Letter from Dr. Jacob De La Motta to Isaac Leeser Regarding the Dispute at Beth Elohim Congregation, Charleston, South Carolina, circa Fall 1840

This incomplete three and a quarter page letter (8" x 10") is from Dr. Jacob De La Motta to Isaac Leeser, circa Fall 1840. De La Motta, a surgeon in the War of 1812 and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, describes the internal dispute at Charleston's Beth Elohim Congregation that led him to leave and form the Orthodox Shearith Israel congregation. The letter provides firsthand detail about the heated debate surrounding the introduction of organ music into services in July 1840, the subsequent division within Beth Elohim, and the eventual legal battle. The letter is incomplete, lacking the signature page. Isaac Leeser's later obituary of De La Motta in the Occident (4/1845) reveals his disapproval of De La Motta's actions. The letter also details the background of the dispute, including the vote to introduce the organ (46-40), the deaths of Nathan Hart and H. M. Hertz shortly after the vote, and the subsequent formation of Shearith Israel. The letter covers the ongoing conflict and the eventual court case, highlighting the deep divisions within the Charleston Jewish community over religious reform.

Associated People/Businesses

• LEESER, ISAAC
• De La Motta, Dr. Jacob

Geography

No geographic information available.

Subjects

• Synagogues -- South Carolina -- Charleston -- History
• Judaism -- Reform movement -- History -- 19th century
• Judaism -- Orthodox Judaism -- History -- 19th century
• Religious conflict
• Charleston (S.C.) -- Religious life and customs

Physical Location

Arc.MS.56, Box 3, Folder 4