News Items

Cincinnati.—We learn that a society has been organized at Cincinnati for the assistance of the Jews in the Holy Land. The members contemplate to collect funds for transmission through mercantile houses to Palestine, without the intervention of messengers. The President is the Rev. James K. Gutheim, and Mr. Seixas Solomon has been elected Secretary. We have not received the laws adopted for their government, wherefore we cannot state the particulars. We understand that a similar society is to be organized among us at Philadelphia, and we hope that it will meet with success.

New Orleans.—We are pleased to be able to announce that there is now every prospect that the new synagogue of the congregation Nefutzote Yehudah, the gift of Mr. Judah Touro, will be consecrated during the next autumn. An effort will be made to engage a competent minister, and we hope that the wishes of the people will be grati<<225>>fied by the selection of a man who is able duly to instruct his flock in the way they should go, and the deeds they should do.—In this con­nexion, we must be permitted to state, that from all we learn, the gift will be a worthy offering of an individual in honour of the God of Jacob, and we hope the donor may live many years to enjoy the well­earned fruits of his liberality. If we arc spared, we probably may give farther particulars at another and more suitable occasion.

New Congregations.—We learn that the Israelites of Wheeling, Virginia, and vicinity, are about to purchase, or perhaps have done so already, a piece of ground for a burial place, and that they hope to assemble in considerable numbers for public worship at the approaching holydays. There is another congregation organizing at Hartford, Connecticut, and the two small congregations at New Haven have united, and are about building a suitable place of worship to adore therein the Most High, the God of Israel.

Hamburg.—Sudden Death of Rabbi Isaac Bernays.—A shining light was quenched in Israel, when Dr. Bernays was summoned away to eternal life, on the afternoon of Tuesday, the first of May, at an age of about fifty-four years. We well recollect, when a youth, in our native land, the sensation which the deceased Rabbi created when first he appeared in Hamburg after his election,—we think it was 1823—when he was only about twenty-eight years old. Everyone spoke of his learning and his great knowledge of matters belonging to biblical literature; and we can also recall the hopes which were entertained of his ministry. But we fear that his erudition was too deep for the common understanding; and his learned lectures, which were given extemporaneously—at least they were delivered without notes—astonished more than they instructed the unlearned hearer. In this respect he yielded to his rival in the reform temple, Dr. Golthold Salomon, who, without a tithe of Dr. B.’s learning, still is more pleasing and popular as a preacher, owing to his fervid language and pleasing elocution. We only speak from report, never having seen either of these learned Israelites. Dr. B. certainly failed in not publishing anything since his elevation to his high office; and we fear that all the results of research have died with him, unless he has left MSS. of which we at this time can know nothing. He was a native of Mayence in Hessia, and died as above, of apoplexy. During his ministry he strenuously opposed the reform prayer-book, when it was printed a second Time, about six years ago. He of course was assailed violently for the honest discharge of his duty, by the lovers of the new order of things; but he <<226>>quietly listened while the storm raged without, and remained steadfast to his purpose. His funeral, which took place on the afternoon of Thursday, the 3d of May, was numerously attended; and even the first class of the reform school, taught by Dr. Edward Kley, was present. The Rabbi of Altona, Rabbi Jacob Ettlinger, delivered a most impressive funeral sermon from Leviticus x.; and another address was then given by Mr. Gottlieb, a pupil of the deceased. Dr. Bernays merits that we should give a more extended notice of him and his deeds; but, alas! The materials are wanting, and we fear that our wish will not be readily gratified from other sources. May he rest in peace.