Letter from Unknown Author to Unknown. Place of Composition Unknown; Undated
- Title
- Letter from Unknown Author to Unknown. Place of Composition Unknown; Undated
- Date Created
- 11 May 1877
- Location(s)
- United States -- District of Columbia -- Washington
- United States -- District of Columbia
- Format
- 8 pages on 5 sheets
- Language(s)
- English
- Source
- Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies
- Sabato Morais Collection, Box 2, Folder 4
- Has Format
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3t43jn9f/manifest.json
- Link to Colenda
- https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3t43jn9f
- Provenance
- Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.
- Is Format Of
- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx2FF4_33.xml
- content
-
Washington D. C. [Hebrew] May 11th 1877
Rev. S. Morais
Revd Dear Sir!
Just now I find a quiet half an hour to write you a letter to my heart's content. I must ask you in advance to prepare yourself with a goodly amount of patience as I am determined to tell you almost everything I know in the way of personal and general news. Let me com,mence with myself.
As much as I prefer to address you in Hebr. yet I fear I do not possess the fluency of writing on so many various subjects, and therefore address you this time in English. Perhaps this is a curious confession in a Hebrew minister but as you have already seen specimens of my writing, I think you will judge me charitably and confess that compared with others of equal age & better standing I can stand my ground. Besides to use your own words „it is only by dint of constant practice we can prosper.„ And I to my shame confess I have not practiced and consequently lost many of my earlier ability of writing the Hebr. It will please you to learn I am progressing finaly. My congre„gation apparently like, I would say love, me and they deeply appreciate any of my efforts in their be,half. Our late Fair, gotten up through my efforts, netted them 1000 dollars and they recognized my efforts in a handsome set of parlor furniture & carpet Financially I am little better off than in Philadelphia, ex,cepting that I live comfortably & without trouble. My school is prospering, the children are learning well, as please God I will be able to prove at the exa,mination, Sunday after [Hebrew]. I will send you an account thereof at the proper time. My ser,mons are (according to my critic's Mr. Wolf's opinion)
are gradually improving. After reading my last printed effort, which I regret you did not peruse carefully, he emphatically assured me that I need not be afraid of making my way in this country. That this was no flattery I am convinced, since at the same time he pointed out to me several mis,takes in style & language. I need not tell you I study day & night, and the more I study the more I like it I know this will please you, as there is not a shadow of doubt in my mind that you take a lively interest in my welfare. All I pray for is, that I will continue to deserve it. Here I must state to you, which I have already done quite imperfectly in a former letter, that my religious convictions have underwent con,siderable since I left you. I have carefully weighed and studied the subject, read various works pro & con and I now have arrived at the conclusion, which henceforth will be in me firm and unshaking, that the safeguard of all religions consists and in a strict conservative course. Bringing this into practice with our own dear religion I firmly hold, that while I nevermore can be an ardent advocate of ultra-orthodoxy, Judaism can never thrive under the present radical system, which professes to leave the ancient doctrines untouched and simply aims at changes in ceremonial worship It is not so. There is a serpent pawing at the heart of our religion everywhere, a serpent called indifference, in a disease superinduced by too radical teachings, Catholicism retains its hold by its orthodoxy, Methodism ide[?], and if Judaism
has [Hebrew] lost its hold in its worshiper's it is because its conservative tendencies have been tampered with. And yet, singular phenomenon, orthodox Judaism is vastly disappearing from the face of the earth. Even in my own congregation, to whom I constantly, like Cato with his carthago delenda esse[?], preach that conservatism is our only stronghold, there is a little commotion, which ultimate theaters to become a great uproar. I will picture to you the state of affairs, but of course in the strictest confidence. There are three parties in our little commu,nity. The first & strongest party is composed of a set of as intelligent gentlemen as there is to be found in this country. They are not at all orthodox but are rather tolerant in order not to encroach upon the religious convictions of the other two parties. Still they among themselves regret the hyperorthodoxy, which compels them to recite long [Hebrew], without they un,derstand them & which unnecessarily prolong the already too lengthy services, and while they would not advocate an organ, they would love to see some abbreviation in the prayerbook. This party as stated before, keeps itself aloof of any controversy, simply contenting themselves with paying their dues. The general government of school & congr. however is in their hands, and they always act like gentlemen just & fair. The second party, who have no leader, but consists of a set of ignorant Polanders, who see in every trifling departure from lan centenarian landmarks a transgression against the Lord. They are however easily to be ruled and willingly listen
