Letter from Lewis Abraham to Isaac Leeser;June 08, 1852

Title: Letter from Lewis Abraham to Isaac Leeser;June 08, 1852
Author: Lewis Abraham
Contributor: Isaac Leeser
Date Created: 8 June 1852
Location(s): Cincinnati; Philadelphia
Format: Letter. 4 page(s) on 2 sheet(s).
Type: Letter
Language(s): English
Has Format: https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p39882s2p/manifest.json
Link to Colenda: https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p39882s2p
Physical Characteristics: Unlined Paper; Manuscript
Is Part Of: Arnold and Deanne Kaplan Isaac Leeser Collection
content: Cincinnati June 8th 1852
Revd Isaac Leesor
Philadelphia Pa
Dear Sir The temporal affairs of the synagogue are so frequently under the eye of our spiritual advisers that those who are best informed on either head can give the best advice on both, with this view I am soliciting today from many of our public new information and opinions on a question that has been the cause of worse than injury to our public, institut-tions for it has invaded the domestic hearth The problem is Should our congregations (and do they usually) keep, rent, sell, lease or donate their seats or should they be free to all and how as to members, and non members, I am chairman of the committee to whom this nice question has been referred myself and associates are solicitous, that we present a law having the sanction of experience and statistics, doing equal and exact justice to all our members requiring the same from them towards the corporation its revenue and towards each other, for as I should have before remarked we already have the incubus of non seat holder and seat holder in our congregation, and I have started the question so that we may enter our new edifice with clean hands if even not with pure hearts n b this letter we must leave with our pastors (?) What I would wish from you is this 1st all printed and other recorded evidence as to how this subject is managed in Phila. and in other places where you have lived with remarks as to how it works 2nd your opinion as to how it ought to be managed

Your early reply will be valued In the multitude of counsel there is wisdom and though this question is a proper one for the laity yet affairs on this continent in Jewish legislation have been generally so thoughtlessly managed I am a little anxious and curious to learn what portion has had the most foresight
My excuse for not writing you at length must be that I have several letters of this tenor to write today besides yourself I address Revds S M Isaacs & I K Gutheim and Drs Wise, Raphael, and Lilienthal besides some of our laity conversant with the subject
With Sincere wishes
I am Yours Fraternaly
Lewis Abraham.

Revd Isaac Leesor
Philadelphia
Pa.
Identifier: LSKAP0142
Date: 1852-06-08

Part of Letter from Lewis Abraham to Isaac Leeser;June 08, 1852

Lewis Abraham, “Letter from Lewis Abraham to Isaac Leeser;June 08, 1852”, 1852-06-08, Isaac Leeser Digital Repository, accessed September 7, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/leeser/item/68309