(Newspaper). United States Commercial & Statistical Register. Vol. III, No. 11.

(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

September 9

Philadelphia

1840

isaac leeser preaches in relation to the damascus blood-libel. One of the most notorious outbreaks of the Blood Libel in modern times erupted in Damascus, Syria, in February 1840. With the connivance of the Pasha and the French Consul, a group of Jews were thrown into prison and accused of having murdered for ritual purposes a Franciscan Friar. The news spread rapidly throughout the world, and while diplomatic and rescue efforts were being launched, the “Damascus Affair” was everywhere discussed and argued. Here, on pp. 164-65 of the United States Commercial & Statistical Register is reported a meeting at the Mikve Israel Synagogue called to order by Hyman Gratz, opened by Abraham Hart and led by Isaac Leeser who gave an impassioned speech graphically depicting the many sufferings which the Jews in Damascus have endured. Thereafter was resolved: "We invite our brethren of Damascus to leave the land of persecution and torture and seek asylum in this free and happy land, where every man is allowed to enjoy his own opinion, where industry prospers, and where integrity is sure to meet its just reward.” Also here recorded are "correspondence relative to the Damascus persecutions" by J. B. Kursheedt and Theodore Seixas, to President Martin Van Buren. See Schappes, A Documentary History of the Jews in the United States, p. 86; Blau & Baron, CLXXII (“The New York Meeting on Damascus, 1840”, CLXXIII (“Report on the Philadelphia Meeting, 1840”)