Four Parashiyot before and after Purim (Shekalim, Zakhor, Parah, ha-Hodesh). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1897 · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Four Parashiyot before and after Purim (Shekalim, Zakhor, Parah, ha-Hodesh). Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. 1897

Author

Morais, Sabato

Date Created

1897

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 3

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p30k26w55/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p30k26w55

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx10FF3_5.xml

content

S. MORAIS,
546 N. FIFTH STREET,
PHILADELPHIA, PA.

97
The Sabbath before Purim
on the Alliance

This congregation doubtless remembers that I had made it my duty on the Sabbath preceding the feast of Purim, I had made it my duty to soli--cit the good will of Philadelphia Jews on behalf of the "Univer--sal Israelitish Alliance." Only within late years I discon--tinued that function, when for, I saw that by reason of an imprecedented influx of foreign Jews brethren, the demands on our local institutions of charity increased almost beyond the capacity of distributing alms. But my sympathy with that comprehensive organization has not waned, because I ceased asking that annual gifts be forwarded to it at this season. How could I ever grow indifferent to the Alliance, since its edu--cational work alone extends far and wide in localities, where wholesome instruction is most chiefly essentially needed? In the Orient especially, has its influence has proved of incalculable benefit. Upwards of seventy schools with an average attendance of over 16400 pupils owe to it their support. Boys and girls re--ceive a culture calculated to render them use--ful members of the community at large.

and besides the encouragement which it gives also to agriculture, the Alliance has recently established a Rabbinic--al Seminary at Adrianople in European Turkey. The aim and scope thereof are to raise Rabbis well equipped in secular, as well as theological learning, so that they may reflect honor on Judaism, and draw the young of this generation convincingly to it. The whole-souled Jewess, who worshipped with us till God called her to a heavenly reward, showed her ap--preciation of the Alliance, by her liberal request. Any of my brothers and sisters in faith enjoying affluence would deserve well of practical religion by taking copying Ellen Phillips as their a model of human benefaction. Now, as I am alluding to a friend of the Alliance, I surely need not say that the premature death of that prince of philanthropy--Baron Maurice De Hirsch--cast a gloom over the Alliance Institution, though I have reasons to believe that the grievous event, did not occasion a financial injury to the organization. The latter, however, may congratulate itself on this. because When the illustrious Adolph Cremieux passed away from earth, the presidency of the Alliance was en--trusted to Mr. S. H. Goldschmidt.

That generous Hebrew makes his gold flow plentifully in aid of the association entrusted committed to his watchful care. Not long ago, he devoted one hundred and seventy thousand francs to the erection of a new Jewish school at Constantinople. The attendance has since increased to four hundred scholars students daily. The Alliance grants it four thousand francs annually for its current expenses. Now: Quite superfluous it would be to recall the services which that far-reaching organization has rendered since 1860, and which is still unfortunately obliged to render to our maligned and maltreated brethren. Its endeavours are not always crowned with success; but at all events, by means of its monthly and semi--annual Bulletins, it keeps the reading world communities acquaint--ed with the iniquities perpetrated against us. It was only last July that the Chief of police at Mo--[?] in Russia, subjected an old and feeble Jew, named Hirsch Pewgner to the bastinado. Accused of having spoken of insulting words to a high prelate of the Greek Church, the unhappy man was dragged to a place of punishment.

There in the open air before a crowd, he was strip--ped and whipped--and, as, in by a mistake, of course!, instead of fifty lashes, the old Hirsch Pewgner re-ceived a hundred, he died soon after having been carried conveyed to a hospital. The brutal Chief of police was sentenced to six month's imprisonment, but the case was carried to a higher court and it re--mains yet unsettled. Such is the justice executed under the Christ-like protecting wings of the church like Greek Church. More harrowing instances I could cite from the Alliance Bulletins, but my object is not to sadden my hearers. I am only prompted by a wish to extoll deservedly praise the incessant exertion of the Alliance on be--half of Israel, so that at all events the Phila branch may not determinate. I may nevertheless be censured by some for extending my condemnation of to a whole Greek Church, instead of limiting it my adverse criticism to that of Russia alone. But I simply repeat what I positively know. Not many years have passed since in Corfu--the seat of a Greek archbishop--outrages were committed against some of our coreligionists, through the infamous charge of ritual murder about the coming month, when the Passover bread is being prepared.

Some of our coreligionists dreading a massacre,--instigated by the Greek Church--took refuge to Italian cities. Let it not be suspected by my talk that I deprecate the attempt which is just now being made by the Hellenes to free themselves from Mussulman rule. By From the instincts of my nature and from education I learnt to hail every effort to gain liberty. But as a Jew, guided by the light of history, I am obliged to acknowledge that while countries which boasted of their superlative Christianity--whether Catholic or Greek--roast-ed our people alive, or chased them away like pes--tilence, Ottoman Rulers opened wide the gates of their empire, offering an asylum to the hapless children of Abraham a dispersion. No wonder then that the Central Committee of the Alliance at Paris, re--ceived notice that on the 7th of last January the 7th, Moses Ha--levy Chief Rabbi at Constantinople, addressed the following letter to the Minister of Commerce and public works in the name of all the Turkish Rabbinate: the following lettered "Honored" Sir, believing that the Israelites established in Turkey owe the imperial government a debt of gratitude and fidelity fealty--a debt which imposes the sacred duty of liberally participating towards the increase of the amount

now raised for military purposes--I have hastened to direct all my colleagues and all our community, whether at Constantinople, or elsewhere, under the beneficent and generous protection of our Sovereign, to join, as far as it lies in their power, to in carrying out the measures adopted for obtaining the national subscription". With that letter the sum of fifty thousand piasters was forwarded and likewise the promise of a general expense from every Jewish congregation. Answering the letter of the Chief Rabbi, the President of the Military commission, wrote: Reverend Sir. "I have the honor to acknowledge your esteemed epistle in which the grand Rabbinate expresses its desire to participate in the subscription to be raised, for military purposes, enclosing in its name 50,000 piastres. The generous enclosure and the patriotic and sentiments that your eminent self and associates evince have been reported to his Majesty the Sultan, as the most striking testimony of the loyalty of your own self and of the Jewish people"

The entire community of Israelites eagerly responded to the appeal of the Turkish Rabbinate, some subscribing thousands; others tens of thousand, and private individuals sent individual of their their own accord free gifts amounting to large vast sums. Now, I fervently pray that the political sky of Europe now surcharged at present with murky clouds, may soon brighten up. War is an unqualified unmitigated curse, even when waged in na--tional defense, whether the battle field be redeemed with the blood of Christians or Mohommedans-- and the pending arbitration treaty, if passed, it will become universal indeed a triumph & a blessing. We, the disciples of the prophets who foretold a final universal peace as a summary of divine bene--dictions, should always beseech the Almighty for the bestowal of the greatest of blessings to nations and families [Hebrew]. I have cited what is happening in the country of Islam merely to show that we Jews appreciate the recognition of our man--hood wherever our lot was cast; that we value exceedingly beyond measure the inborn right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And I have also spoken this morning to pronounce give offer a meed of praise to the Universal Israelitish Alliance, which has proved a shield and a buckler, a master and a guidance.

Faithful to his motto [Hebrew] viz, Israel is a solidarity, every member being respon--sible for the conduct of the whole people; faith-ful to its significant design, two hands clasped in each other together beneath the word [Hebrew], the Alliance has tried to make us feel that whosoever pronoun proclaims God's unity [Hebrew] is our brother in religion, in history & in hope. May it ever be so.

Identifier

p30k26w55

identifier

SMBx10FF3_5