to my advice. They profess to like me and I believe they do. I forgot to mention that the neutral party are my sup,porters one & all. The thin party is dangerous. They con,sist of a few ignorant Bavarians, with empty heads, illitirate, without culture & a good deal of brass. They, so to say, pull God Almighty by his ears from Heaven. I never in my life saw more superstitious and bigoted race, and although I am on good terms with all except their leader, who voted against my election, because he saw me take a drink at a friend's house bareheaded, yet I do not like them for I am disgusted with their bigotry, and any attempt of mine to convince them would tend towards vigorous opposition. Now, strange to say, there is constant war between the second & third parties, war to the knife & why? Because both of them are a set of ignorant men. A Polander for instance contends that [Hebrew] must be said after [Hebrew], a Bavarian contends the reverse, and there is war. Constant Bitter feeling & animosity has this present moment become so frequent, that there is fear of a rupture, which I may yet be able to avert, owing to my influence with the neutral & Polish party. Between us, I think it would be a blessing for the congregation if these foul Bavarians would leave. The polish people are tractable, they aren ot & never will be. Their leader, a Mr. Oppenheimer, a man of sixty, who has had as much Jewish or other education as my baby-boy, has already at my arrival denounced me as a reformer, without the least pro,
(5
vocation. This [Hebrew] is a firebrand, a man who has no peace and constantly troubles the congregation. He is on intimate terms with the sexton, a Russian, a Mephisto in disguise. This fellow, who was jealous of my election has been dogging my footsteps, and instead of keeping on friendly terms with me has also denounced me for not being hyper orthodox. Thank God, the congregation have always sustained me against this scoundrel, who is just at present under charges for incapacity & slandering the members. It is actually deplorable to behold these two orthodox wings consuming each other and battling for what they call [Hebrew], but which is actually [Hebrew] for their first threat is always to break up the congre,gation. As I said before I may be able to avert the danger, but if they are bound to leave so much the better, for then the congregation will be ridden of turbulent spirits and many others will join, who refrain at present, owing to their dislike of these fellows. I have to do actual pioneer work in order to bring the con,gregation in proper standing, but with the help of my God, I shall not shrink of doing my whole duty. My position is secured, unless their numbers would considerably diminish, but this I fear not, for neither party is strong enough to have a congregation of their own, and they are too pious [?] to remain without a shool. The attendance on Friday evening and Sabbath is all I could wish for. We have regularly from fifty to sixty worshipers, which numbers is still greater on Holy days. The decorum ought to be better. I cannot conceal to myself that the fact of my lectures being more substantial
than those of my colleague's draw them to our Synagogue. On the whole my position in Washington is as pleasant & comfortable as I could expect, & had I but three hundred dollars a year more Salary, I would never want to change. The only drawback is just, what I have explained to you, the weakened condition of orthodoxy and its rapidly dying out through the fault of its own partisans.
Enclosed you find a letter from an old friend, Heham[?] Charbon. The old gentleman is already two weeks in W. but has met with decided ill-luck, the people at large having no sympathy with his cause. He is my guest, and has insisted upon sending you a letter. He makes no friends here, for he has the same fault that unfortunately so many have, his tongue is just a bit too long. He upbraids the people for not giving him enough, and this of course, pre,possesses them against him. If you will be kind enough to answer, within 48 hours he will receive your response. Between us, I will be glad if he is once safely ensconced in a Pullman car. Apropos of travellers, last week I was cheated nicely. Mr. Lazarus, a kind of teacher whom you must know, paid me a friendly [?] visit. He told me a pitiful story, to which I paid no attention. All he demanded was his fare to Philadelphia. The chacham being my guest, I told him I could not retain him in my house, but gave him money, insisting upon it he should go to a Kosher Boarding house of which I gave him the address. From Thursday to Sunday
he bored me with the good reports of his hostess whom he depicted as every thing noble etc. On Monday morning he left. Tuesday morning after service (Jahrzeit of a member) I notion came over me to run over to Mrs. Weyl & ask her, whether the stranger had paid his board. On questioning her, I found that he was never had been there at all!
I think, dear sir, I have taxed your patience long enough already. I could write much more filling lots of pages, but I reserve to myself the pleasure. In the mean time I shall be honored with your response, if you deem one necessary. I send you the respectful respectess regards of my family & add my profound wishes for your health & well being. And in the hope to hear soon from you I remain
Very truly Yours
Jacob Voorsanger
NB. It seems as if Mr. Cardozo of Charleston were as innocent as a one day old baby. I shall write particulars in my next.
JACOB VOORSANGER,
615 I Street Northwest,
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Rev. S. Morais
538 North Fifth Str.
near below Green Str.
Philadelphia
Pa. - Identifier
- p3t43jn9f
- identifier
- SMBx2FF4_33
Part of Letter from Unknown Author to Unknown. Place of Composition Unknown; Undated
Voorsanger, Jacob and Morais, Sabato, “Letter from Unknown Author to Unknown. Place of Composition Unknown; Undated”, Sabato Morais Digital Repository, accessed September 19, 2024, https://judaicadhpenn.org/legacyprojects/s/morais/item/90611