Letter from Aaron Wolff to Isaac Leeser;August 25, 1850
- Title
- Letter from Aaron Wolff to Isaac Leeser;August 25, 1850
- Author
- Aaron Wolff
- Contributor
- Isaac Leeser
- Date Created
- 25 August 1850
- Format
- Letter. 4 page(s).
- Type
- Letter
- Language(s)
- English
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3348h27t/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3348h27t
- Physical Characteristics
- Lined Paper
- Wax Seal
- Manuscript
- content
-
St. Thomas 25 August 1850
Revd I Leeser
Phila
My Dr Sir
I find by one of the Occidents recd from you by Simmonds that you had returned from New Orleans—I have not received my pack nor the small catechisms wrote for let me ask you to look after it. I requested you to subscribe to the Asmoneon for me pray let me know if you have done os, if inconvenient I will apply to Mr Isaac's
I am glad to find that your Congregation is indisposed to lose your valuable & long services I trust you will come to an understanding
Government has made a stir of our having a Minister which I think the congregation will be obliged to listen to; left to them, their children would grow up in complete ignorance, as we have no person competent to teach the Hebrew, they have gone back sadly since Mr Nathans departure, I have done all I could to get one, but what can one do against a ?, the danger to the congregation is imminent for already some of the children are going to a Christian clergyman's school while the Lutheran, Protestant, & Dutch Reformed Parsons have formed a union for distributing trachs which they send from house to house.
see how exposed we are, all for the sake of a few dollars—wont you say something on it—
I regret to add that my Son Jacob arrived from Panama in a deplorable state of illness he is a trifling better, but doubt if he will ever become a sound man
With best wishes I rem Dr Sir
yours truly A Wolff
the congregation can will pay for a minister for the members are better off than they were 2 years ago. the children have forgotten all that Mr Nathan taught, nay very few can say then a word of Hebrew & if it continues, the lang Hebrew language will be entirely lost, many young men called to the law cannot repeat the blessing we are going back ? to when Mr Carillon found us—the Sunday School has also falling off exceedingly only 40 at present of which 14 are my nieces nephews & grand children, ? as to the state of elementary schooling in the poor children it is deplorable, nor will any join me in the expence of instructing them do say something on it—the congregation has no greater opponent than your friend Simmonds whose hatred & malice of me instigates him to oppose every thing good that I propose, you will think it
strange that he would get others to join him, but he does, altho' they condemn his conduct—so every thing is going to the old way—the Synagogue is badly attended, a great many remain away that attended who used to come when they could hear a Sermon
I forgot to state that Simmonds never proposes any thing; if he did & it was good I would not hesitate to join him;
The minister of public instruction in Copenhagen has stirred into our affairs thro' Dr Levison second minister of that congregation he is desirous of coming here. I have sent in my declaration to Government exposing our situation & wants—which I trust will have some weight.
There was no package for me on board the Radius that brought the Occident for Simmonds
Revd Mr Leeser
Philada.
via Balt.
The above text refers to Occident Volume 8 No. 3 pages 109 through 119. Click here to view. - Identifier
- LSDCBx1FF7_17
- Date
- 1850-08-25
Part of Letter from Aaron Wolff to Isaac Leeser;August 25, 1850
Aaron Wolff, “Letter from Aaron Wolff to Isaac Leeser;August 25, 1850”, 1850-08-25, Isaac Leeser Digital Repository, accessed September 7, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/leeser/item/64988