Memorial service for Abraham Adler, late President of Hebrew Free Schools, Undated. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Memorial service for Abraham Adler, late President of Hebrew Free Schools, Undated. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated

Author

Morais, Sabato

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 11, Folder 12

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3jw87700/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3jw87700

Provenance

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

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx11FF12_1.xml

content

Memorial service for Abraham Adler
Late President of Hebrew free schools

Dear children. The occasion that has brought all of us together is solemn but sad. I will tell you what it is the reason for motiv cause of this large meeting very plainly, so that the youngest among you may understand what my I mean speech. I O don't know, however, why I was chosen to speak in preference to other gentlemen bet--ter able to do the subject justice from their personal intimate kno acquaintance with him about the person of whom I am about to speak. Perhaps the reason is because that they have heard that I am in the habit of talking to children every week, trying to make them feel how, after2 God, I1 depend upon them for the future of our holy religion in America; how I look forward to the time when they will grow to be men and women, and in their turn will do their utmost to keep up that religion among us, by their precept and example. But there may be another cause motive for the choice which the directors of your schools have made. They may have heard been told that I love the language in which our people offer their prayers to God, and that I rejoice very very much at each step taken to spread its knowledge, and that because I heartily rejoice at it, therefore

I feel thankful to Israelites, who work in any way shape whatever or form in order to make our little ones familiar with the Hebrew.
Now my children, I wish that you feel as I do towards a man who labored hard to give you the advantage of learning that which must be taught for the sake of Judaism and must be held for ever among us in our midst, you may at times have often noticed a white haired, tall, pleasant looking gentleman, come to your schools. He would address himself to you with kind words, reckon your number, inquire after your improve--ments, and occasionally sit down and examine boys and gur girls in the reading and translating of the Bible. That good man will not visit you again. Unfortunately he is dead. I don't mean to say unfortunately to himself; for his soul which can never die, is, no doubt, happy in the recollection of the noble deeds performed while it was connected with the body. Nor do I I say "unfortunately" as a complaint against the will of God. It is always right. I am sure certain that just as when the Lord gives so when the Lord takes away, He wants to grant us blessings. which WE may not see immediately but which that they are real blessings, but we will in the by2 and bye1 find it out to have been real blessings and even if we don't we have the assurance of reason and revelation that the Almighty so just [?] us, and

He will not afflict us but with for the object purpose of improving us, as a father who chastises his child to make him behave better, so that he may become grow to be a pleasure to himself and an honor to so--ciety. But I call the loss which we have had lately a misfortune, because as I cannot look far into the future, I think that we could scarcely spare our dear friend and president Mr Abraham Adler. I think that we needed him greatly to help us in carrying out an important object. So active he was, so full of energy, so willing to give and induce others to give for the establishing of free Hebrew-schools situated in different parts of our city. Why, my dear boys and girls, he himself, though old and very busy in the affairs of a large store he kept, got for us recently fifty subscribers, so that we might offer children who live far up town a chance to receive sacred instruction. It was only this week that I spoke about2 our loss. to1 a lady who who takes a lively interest in religious matters. She told me from her own personal knowledge, that whenever the subject of Jewish schools of any kind was broached in the presence of our late venerable friend, he invariably listened with attention, and showed his readiness to lend assistance.

I am positive that if he were living, he would grant us the benefit of his means and advice in to the promotion of the plan which we wish to carry out.
My children. Philadelphia is a very large place. People suppose that there are about five thousand Jews living in it. But I believe that more than that number can be met. Particularly if we travel all over I mean in the outskirts of the town city, and in the suburbs, in Frankford and in Germantown. Now, we want that hundreds of little boys and girls settled there may get gain, like yourselves the knowledge of Hebrew, and not alone of Hebrew, but likewise also of the history of and the rules of our religion. We want furthermore to establish there sewing schools, as that which Mrs Van Beel very ably directs, and which is a pleasure to visit eve on Sunday afternoon. as those kindly and effectively superintended by Miss Phillips and Miss Cohen We want to get up Sunday morning schools, where short prayers and portions of the Scriptures are read, and short brief and early lectures may be are delivered on the history and characters of the men of the Bible. It is indeed very important that we do all that, because Judaism can alone be kept up only by knowledge. God forbid that you should be brought up in ignorance. See! We live among Christians, who don't believe in One undivided God as ourselves, and don't observe the commandments of the law of Moses; they may talk you into your giving up the beautiful path of Abraham the father of our people

