USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Newport > The story of the Jews of Newport; two and a half centuries of Judaism, 1658-1908 > Part 7
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Another pair, by the same maker are engraved and embellished with flowers and foliage. Gilt bells are suspended from brackets. They were probably the gift of members of the Hays and Myers family as the inscription indicates.
One pair - hexagonal in shape - have some bells in arches though six bells are attached to chains. The tops are open and embossed with flowers. They likewise are inscribed "Hays and Myers" on the stems, and are the gift of the same donors.
The last pair, ornamental with flowers and foliage on the upper parts, has its gilt bells suspended from brackets.
Each pair is fourteen inches high.60
To complete the picture of the synagogue, we must mention the beautiful oil painting of the two tablets of the Law containing the Ten Commandments affixed to
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THE SYNAGOGUE
the eastern wall directly above the Ark. The tablets are surmounted by three crowns, bearing the Hebrew abbre- viations for "Crown of Priesthood, Crown of Royalty, and Crown of Law". These no doubt were to signify that the crowns must have, spiritual essence, and must emanate from the basis of spiritual life, the Ten Commandments.
Another painting of the Ten Commandments with old Spanish underneath each commandment and the imaginary likenesses of Moses and Aaron on each side was hung in another part of the building.61
Two semicircular mahogany boxes were affixed to the columns in the west, each bearing the inscription "Charity Box", and a clock, the gift of "Judah Jacobs, London, Anno Mundi, 5529",62 was hung on the western side of the balcony.
The whole interior of the building, with the exception of the domed ceiling which was blue, was painted white.
In due time "the Porch and the Capitals of the Pillars", alluded to by Stiles in 1763 as not finished, were completed; a stove for heating the building was installed; the oven to bake unleavened bread was built; and a table made, on which to knead the dough for the unleavened bread. The entire structure with all the necessities and conveniences of a house of worship and study was thus finished. When all was done and the disbursements for the building were added up, it was found that the expense had been no less than two thousand pounds sterling,63 a substantial sum of money in those days. The expense had indeed been greater
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THE STORY OF THE JEWS OF NEWPORT
than expected, but it was worth it. The synagogue was admirable. Jewish and non-Jewish eyes looked upon it with admiration and awe.
After vicissitudes of the strangest sorts, a few Marranos, having escaped the clutches of the holy Inquisition, were at last able to walk freely in a beautiful temple of God, a miniature of the temple of Jerusalem. "The weary ones, the sad, the suffering,
All found their comfort in the Holy Place And children's gladness and men's gratitude
Took voice and mingled in the chant of praise."
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Rabbi Haym Isaac Carregal.
CHAPTER VI
A GLIMPSE AT JEWISH LIFE
Eighteenth century Newport, more especially in the pre-Revolutionary period, was favorable to fervent religious life. Churches of all denominations sprang up over night. By 1771 there were nine houses of worship besides the synagogue in Newport.1 Services were well attended. Theology was a subject of conversation in the street and library. The shelves in the bookstores were filled with volumes on religious subjects. In the school the child began and ended his studies with prayers to God, and the Bible was the primer. To keep debate on dogmatic religion out of the Philosophic Society and to prevent discussion of church and synagogue affairs at other organizations, special provisions in the by-laws had to be made.2
As an example of the permeation of all life with the thought of God, we may quote the customary shipping form of the day :-
"Shipped by the Grace of GOD in good order and well conditioned by ( .) in and upon the good (sloop) Called the ( . ) whereof is Master,
under God, for the present Voyage, (. ) and now riding at anchor in the (Harbour of Newport)
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THE STORY OF THE JEWS OF NEWPORT
and by GOD'S Grace bound for ( . ) "And so GOD send the good (sloop) to her desired Port in Safety Amen."
Everyone walked with his God, and the Jews walked in the ways of their God.
The religious life of the Jewish community was centered around the synagogue. The synagogue was not only the nucleus, but it was the vital organ of Jewish communal living. The synagogue formed an indispens- ible part of the life of each individual Jew. Thither he sent his children to be educated in the lore of his ancestors, as well as in the knowledge of the three R's. Thither he came daily in the morning and in the evening; and on every Sabbath and Festival, Holy Day and day of Fast, joyful or sad occasion, he gathered with his brethren to pray there to his God. Here, too, came the needy from near and far, and they were well cared for in a dignified manner. The three things upon which the world is based, according to the dictum of the Rabbis, namely, Torah, Service and Charity, were the pillars of the beautiful synagogue in Newport of which the entire community, Jew and non-Jew, was proud. The synagogue was the educational center, the house of worship and the house of charity; and it served other Jewish communal needs as well, as time occasioned.3
How large a congregation did the synagogue house at this time? How large a community did the synagogue serve?
