A Special Flag For Abraham Lincoln
In February 1861, Abraham Kohn, one of the founders of Chicago’s Congregation Kehilath Anshe Maariv and at the time the city clerk in the administration of Mayor John Wentworth, presented Abraham Lincoln with a unique American flag.
Harry Fischel: Orthodox Jewish Philanthropist Par Excellence (Part I)
The front-page essay "The Multimillionaire Who Remained True to Orthodoxy" (Jewish Press, April 28) dealt with the early life of Harry Fischel.
Teaching Secular Subjects Is Not Optional
Yeshiva Rabbi Jacob Joseph became the model on which other American yeshivas – such as Chaim Berlin and Torah Vodaath – based their curricula.
Bilhah Abigail Franks: Early American Jewish Matriarch
In general, little is known about Jewish women who resided in America during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Two exceptions are Rebecca Machado Phillips[i] and Rebecca Gratz[ii]. Another is Bilhah Abigail (Levy) Franks.
Adolphus S. Solomons: Forgotten 19th Century Communal Activist
There are many observant Jews who contributed much to secular and Jewish life in America and yet have, unfortunately, been essentially forgotten. One such man is Adolphus Simson Solomons (1826-1910).
The Jews Of Nevis And Alexander Hamilton
The sister islands of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis lie about 225 miles southeast of Puerto Rico in the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean. Nevis, the smaller of the two islands, is elliptically shaped and has a land area of approximately five by seven miles. When Christopher Columbus spotted this eight-mile-long island on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, he mistook its cloud-shrouded mountains for icy peaks and named it Nuestra Se?ora de las Nieves (Our Lady of the Snows).
The Gomez Family
The Gomez family was one the foremost Jewish families in New York during colonial times.
Early History Of Jews In Chicago
In 1845 the first Jewish organization in Chicago was established under the name of the Jewish Burial Ground Society.
Preserving Baltimore’s First Synagogue (Part I)
While it is not known precisely when Jews first settled in Baltimore, we do know that five Jewish men and their families settled there during the 1770s. However, it was not until the autumn of 1829 that Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, whose Hebrew name was Nidchei Yisroel (Dispersed of Israel), was founded. This was the only Jewish congregation in the state of Maryland at the time, and it was referred to by many as the “Stadt Shul.”
The Founding Of Yeshiva Etz Chaim
Between 1881 and 1924 approximately two million Jews immigrated to the United States, primarily from Eastern Europe and Russia.
Brooklyn Yeshivas In The 1930s (Part I)
Today Brooklyn is fortunate to have a large number of yeshivas and Bais Yaakovs that span the spectrum from Modern Orthodox to haredi and chassidic.
The Early Day School Movement in America (1786 – 1879)
The newly arrived immigrants as well as some of the native American Jews refused to send their children to secular schools permeated with Christian influences.
Early Caribbean Jewish Communities (Part I)
Places like Barbados, Curacao, Jamaica, Tobago, the Lesser Antilles, and St. Eustatia probably conjure up, in the minds of many Jewish Press readers, visions of vacation resorts.
Rabbi Yehuda H. Levenberg, Torah Pioneer
In his capacity as chief rabbi he was no longer associated with any particular shul and would speak each week on a rotating basis at a different shul in the community.
Building And Dedication Of The Newport Touro Synagogue
The January installment of Glimpses Into American Jewish History discussed the early Jewish settlement of Newport, Rhode Island.Even as the Newport Jewish community developed, its numbers were always small, especially compared to Jewish communities today. Indeed, despite growth during the middle part of the 18th century, there were probably never more than 100 Jews residing in Newport.
The Life Of Rav Shimon Schwab (Part III)
Needless to say, a cool, calm and wise Rabbi Schwab soothed things over, as he had done on so many other occasions.
The Jewish Settlement of Savannah, Georgia
London, in the late 1720's was overflowing with peoples of many origins.
Rabbi Aryeh Leib Malin And The Mir Yeshiva
During this period, Rabbi Malin became especially close to the Brisker Rav, who took a special liking to him.
Rabbi Dr. Leo Jung: A Leading Light Of 20th-Century Modern Orthodoxy
With his combination of yeshiva and secular education, he was the ideal person to articulate Orthodox Judaism to a generation of Upper West Side, American-born men and women eager to accommodate Judaism with American culture and values.
American Jewry And The 1840 Damascus Blood Libel
Anyone familiar with Jewish history knows of the blood libels that have been used against Jews for centuries.
Jewish Education In America Circa 1870
During the nineteenth century a large number of American Jews abandoned traditional religious observance. This led to the United States being dubbed “di treifene medina” (the irreligious land).
Reverend Abraham de Sola: Scholar Extraordinaire
The name de Sola appears prominently in the annals of Spanish Jewish history. The de Solas may have settled in Andalusia (in southern Spain) as early as the sixth century.
Early Jewish Religious Observance In New York
In 1927 Captain N. Taylor Phillips1 delivered an address before Congregation Shearith Israel in New York in which he recalled some of the history and traditions of early New York American Jewry. His recollections give fascinating insight into Jewish religious life in America when the community was still in its infancy.
The American Indian: Descended From The Ten Lost Tribes? (Part I)
There were many who believed that some North America Indians were descended from Jews.
Bringing Torah Education To Baltimore
There are those who have the foresight to establish institutions that leave a lasting impression on Klal Yisrael. One such man was Rabbi Abraham Nachman Schwartz, who founded Yeshiva Torah ve-Emunah Hebrew Parochial School in Baltimore.
Rev. Samuel Myer Isaacs: Champion of Orthodoxy (Part I)
Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are from “The Forerunners – Dutch Jewry in the North America Diaspora” by Robert P. Swierenga, Wayne State University...
Reverend Henry Pereira Mendes: Orthodox Stalwart (Part I)
Beginning around 1840 the Reform movement began asserting itself as a major force in American Judaism. Indeed, with the rising tide of Reform during the nineteenth century it looked as if Orthodox Judaism might disappear. Many synagogues that had been founded by observant Jews and had remained for years true to halacha found their memberships increasingly calling for the institution of reforms and the abandonment of commitment to authentic Judaism.
The Hays Family Of Westchester County
Early American Jewish history is unfortunately replete with examples of observant families who came to America and, within a relatively short period of time, not only abandoned much of their commitment to religious observance but even had the sad experience of having some of their children intermarrying and assimilating. One family that did not follow this trend was the Hays family.
Manuel Josephson, Orthodox American Patriot
Last month we sketched the life of Manuel Josephson (1729-1796), who immigrated to New York in the 1740s. Manuel was one of the few learned Jews residing in America in the 18th century. His talents were recognized by Congregation Shearith Israel, and he served on the synagogue’s bet din for several years and as its parnas (president) in 1762. He earned his living as a merchant.
Rebecca Gratz: Champion Of The Unfortunate
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the lives of most women were centered on family matters. Rebecca Gratz took a very different course. She never married, but instead "devoted her adult life to providing relief for Philadelphia's underprivileged women and children and securing religious, moral and material sustenance for all of Philadelphia's Jews.