News Items

Contributors to Palestine Relief Fund in New York.—Messrs. A.L. Gomez, Benjamin Nathan, David Hart, Mordecai Myers, and M.M. Hendricks, ten dollars each; Mrs. Sol. I. Isaacs, Misses Grace Isaacs, Haunah Isaacs, Mrs. Charlotte Gomez, Mrs. Sol. I. Isaacs, Messrs. Moses Lazarus, Samuel Lazarus, Simeon Abrahams, Lumley Franklin, I. B. Kursheedt, and G. Kursheedt, five dollars each; Miss Rebecca Seixas, three dollars; Mr. Morris L. Samuel, two and a half dollars; Mrs. Selina Solomons, Mrs. Joseph Hart, the Misses Palache, Messrs. T. J. Seixas, and Samuel D. Solomons, two dollars each. The above ladies and gentlemen are the donors to the relief fund, as mentioned in our last, and the names are now published by request of the president of the committee.

Dr. Lilienthal’s School at N.Y.—We have received a detailed statement of the School-plan of Dr. Lilienthal which we briefly referred to last month. It embraces an extensive system of education, and looks to the establishment of an elementary school, divided into two classes, and a mercantile and polytechnic, divided into three, only such classes to be established in the beginning as are absolutely required, and are within the reach of the funds. The principal languages to be taught are the Hebrew and the English, not the German, although nearly all the children likely to be obtained, for the present, are either natives of Europe, or children of emigrants. Only in the polytechnic department is the German to be a branch of study, by which means the children are, at first, to be thoroughly grounded in the language of the country, and then to be instructed how to keep up a connexion with the land of their immediate progenitors. The usual branches of an English education are to be taught, together with, religion, Bible and commentaries, Mishna and Talmud. The government is to be, as much as possible, paternal, and corporal punishment to be avoided. Children will be admitted in the elementary school at five wars, and each class is to last a year and a half. Girls are to be taught needlework, during the hours that they are not engaged in the studies suited for the male sex chiefly. The entire plan comprises a system of thorough education, and reaches in fact a high school of a very comprehensive kind; but we fear, (and we say it without wishing to damp the worthy ecclesiastic’s ardour,) that for the present the final success of erecting the college, must remain a thing to be desired. Different, however, we expect will it be with the elementary department; for herein we look for complete success, with a little well-directed energy and judicious management, and there is not, perhaps, a man among us, in America, who is so well acquainted with the best systems of education as Dr. L., and his position is precisely that which will give importance to his suggestions. We learn from him that they have four teachers, and that the school is flourishing: number of scholars not stated; and, at the quarterly examination, the answers of the pupils gave general satisfaction. On the last mentioned occasion a banner was presented to the children with the inscription ה' נסי Hebrew Union School, No. 1. We fervently trust that the school thus auspiciously commenced, may produce all the good effects anticipated, and find speedily many worthy imitations all over the country, and wherever Israelites are settled.

Congregation Bnai Israel, N.Y.—The Talmud Torah school having been dissolved, the New Netherland Congregation, lately established, have organized an institution under the name חדר ראשית חכמה “Academy of the Beginning of Wisdom,” and appointed Rev. Simon Cohen Noot, principal of the same. The object  is to teach the Hebrew and Chaldean languages, and promote the study of the Talmud, Possekim, &c.—We wish this institution also a complete success.

Synagogue Shaaray Tefilla, N.Y.—In an account, last month, of the dedication of this new Synagogue, there was one error. The Yad spoken of as having been presented by Mrs. Joseph, should read “By the widow of the late Martin Josephi, agreeably to the will of her late husband.” We are also requested to notice that the Hechal was opened for the first time by the venerable and learned I. B. Kursheedt; that the donations of the members of the Congregation Shearith Israel were of the most liberal kind; that the learned and highly respected Mr. Nussbaum aided in the ceremonies, and that finally several liberal donations have been received since the consecration.

Philadelphia.—The Synagogue Rodef Sholum, of the old German Congregation, will be consecrated on the Wednesday preceding Roshashana, the 8th of September. The proper measures are now in a state of preparation.

Charleston.—The new Synagogue Shearith Israel was consecrated on Friday, the 13th of August (1st of Elul); we have received an account of the proceedings, which we have duly given above.  We deeply regret our inability to be present; but we have no doubt that everything was conducted to promote the glory of God, and the welfare of Israel.

