Letter from Gershom Kursheedt to Isaac Leeser;April 12, 1849
- Title
- Letter from Gershom Kursheedt to Isaac Leeser;April 12, 1849
- Author
- Gershom Kursheedt
- Contributor
- Isaac Leeser
- Date Created
- 12 April 1849
- Format
- Letter. 4 page(s) on 4 sheet(s).
- Type
- Letter
- Language(s)
- English
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3cv4cc01/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3cv4cc01
- Physical Characteristics
- Unlined Paper
- Manuscript
- content
-
New Orleans April 12. 5609
Revd Isaac Leeser
My dear friend,
Yours 3d. inst to hand, for which I offer many thanks.
Since my last the congregation agreed to have a temporary place of worship opened. Mr. de Silva officiated on 1st days of Pesach & will continue so that after all my first proposition has been adopted.
I note your remarks about Gutheim. You are in error in thinking that you had previously answered my inquiries. Like myself you have been forgetful & not sufficiently explicit several times. I have always made full allowances for your inadvertence & knowing what I have recently undergone you ought to do the same for me. Respecting the inscription I am happy that you have given me right. With regard to the Organ, you “did the thing” just as I wanted it, neither too much nor too little.
You will please have the Hebrew made to ? into the ceiling of the ark, between the cornice & the sliding doors
Please procure a “Shophar” & also a Hanuca lamp.
Regarding the number of bells for the sepharim, please get even so 5 in all; the last two perhaps you may as well have made somewhat plainer if there is any great difference in cost; if not then let them be like others.
You will please have the table covers made as you pupise sixty three by forty four inches.
I believe I have said all that is necessary above. It is proper to add that as a matter of form I asked my old friend Mr Touro if he approved of the above to which he answered as usual that I must take the blame or credit of everything.
As to the convention I spoke of it to every Jew I met with & the German Congregation had already acted as I wanted mine to do but some of my wiseacres preferred taking two weeks to consider about it, so we hold an adjourned meeting next Sunday to decide on the matter. I shall insist on sending a delegate & I think when I talk to them as I intend to in opening the meeting, there will be little farther hesitancy.
I would have sent you a telegraph ie dispatch as you request, but on inquiry at the telegraph office find that the wires are down between Mobile & Montgomery so we would lose 2 & perhaps 3 days, therefore concluded to write by mail at once to day.
The Hebrew Benevolent Association at last annual meeting elected me President. They require some one to take the lead again for a while to get things straight, to draft a constitution & by laws fit for the government of such a society, & to procure a charter. I know there was great dissatisfaction & fearing that the society might be dissolved I accepted the office which I held from for the two first years of its existence. The duties are severe & take up a great deal of time if properly performed.
I have had two very disagreeable questions to decide & act upon in my congregation, which when we meet or I have more time I shall be happy to communicate & ask your opinion on my judgment & acts in the premises.
Will you be so kind as to inform me how L A Levy Jr. who married Isabella Levy of New York is affected by his legal though illegal marriage. He is a Levite & I presume his marriage is not recognized by us in calling him to “sephar” in “Schule”. Yet if we “do not go behind the curtain” he has a regular “Ketuba”. His offspring I know we regard as “momscien?”
He is a very good man but I will act according to our law to the letter. Do give my fond love to my dear little aunt husband &c when you see them & believe me yours sincerely
G. Kursheedt.
My worthy old friend Mr Touro received your letter in due course acknowledging receipt of draft. He desires me to forward his best respects to you I have to send this letter by the extra mail to Mobile may it reach you in the enjoyment of perfect health
Revd. Isaac Leeser
Philadelphia
Penna
In a week or two I shall know pretty well whether or not I shall see you in June. If I do not leave here I will write you at length on the subject of securing a lecturer for the congregation
truly yours I am
GK - Identifier
- LSTCAT_item88
- Date
- 1849-04-12
Part of Letter from Gershom Kursheedt to Isaac Leeser;April 12, 1849
Gershom Kursheedt, “Letter from Gershom Kursheedt to Isaac Leeser;April 12, 1849”, 1849-04-12, Isaac Leeser Digital Repository, accessed September 7, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/leeser/item/65201