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xenithLAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE.
(From the Hobart Town Advertiser, August 11.)
THE first stone of the Synagogue, about to be erected in Argyle-street, in this City, for the worship of Jehovah by the descendants of the people of Israel, was laid on Wednesday. The event attracted a large attendance of citizens, including nearly every Jew resident in this part of the colony. At two o'clock, the appointed hour, the Committee of Management assembled at the residence of Judah Solomon, Esq., and soon after proceeded to the ground, headed by Louis Nathan, Esq., President, and attended by Phineas Moss, Esq., Secretary, Samuel Moses, Esq., D. R. Furtado, Esq., Mr. D. Moses, James Thompson, Esq., Architect, and other gentlemen, with plans of the intended building, a silver trowel, a square, plumb, mallet, &c, to be used in the ceremony, and a sealed bottle, in which was inclosed a record, on parchment, in the Hebrew language, with an English translation, also the names of the subscribers to the fund, and other particulars of the building.
All being in readiness, Louis Nathan, Esq., deposited the bottle in the cavity which was prepared for its reception, and read, in both languages, the following copy of the record.-
"On the fourth day of the week, the thirteenth day of the month Ab, in the year five thousand six hundred and three from the foundation of the world, and the seventh year of the reign of Queen Victoria, the first stone of this House of Assembly, dedicated to the name of the Lord God of Israel, was laid by Louis Nathan, Esq., in the presence of the congregation, in the city of Hobart Town, on this portion of ground, given as a perpetual gift by Judah Solomon, Esq."
Mr. Louis Nathan then filled the interstices of the cavity containing the bottle with cement; after which, he read--first in Hebrew, and then in English--that portion of the scripture in 1 Chron., ch. 29, from verse 10 to end of verse l8.
Mr. P. Levi then read in Hebrew, the 84th Psalm, which was followed by the English version of it by Mr. Moss.
Mr. H. Nathan read in Hebrew, Psalm 132; and Mr. J. Friedman, Psalm 100; which were severally read in English by the Secretary, as before.
Mr. Louis Nathan then took the silver trowel, and spread cement over the slab upon which the foundation-stone was to be laid; after which, Mr. Moss offered up the following solemn and appropriate prayer, composed by himself for the occasion:
"0, High and Mighty God, thou who inhabitest eternity, deign to look down from thy lofty dwelling-place on us, thy servants, who are assembled together this day to glorify thee, and to praise thy holy name. Thou hast promised, O eternal God, that wherever we record thy name, thou wilt come unto us and bless us. O, then, out of thine abundant mercy, remember thy covenant; behold with favour the foundation we are about to lay for thy holy house; cause the work to prosper in our hands; suffer it to be concluded with joy, and dedicated to thy service with gladness; and in thy goodness bless those who assist in the good work. O strengthen us by thy grace, renew a right spirit within us, so that we may delight to do thy will, and to observe thy statutes and judgments; let us become pure and undefiled, that when our supplications come before thee, thou mayest incline thine dar to our petition, and accept it as thou didst accept the sacrifice and oblation in days of old. And O Lord God, eternal and beneficent Father, cause us to enter thy gates with thanksgiving and thy courts with praise, so that we may be prepared to enter thy everlasting tabernacle to dwell for ever in thy glorious presence, and in thy exceeding kindness deal mercifully with us and with all Israel, and remember us for good.-Amen."
The stone was then lowered into its place, and Mr. Louis Nathan, having used the square and plumb in the usual manner, struck three blows upon the stone with the mallet, saying, "I lay this stone as a foundation for a House of Prayer, dedicated to the worship of the True God of Israel."