When the synagogue, was dedicated in 1763, there were no seats or pews there except: "A wainscotted
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A GLIMPSE AT JEWISH LIFE
Seat", running, "round Side of the Synagogue below, & another in the Gallery".4 The seating capacity was seventy nine.5 There were no other seats or pews per- manently installed until a much later date and in our own era, except for some movable wooden benches after the Revolution for the use of the General Assembly. It is apparent therefore that the synagogue, though extremely spacious, was not built for a large congrega- tion.
The size of the Jewish community of Newport in the eighteenth century has been grossly exaggerated by its admirers. In spite of the continuous influx of Jews into Newport which had begun at the end of the seventeenth century, the population of the city by the middle of the eighteenth century and later, on the eve of the American Revolution, remained comparatively small. According to some, a ship that sailed from Portugal to Virginia carrying a contingent of Marranos who escaped from their native land after the earthquake in Lisbon, sought refuge in Narragansett Bay from bad winds and its passengers settled in Newport in 1755.6 Others claim that Aaron Lopez wrote to Jeremiah Osborne who was in charge of a ship going from London to Lisbon and then back to the colonies, "Should any of my friends in Lisbon incline to come with you, I need not recommend you to use them with the same tenderness that I might expect myself from you".7 This was taken as evidence that Lopez induced forty Jewish families to settle in Newport.8 All are unanimous that by the time of the dedication of the synagogue there were from sixty to
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THE STORY OF THE JEWS OF NEWPORT
seventy Jewish families in the city.9 A decade later, some claim Newport harbored 1175 Jews of the 2000 in all the colonies, and that there were 300 worshippers at the synagogue at this time.10 Yet an observer of the dedication noted: "There may be Eighty Souls of Jews or 15 families now in town".11 This number seems to have been the same in 1755.12 The increase was gradual and slow. In 1764 Stiles wrote to London: "We have 15 or 20 Families of Jews here, almost the only ones in New England".13 In 1769 he noted. "There are now in Town about Twenty-five Families of Jews".14 And in 1770, in recording the various religious societies in Newport, Stiles gives the Jewish population as consist- ing of 30 families.15 Another contemporary in 1771 recorded the "number of Jews of all ages and sexes, 121".16 According to the official census taken by the order of the General Assembly on June 1, 1774, there appear to have been at that time in Newport about twenty-five families that can be identified as Jewish, a total number of 158 people. Of these, 46 were males over 16 years of age, 21 males under 16, 52 female persons over 16, and 39 under 16.17 This census, however, is not all inclusive. A number of Jewish people did not desire to submit to counting due to religious reasons. Hence, a number of Jewish families, who lived in Newport at the time, are omitted. We may note especially the Rivera family.
The principal families in town prior to the American Revolution were the families of Touro, Hart, Levy, Sarzedas, Lopez, Isaacs, Elizer, Pollock, Alvares,
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A GLIMPSE AT JEWISH LIFE
Lucena, 18 Hays, Seixas, Myers, Jacobs, , Simpson, Francks, Phillips, Mendes,19 Hendricks,20 Cordoza,21 Mark, Lyon,22 Benjamin, Moses23 and Rivera,21
The majority of the Jewish population in the city were of Sephardic origin, but a considerable number taking an active interest in the affairs of the Jewish community were of Ashkenazic stock. The Ashkenazic element came principally from Germany, though we noted that the Harts came from England, the Pollocks from Poland, while the Myers came from Austria and Hungary.
In affairs of the synagogue, the Sephardic element dominated because of their greater number and import- ance. The Ashkenazic members cooperated fully, so that harmony and accord existed at all times. 'The synagogue was deeded to Jacob Rodrigues Rivera the Sephardi and Isaac Hart the Ashkenazi. While Moses Lopez, a Sephardi, was President of the Congregation one year, Naphtaly Hart, an Ashkenazi, occupied the position another year. Beside the candelabrum of Aaron Lopez was hung that of Naphtaly Hart Myers, and beside those of Abraham Rodrigues Rivera, that of Jacob Pollock.
