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News Items |
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California.—While at We
occasionally meet, in the public papers, with some
evidence of the kind, which proves that
<<60>> the Jewish heart is
true, though so many display not the spirit of ready
obedience which the law demands of Israelites; and
no matter who the pioneers are, it is not to be
doubted but that others will follow, to complete
what the first have begun, though these be the
uneducated, and, it may be, the unworthy. Among
other little notices, we saw, in the Sabbath
(Baptist) Recorder, of December 4th, the following:
“The Israelites of San Diego (Southern portion of
California), faithful to the religion of their
forefathers, observed their New Year’s Day, and the
Day of Atonement, with due solemnity. The Day of
Atonement, one of the most solemn and sacred days in
the Jewish Calendar, was observed by Messrs. Lewis
Franklin, Jacob Marks, and Charles A. Fletcher (the
only three Hebrews in town), by their assembling in
the house of the former gentleman, and passing the
entire day in fasting and praying.” This little
paragraph proves conclusively, what has been often
advanced, that give the Jew of right feeling an
opportunity, and he will show his attachment to his
faith, by joining with others to honour his God
after the ancestral rites.. A friend in <<44>> “The Jews, or Israelites, compose a very large and respectable portion of our population, numbering some of our first and most influential citizens. In objects of benevolence they are not exceeded by any other class or sect in the city, having in existence a number of societies. In the Almanac we find the following list of Synagogues and Charitable Societies in our State: “ ‘In San Francisco.—In January, 1850, the first Hebrew society in California was organized, under the title of The Hebrew Benevolent ociety; for Assisting the Poor and Indigent of the Jewish Persuasion, and the Burial, of the Dead; and the following gentlemen were elected officers:— “ ‘M. Brook, Pres.; A. Watters,
Vice-Pres.; Hart, Treas.; “ ‘The following were elected officers for the second year:— “ ‘A. Watters, Pres; M. Rehfish, Vice-Pres.; H. Hart, Treas.; D. <<61>> Jacoby, Sec.; J. J. Joseph, G. M. Cohen, J. Rosenbaum, F. Lask, J. Kraose, Trustees. “ ‘In January, 1850, funds were
raised to the amount of $4000, by voluntary
contributions, through the exertions of Messrs. H.
Hart, A. Watters, G. M. Cohen, J. Rosenbaum, I.
Goldstein, and H. M. Lewis, and a suitable piece of
ground purchased and enclosed for a burial-ground, or cemetery,
free for all Israelites in “ ‘This Society was formed by a
great number of Hebrew residents of “ ‘In the summer of 1850, the
first temporary Synagogue in this city was
organised, for the purpose of celebrating the
holy-days. The meetings were held in “ ‘During the visitation of the cholera in this city, in the fall of of 1850, a Hebrew society was formed for the occasion, as auxiliary to the Benevolent Society, and the managers of which were— “ ‘J. J. Joseph, Pres.; L. A. Levy, Sec.; H. Hart, L. Mawson, R. Wyman, Trustees. “ ‘In the commencement of the
year 1851, a present of a very handsome Five Books
of Moses, with covering for ditto, and an Index
composed of solid gold, was transmitted by Sir Moses
Montefiore, the agent of Messrs. Rothschild,—Mr. B.
Davidson,—to the first congregation in San
Francisco. The congregation named The Lord be with
Us, being the first incorporated, claimed and
obtained it, and have it now their Synagogue in “ ‘The first regularly-organized and incorporated Synagogue was instituted in April, 1851, under the title of The Lord be with Us, Kearney-Street, between Pine and Bush, and the following gentlemen were elected to serve as, officers until-the succeeding year:— C. Labat, Pres.; A. Watters, Vice-Pres.; M. Schwartz, Sec.; N. S. Neustadt, Treas.; J. J. Joseph, P. Runkel, L. A. Levy, R. Wyman, I. Seligman, Trustees. “ ‘The following gentlemen were chosen for the present year: “ ‘J. Shannon, Pres.; “ ‘About the same time (April,
1851), another Congregation was organized and
incorporated, under the name of Remnants of Israel,
situated on “ ‘J. Joseph, Pres.; H. Hart,
Vice-Pres.; S. H. Cohen, Sec. ; A. Meiss, M. Hart,
I. Nathan, “ ‘At the subsequent election, the present officers were chosen: “ ‘At a meeting held at this period, Alexander Iser was unanimously chosen as Collector. “ ‘Mr. Jacob Frankel volunteered to act as Priest to the congregation. Sacramento.—This city has also a temporary Synagogue, and a benevolent society, long established, and in a flourishing condition. “ ‘Stockton.—A society is formed in this town, under the title of Lovely Nation, having the same benevolent objects in view as the preceding societies, The following gentlemen act as present officers:— “ ‘I. Zechariah, Pres.; A. Greenbaum, Vice-Pres.; A. Craner, Treas.; S. Hoffman, Sec. “ ‘Marysville and Sonora.—These
towns also contain temporary Synagogues, to meet the
requirements of the communities at the holy-days.’ ”— We saw a copy of the Almanac spoken of in the above, at Richmond, we think, which was marked, “Price, one dollar;”—rather high charge for a few pages, although, in view of the small Jewish population in California it is perhaps not too dear. The work itself is well executed. *** The other notices of our journey we must reserve for our next number. Europe.—The Pope, the
Emperor of Austria, the King of Prussia, and the
Czar, do not seem to do much for Israel, except to
repress their aspirations again down to the old
standard. Of course, in Rabbis of Europe.—We
understand that the celebrated Samson Raphael Hirsch
has been elected Rabbi at Frankfort-on-the-Maine.
Mr. Anschel Stern has been called to |
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