In 1905, the 250th anniversary of Jewish settlement in New Amsterdam was commemorated on the Sabbath before Thanksgiving. A committee on “Form of Prayer,†led by Reverend Dr. Henry Pereira Mendes, was tasked with creating a service for the occasion. The choice of Mendes was appropriate, and perhaps deliberate, since he was the spiritual leader of Congregation Shearith Israel / the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue – the mother of all American congregations, dating back to 1654.
The committee published a pamphlet, in Hebrew and English, with selected Psalms and a prayer composed for the occasion. This pamphlet is housed in ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Library’s Rare Book Room. Hebrew and English excerpts follow:
ועתה ××œ×§×™× ×• ×ž×•×“×™× ×× ×—× ×• לך ×•×ž×”×œ×œ×™× ×œ×©× ×ª×¤×רתך על ×©×”×—×™×™×ª× ×• ×•×§×™×ž×ª× ×• ×œ×™×•× ×”×–×”. ×›×™ ברחמיך ×”×¨×‘×™× ×©×ž×ª ×©× ×•×©×רית ×œ×¨×‘×™× ×ž×‘× ×™ סגולתך להחיות ×œ× ×• לפליטה גדולה ב×רץ ×”×–×ת ×שר בחסד ה‘ עליה × ×”×™×™×ª למעון הצדק והמשפט ×שר בה יבקשו ×”×¢×©×•×§×™× ×•×”× ×¨×“×¤×™× ×ž×¤×œ×˜ למו. גדול העצה ורב העלילה לך ×™×תה תהלה ×›×™ × ×—×™×ª מתי מספר מעמך ×–×” ×œ×¤× ×™ שתי מ×ות ×•×—×ž×©×™× ×©× ×” ×ל ×”×רץ הברוכה ×”×–×ת ×שר בה יוכלו לעבד ×ותך ב×ין מפריע. ... והיה ה‘ למלך על כל ×”×רץ ×‘×™×•× ×”×”×•× ×™×”×™×” ה‘ ×חד ושמו ×חד, ×מן.
“Everlasting G-d …we lift up our hearts in gratitude to Thee, in that two hundred and fifty years ago Thou didst guide a little band of Israel’s children who, seeking freedom to worship Thee, found it in a land which, with Thy blessing, became a refuge of freedom and justice for the oppressed of all peoples. … May all hearts serve Thee with one accord and recognize that Thou art One and Thy Name is One. Amen.†Rev. Dr. Mendes served as an instructor of homiletics at RIETS from 1917 to 1920, and addressed its 1919 Chag HaSemicha which was celebrated at his synagogue, Congregation Shearith Israel, on Central Park West. Posted by Shulamith Z. Berger