The ritual of the Synagogue, however, was completely Sephardic.25
The spiritual affairs of the community were in the hands of two members of the same family, Isaac and Abner Touro.26 The records are silent about Abner Touro. Nothing save the name has come down to posterity. The Reverend Isaac Touro was more fortu-
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nate. As we noted before, he came to Newport around 1759, at the age of twenty. He was very energetic in his leadership. Upon his arrival in Newport, the life of the Jewish community increased in spiritual vitality. It was to no small degree due to his efforts that the syna- gogue was built, and it was he who at the age of twenty- five dedicated the synagogue.
The Reverend Mr. Touro was very popular in the community. He was active in many organizations. He was a fine singer and had an extremely good character, giving hospitality to all that passed through the city as wayfarers. Amongst his friends he numbered many non-Jews as well as Jews, the most noted of whom was Dr. Ezra Stiles, who was later president of Yale University.
Touro and Stiles were on intimate terms with one another. They visited each other's homes, promenaded together in the streets of the city and discussed various scholarly topics such as theology, Biblical exegesis, religious doctrines and prophecies as well as current events.27 The only time Stiles dined with a Jew was in the house of Touro in the company of a visiting Rabbi.28 It was the Reverend Isaac Touro who taught Stiles the rudiments of the Hebrew language.29
Touro was the Chazan of the Synagogue. He chanted and conducted the services, read from the holy Scroll, and supervised the education of the youth. He was not a preacher.30 Touro is referred to by Stiles in his wri- tings as a "Chuzzan from Amsterdam", "Jew Priest", "Chazan", "Huzan". "Hazen", or just "Mr.". Only
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A GLIMPSE AT JEWISH LIFE
once in an early note when copying the item from the Newport Mercury referring to the dedication of the synagogue does he refer to him as "Dr.". He never calls him "Rabbi", or "Hacham", the Sephardic title of the Rabbi.31 On the memorial stone erected to the mem- ory of the Reverend Mr. Touro by his son Abraham in the old Jewish Cemetery in Newport, he is referred to as "Rev'd, the able and faithful Minister of the Congrega- tion Yeshuat Israel". As the synagogue had no parsonage for its Minister, the Reverend Mr. Touro lived in a house of six rooms rented from George Buckmaster on High Street, now Division Street.32 Touro lived with the other members of his family. In 1773, he married Reyna Hays, a daughter of Judah Hays and a sister of the prominent mason, Moses Michael Hays. 33
The principal objective in erecting a synagogue was to "Instruct the Children in the Path of Virtuous Religion".34 This was successfully undertaken under the leadership of the Reverend Mr. Touro, who supervised the Talmud Torah, and guided the children in their Hebrew education. The Talmud Torah of the community was organically as well as spiritually con- nected with the synagogue and it became an active and important factor in the life of the Jews. The administra- tive affairs of the Talmud Torah were in the hands of a special standing committee, or body of trustees.35 This committee was very active in synagogue affairs as well. One of the Scrolls of the Law, deposited in the Holy Ark of the synagogue, was a gift of the members of
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THE STORY OF THE JEWS OF NEWPORT
this body. 36 Educational matters were entirely in Mr. Touro's hands.
Judging from the results, the fruits of Touro's teaching were very satisfactory. Stiles, who has saved many a fact about the synagogue and the life of the Jews in Newport from passing into oblivion by noting them in his diary, makes an interesting observation on January 12, 1770, "Went to the Synagogue this Evening and heard a Son of Mr. Lopez deceased, Aet 13, read the Evening Service".37 Stiles was of course surprised at this, more especially because "Mr. Tauro the Chuzzan present". His curiosity must have been apeased, however, after inquiry, for he continues to remark "It is the Custom in the foreign Synagogues to initiate Boys Aet. 13, thus to read publicly. This is the first Instance of the Synagogue at Newport". For a boy of 13 to read the Evening Service was then as it would be today, a praiseworthy achievement. It shows the result of good training.
