Letter to Isaac Leeser;May 21, 1843 · Isaac Leeser Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Letter to Isaac Leeser;May 21, 1843

Contributor

Isaac Leeser

Location(s)

Charleston

Philadelphia

Format

Letter. 4 page(s) on 6 sheet(s).

Type

Letter

Language(s)

English

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3g15tx51/manifest.json

Physical Characteristics

Unlined Paper

Manuscript

content

Charleston 21st. May 1843.
Revd. Isaac Leeser
Dear Sir
Knowing the deep interest you manifest in every thing appertaining to our people I have selected this opportunity ofor giving you an outline of the causes which lend to the present excitement and anarchy in our congregation. While I deeply deplore the circumstances which have lead to the above results I cannot but beleive that the final result will be beneficial, and will tend towards showing to the world that if a few zealous & perhaps well meaning men rashly break down the essentials which support our Holy Religion there are those (and many of them) who will cling to it the more closely the greater the attempts to innovate & reform it. You cannot reform the Jewish Religion—it is an absurdity. There are but two Religions taught in the Bible Judaism & Christianity if you break down the fences which support the former & which were built up by an almighty arm you must necessarily enter upon christian Ground. Every unbiased & reflecting mind will acknowledge this a just conclusion. But I shant tire your patience with any

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more remarks. But will relate the unhappy events which have just transpired
You are perhaps aware there are about 70 Yechidim (voters) of our congregation—among that member there are 18 or 20 ultra Reformers, about the same number satisfied with the present service & the Balance willing to go back to our old mode of service—although not objectionable but fearing further charges.
On the first day of the last passover the Rev G. Poznanski delivered an English discourse commemorative of the day &c. and at the close of the discourse spoke of the useless observance of the second day, that the exact time was now known & this being known positively by our almanacs the observance therefore of the second day was altogether useless & unnecessary. This annunciation caused great excitement and dissatisfaction 8 or 9 persons (among whom was Mr Moses) walked out of the Synagogue. The matter was talked of incessantly & discontent prevailed to an alarming extent. The Trustees met & a Preamble & Resolution discountenancing the action of Mr Poznanski was made & carried at this meeting of the Board. While in session a letter was received from Mr Poznanski regretting the excitement produced—claiming a prerogative that as the Trustees had requested him to

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Bretheren who were driven from the old Synagogue applied for Readmission with the privilege of a vote. The opposite party heard of this fact for it was not done secretly, & when 3 Trustees applied to the President Abraham Ottoler? to call a meeting (in accordance with the Constitution) to elect a President these gentlemen, The President refused to do so stating that a Petition had been presented to him signed by a constitutional member to call a public meeting—which he must do & that after said meeting he would call the Trustees together.
I must here observe that to call a public meeting for general purposes one third of the Congregation petitionary to the President he is empowered to call it. But to alter the Constitution one fourth of the congregation must petition to the Board of Trustees, before whom the petition must come for that purpose—when these gentl could have been elected
The meeting was called, The President stated he called the meeting in consequence of a Petition received signed by 26 members and would be happy to hear any remarks &c.
Mr. I N. Cardoza the editor rose & proposed the following Resolutions or rather the Basis of them I do not give the words.

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Resolved That the will of the majority is the fundamental law of all societies—civil political & Religious—
Resolved That the Trustees were elected under the implied assurance they would recognize this right
Resolved that sufficient presumptive evidence has been given to show that 4 out of the 7 of the Trustees—(I will give their names Abm. Tobias Sol Moses Isaiah Moses & Isaac Woolf) wish to elect a body of men termed seceeders whose aim is to break down the service now established & to turn out the Hazan, thus making a majority yield to the wishes of a minority.
Mr Cordoza endeavoured to sustain these Resolutions with real federal sophistry— Mr. Tobias answered him very ably and told him they were unconstitutional.
The last Resolution suspended the power of the Trustees & placed the government in the hands of the Prest & 5 men selected by him. It was here Mr Tobias noticed its unconstitutionality and told him that the meeting was not called for to alter the constitution, to be so, the Petition should come before the Trustees. This was argued at great length, some avowing their determination to trample on the constitution, & return to arnachy & nullification.

Revd Isaac Leeser
Philadelphia
Excuse errors &c
I have written in haste.

Identifier

LSTCAT_item130