Letter from Morais, Sabato to May, Lewis; Ellinger, M.; Mayer; Isaacs, S. Philadelphia, PA; May 1876
- Title
- Letter from Morais, Sabato to May, Lewis; Ellinger, M.; Mayer; Isaacs, S. Philadelphia, PA; May 1876
- Date Created
- 14 May 1876
- Format
- 3 pages on 2 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 2, Folder 3
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3cc0vc9t/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3cc0vc9t
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx2FF3_46.xml
- content
-
Messrs Lewis May, M Ellinger, & Mayer S. Isaacs.
Philadelphia May 14th 1876
Gentlemen
The Hebrew Ministers in our city, to whom your communication was directed, met last evening at the rooms of Y M H W. Having appointed the Revd Dr Samuel Hirsch chairman, and S. Morais secretary, they proceeded to discuss the various questions you have asked. The following is substantially their reply.
1. It is, by all means, advisable, instead of establishing a separate college in which secular as well as Hebrew learning shall would be imparted, that chairs for the teaching of sacred literature be founded in some well-known American university
2. The studies pursued ought to be: (a) Select portions passages of the Talmud with commentarie (b) The most difficult chapters passages of the poetical books of the Bible, elucidated by the researches of modern critics. © The chaldaic lan--guage, and, as far as attainable, that of the Arabic and kindred tongues. (d) Practical exercises in homelitics.
These studies should be divided into different courses, allowing those students who simply wish to qualify themselves for the position of Hebrew instructors to omit a portion thereof.
3. Before entering the University to pursue the studies afore-mentioned, scholars should have learnt, (a) the historical books of Holy Writ, in the original, (b) the least difficult passages out of from the Prophets and Psalms (c) the rules of Hebrew Grammar (d) one treatise of the 1st volume of Maimonides (Yad hacaza kah), attesting their ability to read understandingly without punctuations.
4. [?] attending high-schools, and having received some knowledge of Hebrew in institutions attached to or disconnected from their respective congregations, shall attend in the afternoon or evening, such schools, in which the branches designated above are imparted. To establish schools of that character, and carry them on successfully, committees in each city where con-gregations contribute towards the furtherance of the present object, should be appointed to direct, su-pervise, and secure a uniform plan.
5. Competitive examinations are deemed an efficient mode of exacting emulation, and hence, progress in
the study of the holy language
6. With the exception of the chairman (the Revd Dr S. Hirsch) the ministers present at the meeting, namely Drs Jastrow and Elllen, & Messrs Jacobs & Morais, considered the question of establishing a college, or of chairs for the branches named in (1) totally premature, and consequently impracticable for the present time. - Identifier
- p3cc0vc9t
- identifier
- SMBx2FF3_46
Part of Letter from Morais, Sabato to May, Lewis; Ellinger, M.; Mayer; Isaacs, S. Philadelphia, PA; May 1876
Morais, Sabato et al., “Letter from Morais, Sabato to May, Lewis; Ellinger, M.; Mayer; Isaacs, S. Philadelphia, PA; May 1876”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed October 18, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/88924