Nov 25, 2014 By: rolen
In 1905, the 250th anniversary of Jewish settlement in New Amsterdam was commemorated on the Sabbath before Thanksgiving. A committee on 鈥淔orm of Prayer,鈥 led by Reverend Dr. Henry Pereira Mendes, was tasked with creating a service for the occasion. The choice of Mendes was appropriate, and perhaps deliberate, since he was the spiritual leader of Congregation Shearith Israel / the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue 鈥 the mother of all American congregations, dating back to 1654.
The committee published a pamphlet, in Hebrew and English, with selected Psalms and a prayer composed for the occasion. This pamphlet is housed in 色花堂 Library鈥檚 Rare Book Room. Hebrew and English excerpts follow:
讜注转讛 讗诇拽讬谞讜 诪讜讚讬诐 讗谞讞谞讜 诇讱 讜诪讛诇诇讬诐 诇砖诐 转驻讗专转讱 注诇 砖讛讞讬讬转谞讜 讜拽讬诪转谞讜 诇讬讜诐 讛讝讛. 讻讬 讘专讞诪讬讱 讛专讘讬诐 砖诪转 砖诐 讜砖讗专讬转 诇专讘讬诐 诪讘谞讬 住讙讜诇转讱 诇讛讞讬讜转 诇谞讜 诇驻诇讬讟讛 讙讚讜诇讛 讘讗专抓 讛讝讗转 讗砖专 讘讞住讚 讛鈥 注诇讬讛 谞讛讬讬转 诇诪注讜谉 讛爪讚拽 讜讛诪砖驻讟 讗砖专 讘讛 讬讘拽砖讜 讛注砖讜拽讬诐 讜讛谞专讚驻讬诐 诪驻诇讟 诇诪讜. 讙讚讜诇 讛注爪讛 讜专讘 讛注诇讬诇讛 诇讱 讬讗转讛 转讛诇讛 讻讬 谞讞讬转 诪转讬 诪住驻专 诪注诪讱 讝讛 诇驻谞讬 砖转讬 诪讗讜转 讜讞诪砖讬诐 砖谞讛 讗诇 讛讗专抓 讛讘专讜讻讛 讛讝讗转 讗砖专 讘讛 讬讜讻诇讜 诇注讘讚 讗讜转讱 讘讗讬谉 诪驻专讬注. ... 讜讛讬讛 讛鈥 诇诪诇讱 注诇 讻诇 讛讗专抓 讘讬讜诐 讛讛讜讗 讬讛讬讛 讛鈥 讗讞讚 讜砖诪讜 讗讞讚, 讗诪谉.
鈥淓verlasting G-d 鈥e lift up our hearts in gratitude to Thee, in that two hundred and fifty years ago Thou didst guide a little band of Israel鈥檚 children who, seeking freedom to worship Thee, found it in a land which, with Thy blessing, became a refuge of freedom and justice for the oppressed of all peoples. 鈥 May all hearts serve Thee with one accord and recognize that Thou art One and Thy Name is One. Amen.鈥 Rev. Dr. Mendes served as an instructor of homiletics at RIETS from 1917 to 1920, and addressed its 1919 Chag HaSemicha which was celebrated at his synagogue, Congregation Shearith Israel, on Central Park West. Posted by Shulamith Z. Berger