and the holy ordinances of our prophets. They may coax you to change the Synagogue for the church, and you not knowing which is the right, because you had not learnt anything the truths of your religion, you may forsake your parents and go turn traitors to your your backs on their God. You couldn't help it then, for you were never shown how the Almighty intended that we Jews should by degrees bring the whole world to acknow--ledge that He is the only Being we must offer our prayers to, for He is the Creator, and the Saviour kind Providence, the Forgiver of our sins and our Redeemer. But we your elders must help it. We must have schools in plenty, so that not a child born of a Jewish father and mother in Philadel--phia shall have an excuse for not having learnt being acquainted with his duties. But to do it, money is needed and persons who will give their time and their hearts to the work are required. Our lamented friend Mr Abraham Adler, could be spoken it to and he would have aided assisted us greatly materially, for he was very fond of laboring to that end. And because he was so good you should remember him with gratitude. But do you know how you can do his soul pleasure? show thankfulness and procure the soul of your deceased friend gratification? By drawing the right deriving a proper ad---vantage of from the opportunity chance he has given you to learn; by stu--dying much and behaving perfectly. Oh! I cannot bear to think of the discredit you would bring on his name,

if after all his endeavours you should gain no know--ledge of our Bible and of its language, because you wouldn't pay attention, or because you were unruly and your teachers had to spend time in keeping you from mischief, or--what wold be a more general evil--because your bad conduct would so displease the good people who take an interest in the three schools now existing that they wouldn't have anything more to do with them. Never, my children. Honor the memory of the venerable Abraham Adler by a regular and punctual attendance, by an excellent deportment and by application to your task. Honor his memory so, and he who is now in heaven enjoying his reward in the presence of God who will pray that you may be blessed with minds to un-derstand the right, and with hearts to practice it. Your future, my dear children as men and women in Israel was a matter of deep concern to our deceased friend. May he see from heaven that our rising generation in Philadelphia will show prove their wisdom by walking in the way of the Lord, keeping his precepts, his statutes and testimonies and ordinances as He commanded unto our fathers.

And you good teachers instructors of these young creatures, whom Abraham Adler late President of this institution committed to your charge tuition, permit me to ask urge that you will not be discouraged by difficulties. Redouble your activity and perseverance. Bear with the faults of childhood, and draw these little ones by the rule of affection to the fountain of the God's Law. Make them love the word of inspiration and the lan--guage in which it has been transmitted. Your charge is a weighty as it is holy. You are I must hope impressed with its importance and sanctity. You are well aware that pecuniary remuneration cannot adequately repay our public instructors teachers. Their services are priceless have a value beyond price that of rubies. They are the guardians of religion, Then women who labor for religion have been turned God's agents, the sentients at the citadel of truth, or as the Talmud calls them [Hebrew] "city watchers." Be thus. Reserve for us this ge--neration and yours will be the merit of which you may boast in the allegorical language of the Rabbis.
[Hebrew] "Those whom we have trained are replete with sacred know--ledge, and rich in virtues."
And you respected directors of the Hebrew free schools of Philadelphia, you that have convened this meeting

to honor the your dead colleague, continue to benefit the living. Much you have done, and this large assem--blage proves testifies it. But infinite more is still left for you to accomplish. I have hinted already at yours self-imposed and sublime undertaking. You are pledged to it, you will not pause till it be car--ried out. Like David of old each of you should vow not to give himself rest, till he finds places for spots for the dwelling service of the Lord, ta--bernacles for the Mighty One of Jacob [Hebrew] [Hebrew] Schools are high altars to God, colleges are sanctuaries to the Most High. For the knowledge therein early imbibed is lasting in its effects. The din of business may in after life may hush the voice of conscience, but it cannot deaden it; the tumult of the passions may drown its sound, but it will eventually rise powerfully strong and summon us back to the path of righteousness. May yours be the merit of having checked the progress of ungodliness, and promoted the spread of piety; may it be your lot to have also restored to Philadelphia the priority hope supremacy to which it is entitled for having first striven to uphold the faith by the dissemination of sacred learning. With all my heart I wish you God-speed.

And thou imparadised spirit of Abraham Adler, accept this religious communion to day as a token of appreciation of thy noble deed while thou wast clothed in flesh. May our prayers be propitiatory of divine favor, for the remission of sin, for the hastening of a more happier propitious era to Judaism, and for the redemption of all who believe and hope in the salvation of the one ever living and ever gracious Lord. Here follows the Hashcabah.

Identifier

p3jw87700

identifier

SMBx11FF12_1