(Abraham NANSICH-HAMBURGER). Kuntress…Olam Chadash…Olam Haphuch ["A New World…An Upside Down World": commentary on the state of disbelief of English Jewry]

AUCTION 41 |
Thursday, September 18th,
2008 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts, & Graphic Art
Lot 47
(ANGLO-JUDAICA)
(Abraham NANSICH-HAMBURGER). Kuntress…Olam Chadash…Olam Haphuch ["A New World…An Upside Down World": commentary on the state of disbelief of English Jewry]
London: n.p. 1789
Est: $1,000 - $1,500
In this brief work, the Author expresses his anguish at the skepticism that has infected Anglo-Jewry. It seems Voltaire's Age of Reason made considerable inroads in the Jewish community, to the point where men saw "Moses as a legislator like other kings who write laws" (f.2r.). On a more practical level, we are painted a vivid picture of the process of acculturation into mainstream English society: the men's bare heads ("giluy rosh"), the powdered wigs ("epher tachath pe'er"), mixed dancing, comedies, etc. (f.7r.)