בס"ד
Vol. IX. No. 1 Nissan 5612, April 1852 |
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News Items |
Philadelphia.—Our last report but little of interest has occurred in this city which has come to our knowledge; we learn, however, that the congregation Kenesseth Israel, of the German Minhag, are actively engaged to procure funds for the erection of a suitable place of worship, the room they at present occupy being found entirely too confined and unsuitable for their purpose. Wishing them all success in their laudable efforts, we shall be happy to be made the medium of conveying to the proper persons any donation which may be intrusted to us, to assist our brethren to accomplish their design. The School of the Hebrew Education progressed prosperously since our last; as we have learned. A collection which was made towards its funds, has resulted satisfactorily to its projection, since it resulted more liberally than those who this opposed sustaining the school predicted. For our part, we should have been more gratified had a course of lectures been resolved on; as by this means not alone the treasury might have been replenished, but some information imparted at the same time, to those who night have been disposed to attend: We hope that in future, should the Society require any aid in carrying out their useful designs, some more independent than taking up donations will be resorted to. Perhaps, the unpopularity of lectures in general, and in particular of the person who offered his services without any charge, may have deterred the Board of the Society from risking the experiment which might have resulted in a complete failure. We learn also that the sum collected amounts to nearly four hundred dollars, enough to make up more than <<42>> the deficiency arising from the regular income of the Society during the first year of our operations. If we understand correctly the deficit would have amounted to no more than about two hundred dollars, for which it would have been requisite to call on the permanent fund, a portion of which had been pledged to carry on the operations of the school, if it had been found necessary. Enough, however, has been shown that the institution established here after so many years of doubt and misgiving, can readily sustain itself, if those who hive children would avail themselves of the advantages it offers, to give their charges a good elementary education in Hebrew and English. The other branches can readily be added, if, the number of scholars would warrant the necessary outlay. We hope that the attendance in the coming year will far exceed that of the past. We have no hesitation in saying that the moral improvement of the pupils of the Society’s school will bear a comparison with any other in the city or elsewhere, whether it be a private enterprise or endowed from the public funds. We have also to state, that at the last meeting of the Board of Managers, before our return, the teachers, four in number, were re-elected for one year; they have all accepted their term. We may also mention that a remarkable unanimity has prevailed between the Directors and the members of the Board ever since our commencement. An unusual mortality has
prevailed during past winter among persons attached
to the Portuguese congregation; not less than nine
interments having taken place in the course of three
months. Three of these were members of Kahal.
Among those who departed this life was Mr.
Abraham E. Israel, for about twenty-eight years
Shammas of the Synagogue. He died as one
falls asleep, on Wednesday, the 18th of February, in
the seventy-sixth year of his age. Mr. The Jewish Publication Society works, we regret to state, were nearly all consumed on the night of the 27th December last, during the conflagration which laid waste Mr. A. Hart’s large builsing, at the corner of Chestnut and Sixth streets, Philadelphia, where they were principally stored,—Mr. Hart being the President of the Society. There was no insurance on this valuable collection of books, wherefore except the few copies which were elsewhere, the means of the Society of supplying useful reading are, for the present, annihilated. The institution had no funds on hand, and always depended on the subscribers, and the limited sales which the works enjoyed, to enable the Committee of Publication to issue the fourteen numbers of the Miscellany, which have been for some time before the public. We are not prepared to say whether there is any immediate probability of a revival of the Society, which has of late been dormant, owing to various causes; but this much is certain, that it is an institution which might be made eminently useful, if only the proper persons were at hand in emery city, to urge it forward. Those who have become acquainted with the works already published, can judge just as well as we can of their merits; and we suggest merely the propriety of opening a correspondence with the friends of Jewish literature throughout the land, for, the sake of calling again into life a Society, which is so capable of doing good. We shall be happy to be made the medium of communication with the public. New York.—On our return
we found a card of invitation to attend the “first
annual ball in aid of the fund of the Jews’ Hospital
in the city of |