Form of Service for the Dedication of the New Synagogue of the Portuguese Hebrew Congregation “Shearith Israel,” in West 19th Street, near Fifth Avenue.

AUCTION 54 | Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 at 1:00
Fine Judaica: Printed Books, Manuscripts Autograph Letters, Graphic & Ceremonial Art

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Lot 30
(AMERICAN JUDAICA).

Form of Service for the Dedication of the New Synagogue of the Portuguese Hebrew Congregation “Shearith Israel,” in West 19th Street, near Fifth Avenue.

Hebrew and English on facing pages. ff. 12 (of 13, text complete, lacking initial blank leaf - as does the JTSAL copy). Browned. Original printed wrappers detached, lower corner chipped not affecting text but decorative border only. 8vo. Singerman 1679.

New York: John M. Jackson 1860

Est: $4,000 - $6,000
PRICE REALIZED $3,500
Shearith Israel in the City of New York, North America’s oldest congregation, founded in 1654, built its first synagogue on Mill Street, below Wall Street, in 1730, and moved into its current home, on 70th Street and Central Park West, in 1897. In between, it built two new homes for itself in quick succession in order to keep pace with the rapid northward migration of Manhattan’s bourgeoisie. The Crosby Street Synagogue, between Broome Street and Spring Street, was consecrated in 1834, but just 26 years later, “SoHo” was history and the Spanish and Portuguese Jews’ Congregation was ready to move into a grand Palladian-style new building on 19th Street, just west of Fifth Avenue. The consecration whose order of service appears here took place on September 12th 1860, the 206th anniversary of the arrival of the first Jews to New Amsterdam. The dedication service comprised seven circuits of the Torah scrolls with accompanying Psalms, followed by a discourse by Rev. A. Fischell, Lecturer to the Congregation (soon to become America’s first Jewish army chaplain) and a consecration prayer from Rev. J. J. Lyons, Minister to the Congregation.