“To all Humane, Charitable and Well-disposed People…”

<<An important text that demonstrates positive interfaith relations in early America.>> In 1788 Mikveh Israel was faced with the desperate prospect of their synagogue being seized due to a judgment of £800 placed against them. The synagogue had been expanded earlier in the decade, but the promising situation of a community on the rise was hampered by the effects of the American Revolution. Many leading Jews, patriots as they were, had been exiled to other colonies and consequently, suffered financially. The congregation in turn, undertook something unusual for a Jewish community - they solicited funds from Gentiles to compensate for their dire financial predicament and loss of member support. Appealing to the citizens of Philadelphia, this emergency circular urges that the “worship of God in other ways need be no deterrent to generosity. (One may almost sense the holding of breaths to learn if this appeal would be taken that way. - It was!). The circular was brought by the synagogue to the attention of the leadership of the city and subsequently, many Philadelphia citizens contributed, famously including, Benjamin Franklin, with a donation of £5. (See Henry Samuel Morais, The Jews of Philadelphia, pp. 20-21). This circular appears to be a draft copy. The published version in various historical sources contains slightly different language. The changes can be cataloged here, (d) representing Draft, and (p) Published: (d) “Hebrew tribe” instead of (p) “Hebrew Society,” (d) “commonly call'd Jews” instead of (p) “commonly call'd Israelites",” (d) "denominated Jews" instead of (p) “denominated Israelites,” (d) “Hebrew tribe” instead of (p) “Hebrew society,” (d) “enabled immediately” instead of (p) “speedily enabled,” and (d) April 1788 instead of (p) “April 30, 1788.” (For comparison, see G.P. Zola, M. Dollinger, American Jewish History: A Primary Source Reader (2014) pp. 57-8). These changes suggest a softening, an attempt at circumventing the possible anti-Jewish biases that might be found among Christian fellow citizens. Whether or not changing “Jews” to “Israelites,” or “tribe” to “Society,” made the difference, is unknown, but it seems that liberality and enlightenment were indeed present amidst the early American citizenry of Philadelphia. <<Draft of a foundational document in the annals of early American Jewry, noting a respected place alongside their fellow American citizens.>>