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Two Hundred Years
in Georgia
*
By Judith I. Stein
J ULY 10, 1933, will mark the two hundredth
anniversary of the arrival of the first Jewish
settlers in Georgia. Congregation Mickve Israel
of Savannah held its Bicentenary Celebration on
May 7th, and an elaborate program was arranged
to commemorate the coming of the Jews to this
State which was intended as a refuge for all per
sons fleeing from religious persecutions.
Rabbi George Solomon, leader of Mickve Is
rael Congregation, prepared a special service that
was attended by many visitors who came for this
memorable occasion.
With the exception of Beth Elohim Congrega
tion of Charleston, Mickve Israel is among the
oldest of the Southern Congregations. Its found
ers include several persons who helped to make
history in the State of Georgia.
Taking a bird's-eye view of the history of the
Jews in Georgia from the arrival of the first set
tlers in 1733, we find that General James Ogle
thorpe intervened in their behalf when the trus
tees of the Colony wished to oust them, by point
ing out the good work which had been done by
Dr. Nunez, one of the first Jewish arrivals in
Savannah.
Once permitted to settle in Georgia, the Jews
prospered and led a peaceful life there until the
Revolutionary War, when they scattered, several
enlisting in the Army. After Washington was
elected President of the United States, the Jews
of Savannah extended their congratulations to him
in a letter signed by I>evy Sheftall, President of
Mickve Israel Congregation. This letter was gra
ciously acknowledged by Washington. Since the
signing of the Declaration of Independence, the
Jewish Community at Savannah has enjoyed an al
most uninterrupted era of tranquillity.
The history of Congregation Mickve Israel
dates back to July, 1733, the month of the arrival
of the first Jewish settlers. Services were held in
a small house near the present Market Building,
and were conducted in turn by members of the
Congregation. In 1737 a Sefer Torah, a Hanuk-
kah lamp and some books were presented to the
group by Benjamin Mendes, of London.
After the Revolutionary War, with the influx
of new Jewish settlers into Savannah, the Congre
gation was re-established. On November 30, 1790,
Governor Edward Telfair granted to Levy Sheft-
all, Abraham Depass, Cushman Pollock, Joseph
Abrahams, Mordecai Shef tall, and their successors
a charter of incorporation wherein they were de
clared to be “a body incorporate by the name and
style of the ‘Parnass and A juntas of the Mickve
Israel at Savannah.’ ”
A copy of this original charter has been sent to
the Union of American Hebrew Congregations,
and parts of it may be of interest in view of the
coming celebration.
The early proceedings of the Congregation show
that on January 10, 1791, “The Parnos (Presi
dent) informed the Congregation that he thought
it necessary a new' Code of Laws should be made
for the government of this Congregation which
w*as unanimously agreed to.’’
Among these new' law's submitted bv Benjamin
Sheftall, Secretary, were the following:
EDITOR'S NOTE—It has been a long
time—two hundred years—that the first
Jews settled in the State of Georgia.
The Rirentennial celebration now being
observed by Georgia has well recog
nized the part the Je<w has played in
the making of Georgia history, in which
the Congregation Mickve Israel, of Sa
vannah, has had a vital part. THE
SOUTHERN ISRAELITE sets forth,
through the pen of Judith I. Stein, a few
interesting farts in connection with one
of the outstanding congregations of
A merica.
“ That the mode of worship be ac
cording to the Pourtu Guese Min-
hauge, and that all offerings shall be
made in Hebrew, and that the money
so offered shall he nominated in the
name of the coin as named in the
State.
RABBI GEORGE SOLOMON
A Capable Leader for Temple
Mickve Israel
*
“ That there shall be chosen on every third Mon
day in August annually one Parnos and six Ajunta,
and there be chosen by the Yehadim one person
out of the said ajunta to act as Gabov to have
power to regulate this congregation and inflict
penalties on all Transgressors of the following
Rule.
1 hat if the Parnos and officers elected refuse
to serve, they shall pay a fine not exceeding Forty
Shillings for the Parnos, Thirty Shillings for the
Gaboy, and Fen Shillings for each Ajuntaman.
"That a decent beheaviour be observed by every
person during service, no person to raise his voice
above, or disturb the Reader, or hold any conver
sation either in the Synagogue or places adjacent,
and in case any person so offending on being called
to order, and still persisting, shall for every such
ofFense pay a fine not exceeding Forty Shillings.
MICKVE ISRAEL TEMPLE
among the oldest of the Southern Congregations.'
“That any person refusing a Mitzwa shall no*
be entitled to another until he can give a suff
cient excuse to the Parnos—Also any person \vb
is called to Seipher shall be obliged to offrr t
the Parnos no less than Five Pence.
“That every person professing the Jewish reh:
ion who shall violate the Sabbath or Hob dat*
shall be called before the Ajunta within four da\^
and should such persons be found guilty, they sha!
be deprived of every honour in the Synagogue
unitl they make such concessions as may appr* r
satisfactory to the Parnos and Adjunta.
“That every person shall appear in the Syn>
gogue in as decent apparel as his abilities will ad
mit, and that no person shall be called to d*
Seipher in Boots.
"All Persons intending to have a wedding ^
their Family shall notify the same to the Pan**
requesting the attendance of the Glazon who shail
be desired to attend provided the wedding be wid
a Female of our religion.”
In 1820 a Synagogue was erected on Whitakf*
and Liberty Streets and consecrated by the hor
orary hazzan, Dr. Jacob de la Motta. The Syn a
gogue was destroyed by fire in 1829, but thr
Scrolls of the Law and the Ark were sa\ ed. 3
new brick structure on the old site was erects
and consecrated in 1841 by Isaac Leeser.
I. P. Mendes served as leader of the CongT^P
tion for many years. A new Synagogue was o*
secrated in 1878. Rabbi George Solomon is d*
present leader of Mickve Israel, w’hich has
member of the Union of American Hebrev C ,,n '
gregations since* 1904.
[6]
* THE SOUTHERN ISRAI LIT*