Another instance is even more interesting. For this, too, we are indebted to the pen of Dr. Stiles. On May 28, 1773, the first day of Shavuoth, Dr. Stiles upon visiting the synagogue observed, "After the Sermon, two Rolls of the Law were brought forward with great solemnity, and after Elevation, the Parasang including the XXth Chapter of Genesis (Exodus) was read as usual: at reading X Commandments the whole Congre- gation rose up and stood. After which Mr. Rivera's little son 8 or 9 aet. read the first Chapter of Ezekiel".38 He has reference to the Haphtorah. That the Maftir
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A GLIMPSE AT JEWISH LIFE
and Haphtorah Reading should be given to a lad under thirteen years of age is within the law on the Sabbath and is not surprising by itself. It is not, however, customary to do so on a festival when the Maftir is from a special selection of the Pentateuch, and more especially on Shavuoth when the Haphtorah, the Prophetic Reading, forms the first chapter of Ezekiel, which according to Jewish tradition has a mystic connotation and is the basis of the study of Kabbalah and Jewish Metaphysics. Besides, the reading of the first chapter of Ezekiel in Hebrew is a task even for an adult in our own times. To have a lad of nine read the Haphtorah on Shavuoth was indeed as surprising as interesting. Even if Stiles were mistaken about the age of Rivera's son, who was probably older than eight or nine - for it is hardly credible that they should have permitted a minor to be called to the Torah for the Maftir on Shavuoth - it is still an index of the fruitfulness of the Hebrew education of the Newport Talmud Torah under the leadership of the Reverend Isaac Touro.
We cannot resist the temptation to cite one more observation of this non-Jewish clergyman. This also bears on the religious instruction of the children at the time. On February 8, the diarist writes, "At the Synagogue, whereupon asking a little Jew Boy the use of the strings at the Corner of the White Surplices worn by all Jews in their Worship :- he said, they kissed the strings three times at the Reception of the great 'Shemah', or Hear o Israel the Ld. our God is one Lord".39 That "a little Jew Boy" can explain the use
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THE STORY OF THE JEWS OF NEWPORT
of the strings of the Talith is of significance. A child may often wear Tzitzis because his religious mother has dressed him in it, but he may not be able to explain it. If he does know something about it, especially its use in the synagogue, it shows that the child has been educated religiously. That he joined his older coreligionists in prayer at the synagogue, also shows that his Hebrew knowledge was not failing. This again points to the efficiency of the Hebrew education at the time.
The Talmud Torah also took care of the secular education of the Jewish children. The teachers were generally required to be competent to teach not only Hebrew, but also English, Dutch and Spanish.40 A German officer during the occupation of the British, was surprised to find, "In Newport are 2 Reformed, 1 German Evangelical and 1 Catholic church. Besides the Quakers have two meting houses, the Herrnhuter 1 ineeting house, the Pietists 1 prayer house and the Jews a temple and even a school".41 The teacher of Rivera's boy is referred to as a "Dutch Master".41 The Talmud Torahs of the Jews in the colonies were the first Hebrew Parochial Schools in America.
The services at the synagogue, which followed the Sephardic ritual, were conducted solely in Hebrew, and in the Sephardic pronunciation.43 Services were held daily, mornings and evenings. They were well attended by young and old, and on the Sabbaths, Festivals and Holy Days, women constituted a large part of the congregation. Even when services were held in the dark hour before dawn, during the forty days of Selichoth
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A GLIMPSE AT JEWISH LIFE
before the Day of Atonement, worshipers were not wanting in the synagogue.
In the synagogue, the Reverend Isaac Touro was seated on the seat in front of the Tebah in the Center. Stiles tells us that Rabbi Carregal sat in the upper end in the East. The elders of the synagogue as well as the president were seated in the elevated enclosed Banca. adjacent to the middle of the northern wall. Visitors of high station that honored the synagogue with their presence were also seated in the Banca .. The men of the congregation either stood or sat on the south and north parts of the synagogue under the balcony, while the gallery running round the synagogue on the south, west and north was reserved for female worshipers.
The movements and motions during the services called out this interesting comment from a non-Jewish obser- ver, "How often have I stood just within the door, and seen the Israelites shuffling about with their hats on, and the Rabbi reading the Evening Service all being in motion, I suppose in imitation of the forty years' travel to Canaan".44
Several of the services and customs at the synagogue observed and recorded by the Congregational divine Ezra Stiles, are worth quoting at length: "Pentecost. Went to the synagogue at IX h.A.M. At reading of the Law the Rabbi was desired and read the Ten Commandments. But before reading the Law and the Prophets the Rabbi went to the Desk or Taubauh and preached a Sermon 47 minutes long in Spanish. It was interspersed with Hebrew. His Oratory, Elocution and
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THE STORY OF THE JEWS OF NEWPORT
Gestures were fine and oriental. It was very animated". After alluding to some of the contents of the sermon, the diarist continues, "After the Sermon, two Rolls of the Law were brought forward with great solemnity, and after Elevation the parasang including the XXth Chapter of Genesis (Exodus) was read as usual: at reading the X Commandments the whole Congregation rose up and stood. After which Mr. Rivera's little son 8 or 9 aet. read the first Chapter of Ezekiel - then Prayers for all Nations, for the Jews, for the King and Royal Family, for the Magistrates of Rhode Island. The Law was then returned in solemn procession singing the usual Psalm: then Alms Prayers and Singing concluding the Whole. The Synagogue was decorated with flowers &c. The whole service ended a quarter after twelve.".45
A service on Shavouth, three and a quarter hours long, is not unusual today, nor perhaps, is a sermon three quarters of an hour in length. Considering the fact, however, that sermons two and three hours in duration were customary in those days and that the people endured them patiently, the Newport Jewish Congre- gation was not asked to listen to a tiresomely long exhortation.
