Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Nov 1889 · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Literary Production. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Nov 1889

Author

Morais, Sabato

Date Created

1 November 1889

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

10 pages on 4 sheets

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?

Language(s)

English

Source

Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Sabato Morais Collection, Box 10, Folder 8

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3s46hr0v/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3s46hr0v

Provenance

Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx10FF8_9.xml

content

123

On the explosion next door to the
Synagogue Nov./89

It must have been in the year 1858, or there-about, that in a lecture aiming to influence the Mickvé Israel Congregation in a special direction, I instanced as an illustration of my topic King David. I showed how the man destined to exchange the shepherd's crook for a royal sceptre, thankful because of the success he had personally met, and of the victories he had achieved in behalf of his nation, wished tangibly to prove his gra--titude to the Disposer of human events. He had built for himself a spacious habitation suiting royalty, but the place of God's wor--ship was still very plain and of small di--mensions. The son of Jesse lamented that the ark in which the ten commandments were enshrined, had only a pavilion for its dwelling, while he, who owed his elevation to the hea--venly author of those commandments, moved at ease in a palatial mansion. Fain would the recipient of Divine favors have raised a stately structure in honor of the Most High,

had not Nathan the prophet dissuaded him and promised the fulfilment of his heart's desire by means of his progeny. Impelled by that Biblical example, I drew the at--tention of my hearers to the fact that not a few among them had risen from lowliness to affluence, and that in a like manner as David, they had reared for their comfort commodious homes, while their house of prayer had remained continued for over three quarters of a century in a spot which time and surroundings had rendered un--fit for the holy purpose. Naturally, some of the elderly members of this Congregation--most of whom have been since summoned away from earth--deprecated the scheme of a removal which I ad--vocated urged. To the Cherry St. Synagogue, their parents had taken them in the days of child--hood; within its walls they were first called to the Law upon reaching their religious ma--jority; round the humble building whose remains we have preserved and put beneath this structure, clustered many reminiscences

sacredly joyful, or devotionally sad. It pained some of our men and women to leave that building, and I sympathised with their feel--ings. But the necessity for a removal change became imperative. All know the issue. In May of 1859, the corner stone of this comely edifice was laid, and in June of 1860, it was dedicated to the glory of Israel's God. At a an early stage of its early history, when the needs thereof were not adequately supplied, and I inef--fectually urged preached a liberal policy in order to free it from humiliating encumbrances, a female friend of mine to whom I expressed my regrets, charged me with having occasioned what I com--plained of. That good Jewess was already advanced in years, and she had parted reluc--tantly with the old Synagogue; hence her reproof at the mention of our financial decline. Moreover, it must be admitted that although the edifice we erected here, exceeds the former by far in ele--gance and imposingness, the improvement in the locality was not very perceptible. It was scarcely

perceptible appreciable from the start. Our representatives who chose it, understood well its object--ionable points, but they considered the spot central, and accessible to our congregants, both North and South of our city. How the Hebrew population of Philadelphia has spread during the period that we have met here to worship, all can easily see. The idea which prompted the selection has not had therefore a full realization. That we hold our own, and that, with rare exceptions, we miss the legal number to perform Divine services at other times and hours besides the mornings of Sabbaths and holidays, is indeed a source of gratulation. But if happily, despite drawbacks, our number has not diminished, the surroundings of our house of prayer have deteriorated beyond what might have been originally anticipated. Where dwellings stood, factories have sprung up. We are almost encompassed by them. It was to protect ourselves from a noise

which made the voice of the speaker nearly inaudible, that we raised a brick wall on the Northern side at a considerable expense which we could then ill afford, and we regret--fully darkened in a measure our own building. But if we shielded ourselves thus, in a measure, from an unpleasant neighbor, we could not ward off a greater evil that has already twice threatened us with severe consequences. A year ago, on a Sabbath day, an explosion of some combustible materials, shook this edi--fice, while I was reading the Law, causing a panic, which I could hardly check. Fortunately, no harm befell us, but where the accident happened one person was fatally wounded injured. Last Monday afternoon the same occurrence, in a more serious form, was attended with sorrowful results. Our city papers have reported it in details. I will not distress my hear--ers by an account of a painful nature, but the interests of our Sanctuary and the safety of those who worship therein demand of us

prompt action. We cannot prevent the rattling of cable cars, or the hammering on wood and stone, disturbing us particularly in summer when our doors & windows are open, but we must guard against what may shatter our building and imperil our lives. Upon hearing of the me--lancholy event, I lost no time to seek our acting President and urge that he will consult municipal authorities and ask the perempt--ory removal of too dangerous a laboratory next to our Synagogue. We are not prepared to leave it, because some ones, recklessly and unpardonably, use explosive substances but it is the bounden duty of the Mayor of Philadelphia to make our conventions on this spot free from the least danger. I have deemed it advisable to refer to the subject, in the hope that any one in our religious body weild--ing influence may exercise it to aid our re-presentative in bringing about the immediate removal of an object likely to spread destruction.

I am aware that in the mind of some of my constituents, the speediest way to rid ourselves of annoyances, is would be to quit these premises and build a synagogue in a more eligible locality. But were the suggestion even feasible, I still would not be prepared to advocate its acceptance. I am free to confess that I apprehend a change of place, which may force or foist in a change breeding disunion, and divesting this congregation of its venerable aspect. Very night thirty years have passed over our heads peacefully, if not prosperously from a material point of view, since we entered this minor sanctuary with psalmody. Notwith--standing that our services are capable of impro--vement in several instances, nevertheless I may presume to say that conservatism, looking to the maintenance of our faith, through faithful instruction, has continued to be our aim. We might have accomplished more with larger means at our command, but the activity of some of our men and women in the line of a

sensible progress has not abated. I do not feel certain that the changes which I fear would benefit those whom we wish to elevate, but certain sure I am that innovations would create difficulties which we have hitherto successfully avoided. But independent of ritual con--siderations, I would deeply lament a repetition of what I remonstrated against at the time of the raising of this structure. For I have always contended that the only method to pursue in erecting a house of God, is to be able in all honesty to inscribe upon each stone and brick thereof, "This belongs to the Lord". Experience should teach us, besides, how an opposite course might drag us to the verge of dissolution. For whatever be our shortcomings congregationally, we would never repudiate our indebtedness to individuals any more than to corporations, or compel the abandonment of one's just claims, to relieve our burden. Rather disperse than hold together as a religious orga-nization by irreligious means; by the violation of the eighth commandment of the Decalogue.

No: we are not ready to part with this holy edifice, though its environments detract of its imposingness, but we must use every endeavour to let our devotion--al gatherings remain undisturbed, for to worship God tranquilly is our right, as law abiding citizens of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Identifier

p3s46hr0v

identifier

SMBx10FF8_9