This book is a first edition of Joseph Solomon Ottolenghe's response to two pamphlets published by his uncle, Gabriel Treves. Ottolenghe, an Italian-born convert to Christianity, refutes accusations made by Treves regarding a debt and defends his conversion. Published in London by Edward Score in 1735, the work provides insights into religious conversion and family conflict in 18th-century England. Ottolenghe later played a significant role in establishing the silk industry in America.
Subject: Religious conflict
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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.
Five-page letter dated October 24, 1865, from Henry Illowy in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Isaac Leeser in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Illowy, the seventeen-year-old son of Rabbi Henry Illowy, rebukes Leeser for his criticism of his father and accuses Leeser of playing politics between Reform and Orthodox factions within American Judaism to maintain his position. The letter reveals tensions within American Judaism during this period.
Two-page letter written by Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise of Albany, New York to Rabbi Isaac Leeser of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 8, 1850. The letter details the events surrounding a conflict at Congregation Beth-El in Albany, including a physical altercation, the involvement of the sheriff, and the subsequent formation of a new congregation, Anshe Emeth. Wise requests that Leeser publish an announcement in the Occident about the new congregation and the resolution of the conflict.
A one-page letter written by J. Lanfirtz from Fort Wayne, Indiana to Isaac Leeser on November 23, 1865. The letter discusses the Reform Movement in Judaism, noting the bitterness and potential for lasting conflict between factions.
A one-page letter dated April 10, 1849, from Joshua Lavsano in Charleston, South Carolina, to Rabbi Isaac Leeser in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The letter details the internal conflict within Congregation Beth Elohim, focusing on the dispute over the form of religious services and the divisions between Reform and Traditionalist factions. Lavsano describes the unsuccessful attempts at reconciliation and the rejection of a proposed joint synagogue. This letter provides firsthand insight into a significant event in the history of American Jewish Reform.
A one-page letter written by S. Valentine, Secretary of the Shearith Israel Congregation in Charleston, South Carolina, to Isaac Leeser in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 6, 1854. Valentine discusses the conflict between Orthodox and Reform Jews in Charleston, noting the ridicule faced by Orthodox congregations but highlighting the flourishing state of Shearith Israel. He encloses the proceedings of the congregation (not included in this archival item).
Three-page handwritten letter from Samuel Hart of Charleston, South Carolina to Isaac Leeser, dated May 6, 1853. The letter discusses fundraising for books and Occident subscriptions, and expresses concern and criticism regarding Dr. Isaac Wise's appointment to a Cincinnati congregation, perceived as a triumph of Reform Judaism. Hart, a religious traditionalist and president of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, speculates on Wise's motives and beliefs. The letter provides insight into the religious tensions and debates within the American Jewish community in the mid-19th century. The letter is housed in the University of Pennsylvania Library's collection of Judaica Americana.