Discourses. Nos. 5-9. [Lampoons issued as part of the rivalry between Amsterdam’s Aschkenazi Old Kehillah and New Kehillah]

Group of five Discourses delivered to the Old Kehillah in Amsterdam. The New Congregation of Aschkenazic Jews first established itself in Amsterdam in 1796. Along with instituting a number of changes in synagogue style, the New Congregation angered the Old Congregation by issuing regulations that excluded the jurisdiction of the Parnassim from the deeds and actions of members in civic life. The fight between the old and new congregations was bitter, involving fist fights and lampoons. Both the old and new congregations issued pamphlets written in the form of travellers’ tales containing crude, but rather clever attacks on each other, representing a most unique literary style. See, M. Gans, Memorbook (1977), pp.290-1; J. Michman, Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana-Treasures of Jewish Booklore (1994) pp.86-7 (illustrated)