The Testimony: An Address Delivered at the schoolhouse of the Hebrew Education Society of Philadelphia, at the first opening of their school, on Sunday, the 4th of Nissan, 5611, (April 6th, 1851) by Isaac Leeser.

Leeser, Isaac (1806 Germany -1868 United States)

Edité par C. Sherman, Printer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1851

A propos de cet article

pp.(2), 19 8vo. [Singerman 1195; Levine 8]. In his address at its official opening, Isaac Leeser pinned great hopes on the Philadelphia day school. His educational philosophy is best summed up in these words: "We purpose to combine elementary and afterwards scientific education with a gradual and progressive acquirement of Hebrew and religion. It is not to be as in other schools, a secondary matter whether the children learn Hebrew and religion or not, but they are to acquire these if nothing else even can be imparted" (page 12). Isaac Leeser was born in Germany in 1806, immigrated to the U.S. at age 17 and died in 868. He was a Jewish lay minister of religion, author, translator, editor, publisher, pioneer of the Jewish pulpit in the U.S., and founder of the Jewish press in America. He produced the first Jewish translation of the Bible into English, and editions of the liturgy. He is one of the most important American Jewish personalities in 19th century America. He defended Judaism in the public press when it was assailed. In 1828, an article in the London Quarterly reflecting on the Jews was answered by Leeser in the columns of the Richmond Whig. Leeser?s reply attracted the attention of the Jewish communities of Richmond and Philadelphia and he was induced to accept the congregation's invitation to serve as lay minister. In 1829 Leeser went to Philadelphia with the manuscript of his first book, "The Jews and the Mosaic Law". He brought fresh ideas about his new job. Up to that time the role of a hazzan in America had been merely to lead the congregation in Hebrew prayers. There was, however, a new movement in Europe. In Hamburg, Rabbi Gotthold Salomon had broken new ground by delivering a sermon in German. Preaching in German soon became the norm in Reform synagogues, and even some conservative rabbis had begun to deliver sermons in the vernacular. This movement inspired Leeser, and he hoped to transform the lectern into a pulpit. On June 2, 1830, Leeser delivered his first English sermon, and thereafter he preached with regularity. Leeser's delivering sermons on a regular basis was ultimately adopted by American congregations, and preaching became one of the standard duties of Jewish clergymen. There was a scarcity of books concerning the Jewish religion and no American Jewish publisher. He translated Johlson's Instruction in the Mosaic Religion and in the winter of 1829-30 tried, unsuccessfully, to publish it, as The Jews and the Mosaic Law. So he self published it. In 1845, Leeser published a Hebrew-English edition of the Torah in five volumes, the English translation being his own. It soon became the standard Bible for English-speaking Jews in the 19th century. 3 years later, Leeser published a masoretic Hebrew edition of the Tanakh, Biblia Hebraica, in cooperation with Joseph Jaquett, a local Episcopalian minister. It was the first of its kind to be printed in America. In 1853, Leeser completed his English translation of the entire Tanakh, commonly called The Leeser Bible. He retired from Congregation Mikveh Israel in 1850, but took office again in 1857, when the newly formed Congregation Beth-El-Emeth in Philadelphia called him, and he remained its leader until his death. When Leeser commenced his public career, there were approximately 15,000 scattered Jews in the U.S., some members of congregations. He mold them into a community in part. . When the school opened the next day (Monday), 22 students were enrolled. A month later, the student body had increased to 63. Eventually enrollment would peak at 170 students. Leeser developed a curriculum which afforded both English and Hebrew studies: geometry, natural history, rabbinic literature, German, French, Latin, Greek, botany and chemistry. Sessions took place five days a week. In 1878, ten years after Leeser's passing, Hebrew studies were reduced to supplemental programs. See Lance J. Sussman, Isaac Leeser and the Making of American Judaism (1955), pp.204-205.

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Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: The Testimony: An Address Delivered at the schoolhouse of the Hebrew Education Society of Philadelphia, at the first opening of their school, on Sunday, the 4th of Nissan, 5611, (April 6th, 1851) by Isaac Leeser.
• Éditeur: C. Sherman, Printer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Date de parution: 1851
• Reliure: Wrappers
• État de l'article: Very Good
• Poids: 1 livre
• Catalogues du vendeur:
  • Judaica