were right in our supposition that Mr. Sheftall had omitted doing
justice to Dr. De la Motta in passing over with silence his agency in
erecting the first Synagogue at Savannah. Upon the principle we started
from the commencement of our work, to give every one his just credit, we
made some inquiry concerning the matter, and have the most undoubted
assurance that the following statement is essentially correct:—When
the doctor took up his residence at Savannah, he found that, besides the
lot given by the city to the congregation, they had seven or eight small
buildings whichwere rented out, which as such were but of little
interest to the Israelites. Upon inquiry, the doctor ascertained from a
respectable mechanic that he would build a Synagogue such as was needed,
on the lot given by the city, provided a lease of the above small
buildings were granted him by the congregation free of change for a term
of eight years. The doctor thereupon convened the congregation; a
majority of the members agreed with the proposition, and the undertaking
was commenced under his special care, attention, direction and
superintendence, aided by a building committee. When the building was
finished, the doctor consecrated it in July 1820, on which occasion he
delivered a discourse which was published by request; and subsequently
he officiated gratuitously until he left the city in 1823. In relation
to the foregoing, we have received from one of our correspondents the
annexed remarks, to which we call the attention of our readers, as also
to the accompanying letters from the late Presidents Jefferson and
Madison, as they evince the gratifying interest which these exalted
statesmen and patriots took in matters relating to our people and
religion.—We will also merely add that, as far as we can learn, J. De
la Motta Jr., Esq., of Savannah, a relation of the doctor, was mainly
instrumental in erecting the present Synagogue.—Ed. Oc.
To the Rev. Isaac Leeser.
REV.
SIR—A subscriber to your periodical having noticed your remarks on the
injustice done to Dr. Jacob De la Motta by your reporter of the Jews of
Savannah, requests you will publish in your next number, as somewhat
connected with the history of that congregation, the annexed letters
from the late ex-presidents of these United States, Thomas Jefferson and
James Madison, to Dr. De la Motta, on the subject of his address,
delivered on the occasion of the consecration of the Synagogue in that
place in 1820. Their insertion in your journal will satisfy your readers
of the omission of your historical reporter.
Monticello, Sept. 1, 1820.
Th.
Jefferson returns his thanks to Dr. De la Motta for the eloquent
discourse on the consecration of the Synagogue of Savannah which he has
been so kind as to send him. It excites in him the gratifying reflection
that his own country has been the first to prove to the world two
truths, the most salutary to human society, that man can govern himself,
and that religious freedom is the most effectual anodyne against
religious dissension: the maxim of civil government being reversed in
that of religion, where its true form is "divided we stand, united
we fall." He is happy in the restoration, of the Jews particularly,
to their social rights, and hopes they will be seen taking their seats
on the benches of science, as preparatory to their doing the same at the
board of government. He salutes Dr. De la Motta with sentiments of great
respect.
To
Dr. Jacob De la Motta, Savannah, Ga.
Montpellier, August, 1820.
Sir—I
have received your letter of the 7th inst., with the
discourse delivered at the Consecration of the Hebrew Synagogue at
Savannah, for which you will please accept my thanks.
The
history of the Jews must for ever be interesting. The modern part of it
s at the same time, so little generally known, that every ray of light
on the subject has its value.
Among
the features peculiar to the political system of the United States, is
the perfect equality of rights which it secures to every religious sect;
and it is particularly pleasing to observe in the good citizenship of
such as have been most distrusted and oppressed elsewhere, a happy
illustration of the safety and success of this experiment of a just and
benignant policy. Equal laws protecting equal rights are found as they
ought to be presumed, the best guarantee of loyalty and love of country,
as well as best calculated to cherish that mutual respect and good-will
among citizens of every religious denomination, which are necessary to
social harmony, and most favourable to the advancement of truth. The
account you give of the Jews of your congregation brings them fully
within the scope of these observations. I tender you, sir, my respects
and good wishes.
James Madison.
To
Dr. Jacob De la Motta, Savannah, Ga.
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