Constitution and By-Laws of the American Jewish Publication Society. (Founded on the 9th of Heshvan, 5606). Adopted at Philadelphia, on Sunday, November 30th, 1845, Kislev 1st, 5606

Founded in Philadelphia in 1845 by Isaac Leeser to counter hostile missionary activity and promote Jewish literature in America, the American Jewish Publication Society, was the first society of its kind in the United States. It distributed a total of fourteen works under the name the Jewish Miscellany. On the Society, see L. J. Sussman, Isaac Leeser and the Making of American Judaism (1995) pp.152-4. “The subscribers, deeply impressed with the neccessity of fostering Jewish Literature and of diffusing the utmost possible knowledge among all classes of Israelites, of the tenets of their religion and the history of their people and feeling that the attainment of this project is beyond the means of any individual and that association is a powerful lever to foster any great and good cause, do combine as a society for the purpose of carrying out the above objects into effect and pledge themselves to each other to contribute all in their power to promote the interest of their asssociation.” (Preamble)