The account of the services on Tisha B'av from the same pen is even more interesting. "Went to the Synagogue, it being the Anniversary Fast for the Destruction of the Temple both by Nebuchadnezzar and Titus. They began VII and held till noon. The place of the ark was covered with a black curtain, and the lamp
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A GLIMPSE AT JEWISH LIFE
was put out. A table covered with black, stood before the Tabauh, and on a low bench sat the Parnass and Huzzan. The prayers were exceedingly melancholy, particularly when the Huzzan rose up, and went to the place of the holy of holies or the ark and mercy seat; where he wrapped himself up in the black curtain, and slowly mourned out a most solemn weeping and doleful lamentation, for the absence of the Debir and Shechinah, for the cessation of the oracle, and for the destruction of the holy of holies. The roll of the law was brought out, without any ceremony covered in black and read at the foot of the Tabauh; the portion was from Deutero- nomy. Then the fourth chapter of Jeremiah was read and three or four other chapters; then the book of Lamentations; then the beginning and end of Job".46
The synagogue was supported not only by member- ship dues but also by voluntary contributions made by the worshipers when called to the reading of the Torah. Offerings were made in the traditonal manner after the portion of the Scriptures had been read and the prayer of blessing recited for the particular worshiper. These offerings were announced in Hebrew, not in Portuguese as was customary in the New York synagogue. The amount was sometimes given in an Hebrew expression that may be translated into English as 'life'.47 Though the amount was given in Hebrew, the denomination of the money was given in Livres. The offerings seem to have been very generous. During a single service on a Passover, they amounted to forty dollars. While prayers of blessing were offered for the living who had
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THE STORY OF THE JEWS OF NEWPORT
received the honor to ascend the reading desk to read a portion of the Scriptures, memorial prayers for the dead were often offered at the same time, the Minister an- nouncing in the prayer the name of the deceased. A contemporary description of these ceremonies in the synagogue is given by Stiles, April 18, 1772: "A. M. I went to the Synagogue, it being Shabos Pesach (In Hebrew), Sabbath of the Passover. They read in the Law the passages which give an Account of the Exodus and Institution of the passover; and also a passage about Vth of Joshua concerning Circumcision and rolling away the Reproach of Egypt. Several men- tioned the names of their dead friends, for whom prayers were immediately made. Large offerings of alms were made to probably fourty dollars as one of the Jews estimated, and I believe true; for sundry offered Chai Livre i. e. £16 or two Dollars - and I judge Mr. Aaron Lopez offered ten or a dozen of these Chai".48
There is something amusing in this last remark of the diarist. Apparently, he did not know the word 'Chai' represented the Hebrew word 'life' as well as the com- bination of two Hebrew letters that has the numerical value of 18. This number was adopted especially for the purpose of announcing offerings at the reading of the Torah because of its symbolic meaning. Whether or not it was as tradition holds because charity and offerings are productive of life is irrelevant. Stiles, as is obvious from his remark, took 'Chai' to be the name of a certain denomination of money. To expect Aaron Lopez to offer "ten or a dozen of these Chai" was natural,
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because of his wealth and position in the community at this time. In fairness to Dr. Stiles, it should be said that in the traditional synagogues it is the custom to this day to announce the offering in terms of "Chai", as "twice Chai", or "three times Chai".49
The reading of the weekly Biblical portion was done by the Reverend Isaac Touro. Rabbi Garregal during his stay in Newport read only the portion in Exodus containing the Ten Commandments. Otherwise, when called to the Torah, he pronounced only the benedictions to the reading of Touro. However, Rabbi Carregal always performed the Rabbinic duty of elevating the Scroll before the reading of the portion.50
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