Mr. Louis Nathan then delivered the following address :
"GENTLEMEN,-It affords me heartfelt pleasure in meeting you this day, to lay the first stone of our first Synagogue; to record the name of the ALMIGHTY; blessed be His name! I trust we shall all, with Divine blessing, have the happiness of seeing the same completed, and meet therein to pour forth our united prayers and thanks for the blessings conferred upon us. The Almighty has said, "Where I record my name, I will come unto thee and bless thee;" and I hope the promise will be fulfilled to us in this far distant land from the land of our ancestors. I must observe, referring to our small community here, that, gentlemen, it reflects great honour and credit upon the whole of you for the liberal manner in which you have responded to the call, and so generously subscribed to the erection of the edifice. I cannot refrain from commenting, individually, on the very handsome manner in which Mr. Judah Solomon assisted towards this laudable object; not only presenting the site, which is a portion of his garden, but the liberal way in which he has subscribed. The remembrance of this day to me, gentlemen, will never be effaced from my memory,--that it has pleased God to bless me with laying the first stone of the first house of built in this island dedicated to the true God of Israel. In conclusion, I trust, brethren, now that we my shall have a house of prayer, the whole of you will do your duty to your Maker, and advance our holy religion as far as lies in your power and some of you pay more attention to the commandments of the Almighty, and showing your children the right and proper path in which they should tread."
After the ceremony, the Committee of Management partook of wine and refreshments at the residence of Judah Solomon, Esq., to which were invited many gentlemen whom the interesting proceedings had attracted to the ground. The members of the Jewish congregation then adjourned to the room in which their devotions are at present performed, and offerings having been made to a considerable amount, the afternoon service, in accordance with the Jewish rites and was read by responses, Mr. H. Nathan; the solemnities concluding by the singing of what is called "The Unity Hymn," which contains the thirteen fundamental articles of the faith of the ancient people.
The arrangements were admirable, and the proceedings were witnessed with much interest by people of every denomination.
The front of the building, we may add, is to be of the highly ornamented Egyptian style; the interior will comprise an area of 60 feet by 30, with a spacious gallery and schoolroom.
The Mr. Louis Nathan above alluded to, is of the firm of Nathan, Moses, and Co., Commercial House, of this city.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday 24 August 1843, page 4
(From the Hobart Town Advertiser, August 11.)
THE first stone of the Synagogue, about to be erected in Argyle-street, in this City, for the worship of Jehovah by the descendants of the people of Israel, was laid on Wednesday. The event attracted a large attendance of citizens, including nearly every Jew resident in this part of the colony. At two o'clock, the appointed hour, the Committee of Management assembled at the residence of Judah Solomon, Esq., and soon after proceeded to the ground, headed by Louis Nathan, Esq., President, and attended by Phineas Moss, Esq., Secretary, Samuel Moses, Esq., D. R. Furtado, Esq., Mr. D. Moses, James Thompson, Esq., Architect, and other gentlemen, with plans of the intended building, a silver trowel, a square, plumb, mallet, &c, to be used in the ceremony, and a sealed bottle, in which was inclosed a record, on parchment, in the Hebrew language, with an English translation, also the names of the subscribers to the fund, and other particulars of the building.
All being in readiness, Louis Nathan, Esq., deposited the bottle in the cavity which was prepared for its reception, and read, in both languages, the following copy of the record.-
"On the fourth day of the week, the thirteenth day of the month Ab, in the year five thousand six hundred and three from the foundation of the world, and the seventh year of the reign of Queen Victoria, the first stone of this House of Assembly, dedicated to the name of the Lord God of Israel, was laid by Louis Nathan, Esq., in the presence of the congregation, in the city of Hobart Town, on this portion of ground, given as a perpetual gift by Judah Solomon, Esq."
Mr. Louis Nathan then filled the interstices of the cavity containing the bottle with cement; after which, he read--first in Hebrew, and then in English--that portion of the scripture in 1 Chron., ch. 29, from verse 10 to end of verse l8.
Mr. P. Levi then read in Hebrew, the 84th Psalm, which was followed by the English version of it by Mr. Moss.
Mr. H. Nathan read in Hebrew, Psalm 132; and Mr. J. Friedman, Psalm 100; which were severally read in English by the Secretary, as before.
