An Old Faith in the New World
- Subtitle: Portrait of Shearith Israel, 1654-1954
- Authors: David and Tamar de Sola Pool
- Publisher: Columbia University Press, 1955 – 562 pp.
- LOC Permalink: http://lccn.loc.gov/55006619
- Availability: out of print, but used copies are affordable
Review
Rabbi Pool was an indefatigable spiritual leader of America's first Jewish congregation, serving for sixty years from 1907-1967. He was also the last Western Sephardic rabbi employed by Shearith Israel to date, and he used the occasion of the tercentenary of America Jewish life in 1954 to document the history of the community from his unique perspective.
The book is the final maturation of several earlier projects, including four pamphlets on each of the community's synagogue buildings, but it also incorporates a wealth of new material and analysis that had never been released before. He had direct access to Shearith Israel's archives and bulletins when crafting his narrative, and drew on them liberally along with many other primary and secondary materials. The result is a hefty, thorough tome that covers both broad themes of general interest and copious details about the synagogue's leaders, prominent members, and charitable societies.
As an older book that was created by a prominent leader of its subject population, it does exhibit certain flaws and lacunae, particularly when it comes to the twentieth century. Subsequent historians have noticed the deliberate way in which he glosses over the experience of Eastern Sephardim in congregational life, and have attempted to fill in some of those gaps from a different point of view. Still, it remains an important contribution to the academic discourse, and it is an invaluable source of information on the Western Sephardic life in New York City.
The book is the final maturation of several earlier projects, including four pamphlets on each of the community's synagogue buildings, but it also incorporates a wealth of new material and analysis that had never been released before. He had direct access to Shearith Israel's archives and bulletins when crafting his narrative, and drew on them liberally along with many other primary and secondary materials. The result is a hefty, thorough tome that covers both broad themes of general interest and copious details about the synagogue's leaders, prominent members, and charitable societies.
As an older book that was created by a prominent leader of its subject population, it does exhibit certain flaws and lacunae, particularly when it comes to the twentieth century. Subsequent historians have noticed the deliberate way in which he glosses over the experience of Eastern Sephardim in congregational life, and have attempted to fill in some of those gaps from a different point of view. Still, it remains an important contribution to the academic discourse, and it is an invaluable source of information on the Western Sephardic life in New York City.
Contents
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Shores of hope
Citadels of faith Living traditions Panorama of faith Servants in the house of the Lord "Diligently unto thy children" Centrality of the synagogue Firm foundations Silent witness American synagogue Religion in action Expanding horizons For the sake of Zion |
3
37 81 101 158 211 233 258 302 314 341 379 396 |
Fellowship and friendship
Twelve generations The past is everlasting Appendices: Constitutions of 1728 and 1761 Servants of the congregation Soldiers and patriots of the Revolution Honor roll Notes Glossary and references Reading list Bibliography Indexes |
410
458 486 499 502 504 506 511 537 547 555 565 |