Richmond, Va.—We call the attention of our readers to the advertisement of the Portuguese Congregation Beth Shalome, for a suitable person to officiate as minister and teacher. Those who have friends duly qualified, either here or in England, would do well to embrace the opportunity to have them settled in a congregation where they will be duly appreciated. The office will be vacant about the 1st of November. We also respectfully invite a kind consideration to the appeal of the German Congregation, Beth Ahabah, to the liberality of the Israelites of this country. It is well known that all new undertakings are difficult, and that the means of European immigrants are not very ample; and as our friends in Richmond are now organized in a congregation with the Minhag to which they have been accustomed from infancy, and as their hired place is too small for the worshippers: it is to be hoped that they will be aided, by those having the means, to carry out their pious resolve.—Donations may be forwarded to the President, Mr. Joseph Myers. We also learn that the religious state of the congregation is improving, that the Sabbath is generally observed, and the households arranged according to our laws. The school contains twenty-two children, under the charge of the Rev. Max. Michelbacher, who make good progress both in elementary and religious education.—The minister preaches twice a month.

New Orleans.—At the regularly convened meeting of the Portuguese congregation of New Orleans, held on the 15th day of July for the purpose of electing officers under the charter granted by the state of Louisiana, the following gentlemen were elected in accordance with said charter, as officers of the Hebrew Congregation, The Dispersed of Judah: G. Kursheedt, President; A.C. Labatt, Vice-President; Isaac Rodriguez, Treasurer; Jacob L. Levy, Samuel Harby, Henry Florance, and A.T. Ezekiel, Trustees, and Jacob Ezekiel, Secretary.

Coro, Venezuela.—We have before us a letter from Mr. Brandao, of Coro, which says that the Israelites of that place have a separate room, at the house of Mr. A.M. Senior, where they meet for prayers every Friday evening, Sabbath morning and evening, and all the holy days, and there is always a congregation of above twenty present. The number of Israelites there, counting men, women, and children, is about one hundred and fifty. The Sabbaths and holy days are strictly kept. Our brothers are respected and well treated by all the head judges, and the greater part of the inhabitants; they have a fine burying ground; and the greatest portion of the income at the custom-house, amounting to between 60 and 70,000 dollars annually, is paid by the Israelites. The above affords, certainly, a pleasing statement of this new congregation on the Spanish Main, and we hope to be frequently favoured with many such statements. For the present we return our thanks to Mr. B., sand to Mr. O.M. Da Costa, of Curacao, to whom we are indebted for the perusal of Mr. Brandao’s letter; and we beg of all Israelites, or others, who may have information concerning our people, to communicate the same to us, direct, or to our various friends and agents, who will always, we trust, take charge of any favours of this nature.

Corrections.—We accidentally stated, in our July number, the number of the congregation at Montgomery, Alabama, at seventy-two; it ought to be twenty-two. In our last, page 253, line 16, we were made to say “The works of Mendelssohn were here טרפה פסול ,” it should be “were here no,” &c., which alters the meaning completely. Page 257, line 22, for “Talmid” read “Talmud.” Whilst we are thus making corrections, we might as well refer to a note in our first number, wherein it says that Mendelssohn translated, besides the Pentateuch and Psalms, the books of the Song of Solomon, Ruth, the Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther. The Orient, the best authority, says, that of the last only the Song of Solomon was translated by our philosopher, the remainder of the minor books, generally printed with Mendelssohn’s Pentateuch, were rendered into German by others. The error we committed was owing to the fact that the translation under question is generally printed with the “Rolls” and Haphtoroth; and though we were aware that the last were the work of different hands, we had not this knowledge concerning the other. We do not profess to possess infallibility, and will therefore thank our friends to set us right whenever we err.

In the account of the N. Y. Heb. Ben. Society, the name of “John Long” should be “John Levy,” and of “Henry J.” “Henry E. Hart.” Talmid is a Presbyterian, not an Episcopal clergyman.

Appeal

To the Israelites of America.—It is now about six years since a few German Israelites residing in this city, united themselves to worship the Lord after the ritual of their forefathers. For this holy purpose they established a small Synagogue in Marshall Street, near New Market.

Since that time this congregation (under the name of ק"ק בית אהבה “House of Love”) has been increasing, and consists now of 36 members. Although not numerous, their place of worship is nevertheless too small, and after many unsuccessful efforts to procure a proper place, the members of the congregation have resolved to purchase a lot on which to erect a Synagogue  and schoolroom.

A lot in Eleventh near Marshall Street has been purchased for the purpose aforesaid, for the sum of $1350, and the building thereon is estimated to cost from $3500 to $4000.

The members of the congregation appeal to the liberality of their friends and brethren to aid them in their present undertaking, feeling that, although foreigners, they are not strangers among them.

Max I. Michelbacher, Reader and Preacher.
Joseph Myers, President.
Emanuel Rosenfeld, Treasurer.
Simson Rosenfels
M. Fanderwart
Abr. Hirsch
Jones Heller
Abr. Hutzler

Richmond, Va., Ab, 5607.