Mr. Louis Nathan then took the silver trowel, and spread cement over the slab upon which the foundation-stone was to be laid; after which, Mr. Moss offered up the following solemn and appropriate prayer, composed by himself for the occasion:
"0, High and Mighty God, thou who inhabitest eternity, deign to look down from thy lofty dwelling-place on us, thy servants, who are assembled together this day to glorify thee, and to praise thy holy name. Thou hast promised, O eternal God, that wherever we record thy name, thou wilt come unto us and bless us. O, then, out of thine abundant mercy, remember thy covenant; behold with favour the foundation we are about to lay for thy holy house; cause the work to prosper in our hands; suffer it to be concluded with joy, and dedicated to thy service with gladness; and in thy goodness bless those who assist in the good work. O strengthen us by thy grace, renew a right spirit within us, so that we may delight to do thy will, and to observe thy statutes and judgments; let us become pure and undefiled, that when our supplications come before thee, thou mayest incline thine dar to our petition, and accept it as thou didst accept the sacrifice and oblation in days of old. And O Lord God, eternal and beneficent Father, cause us to enter thy gates with thanksgiving and thy courts with praise, so that we may be prepared to enter thy everlasting tabernacle to dwell for ever in thy glorious presence, and in thy exceeding kindness deal mercifully with us and with all Israel, and remember us for good.-Amen."
The stone was then lowered into its place, and Mr. Louis Nathan, having used the square and plumb in the usual manner, struck three blows upon the stone with the mallet, saying, "I lay this stone as a foundation for a House of Prayer, dedicated to the worship of the True God of Israel."
Mr. Louis Nathan then delivered the following address :
"GENTLEMEN,-It affords me heartfelt pleasure in meeting you this day, to lay the first stone of our first Synagogue; to record the name of the ALMIGHTY; blessed be His name! I trust we shall all, with Divine blessing, have the happiness of seeing the same completed, and meet therein to pour forth our united prayers and thanks for the blessings conferred upon us. The Almighty has said, "Where I record my name, I will come unto thee and bless thee;" and I hope the promise will be fulfilled to us in this far distant land from the land of our ancestors. I must observe, referring to our small community here, that, gentlemen, it reflects great honour and credit upon the whole of you for the liberal manner in which you have responded to the call, and so generously subscribed to the erection of the edifice. I cannot refrain from commenting, individually, on the very handsome manner in which Mr. Judah Solomon assisted towards this laudable object; not only presenting the site, which is a portion of his garden, but the liberal way in which he has subscribed. The remembrance of this day to me, gentlemen, will never be effaced from my memory,--that it has pleased God to bless me with laying the first stone of the first house of built in this island dedicated to the true God of Israel. In conclusion, I trust, brethren, now that we my shall have a house of prayer, the whole of you will do your duty to your Maker, and advance our holy religion as far as lies in your power and some of you pay more attention to the commandments of the Almighty, and showing your children the right and proper path in which they should tread."
After the ceremony, the Committee of Management partook of wine and refreshments at the residence of Judah Solomon, Esq., to which were invited many gentlemen whom the interesting proceedings had attracted to the ground. The members of the Jewish congregation then adjourned to the room in which their devotions are at present performed, and offerings having been made to a considerable amount, the afternoon service, in accordance with the Jewish rites and was read by responses, Mr. H. Nathan; the solemnities concluding by the singing of what is called "The Unity Hymn," which contains the thirteen fundamental articles of the faith of the ancient people.
The arrangements were admirable, and the proceedings were witnessed with much interest by people of every denomination.
The front of the building, we may add, is to be of the highly ornamented Egyptian style; the interior will comprise an area of 60 feet by 30, with a spacious gallery and schoolroom.
The Mr. Louis Nathan above alluded to, is of the firm of Nathan, Moses, and Co., Commercial House, of this city.
The Sydney Morning Herald, Thursday 24 August 1843, page 4
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Date: 2010-05-29 07:19 am (UTC)I asked my mother about the orientation of the building and she had no idea.
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Date: 2010-05-29 09:39 am (UTC)I am hoping the newspaper's account of the opening might give a hint. There was apparently something of a street part on the day. But that requires me to go into the library and tackle the microfilm (and there's only one printer which is invariably being used by someone who doesn't understand the concept of "10 minutes") so I keep putting it off until next time.
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Date: 2010-06-02 06:44 am (UTC)