“In 1859 Benjamin undertook another journey, this time to America, where he stayed three years. The result of his observations there he published on his return, under the title Drei Jahre in Amerika (Hanover, 1863). The kings of Sweden and of Hanover now conferred distinctions upon him. Encouraged by the sympathy of several scientists, who drew up a plan and a series of suggestions for his guidance, he determined to go again to Asia and Africa, and went to London in order to raise funds for this journey – a journey which was not to be undertaken. Worn out by fatigues and privations, which had caused him to grow old before his time and gave him the appearance of age, he died poor in London [in 1864]; and his friends and admirers had to arrange a public subscription in order to save his wife and daughter from misery.”[vi]
Objections to a Proposed Monument
Arriving in New York on July 26, 1859, Yisroel ben Yosef Benyamin traveled extensively throughout the United States. Travel in the middle of the 19th century was both dangerous and arduous. To get to California, Benjamin II went by ship to Panama, the crossed the Isthmus by rail, and then on to California by sea. During his travels he spent time in a variety of small and large towns and cities. One must keep in mind that these travels were undertaken before the Continental Railroad was built.
Benjamin II finally arrived in New Orleans in early April 1860. He was well received by the Jewish community. Indeed, on April 19 he received a letter from an organization known as Hebrath Mashmie Yeshuah, (the Hebrew Foreign Mission) which read:
“I have the pleasure to inform you herewith of the following resolution, unanimously adopted by the Board of Directors of the Hebrew Foreign Mission, at their meeting on the tenth inst. It was decided that the sum of three hundred dollars be paid annually to Mr. Israel Joseph Benjamin from Falticeni in Moldavia from the treasury of this society, for three successive years, to defray the expenses of this seasoned traveler in his contemplated voyage to Arabia, Malabar and China for the purpose of discovering the condition of our fellow Jews in those lands and to report upon it; and the above sum, so granted, will be forwarded to the above-named Mr. Benjamin together with similar grants made by other corporations of this country, or through a consul in Europe.”[vii]
Within a few weeks, however, this resolution was revoked. Here is what happened.
On April 29, 1860 a considerable number of the Jewish residents of New Orleans met to discuss Benjamin II’s projected trip to the Orient. After discussing this matter, the attendees were informed that Nefutzoth Yehudah, the Portuguese congregation in New Orleans, was planning to set up statue of Judah Touro as a memorial to the man who had been a benefactor of so many institutions in the city. This statue would be cast in bronze and set up in the outer courtyard of the Portuguese synagogue. Assistance in funding this project was to be sought from the other synagogues in New Orleans as well as from congregations throughout America.
Benjamin II, shocked to hear of this proposal, asked for permission to speak. He said:
“Gentlemen, although I am only passing through the city and, therefore, have no right to take the floor in the discussion of community affairs, I see myself forced to express my views in this matter, because this concerns our religion, and in such a case every Israelite has the right to speak. When I was young I spent much time in Jewish studies and have recently seen four continents and have learnt something at first hand about millions of my fellow Jews. Nowhere did I see or find the statue of a Jew: because this is clearly against the principles of our holy religion.”[viii]