I 
 
 NEX STAC 
 
 500 
 
 2085
 
 The Library 
 University of California, Los Angeles 
 
 The gift of Mrs. Cummings, 1 963
 
 REPORT TO THE ELDERS 
 
 OF THE PROCEEDINGS IX THE 
 
 & |oi[titj)u^e Jews' Conjugation 
 
 |>X THE IHCASION 
 
 THE CENTENARY 
 
 SIR MOSES MONTEFIOBE, BART. 
 
 STH HESHVAN, 5645 -26m OCTOBER, 1884. 
 
 FEINTED BY WERTHBIMER, LEA AXD CO., 
 
 CIUCUS PLACF, LONDON WALL.
 
 EEPOET TO TEE ELDERS 
 
 OF THE PROCEEDINGS IX THE 
 
 Danish & oi[titp^c JIMS' 
 
 ON THE OCCASION OF 
 
 THE CENTENARY 
 
 SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE, BART. 
 
 STH HESHVAN, 5645 26TH OCTOBER, 1884. 
 
 PRIXTED BY WEETHEIMER, LEA AND CO., 
 
 CIHCUS PLACE, LONDON WALL.
 
 Stack 
 Annex 
 
 EEPOET TO THE ELDEES 
 
 OF THE PROCEEDINGS IN THE CONGREGATION ON THE 
 OCCASION OF THE CENTENARY OF 
 
 SIR MOSES MONTEFIORE, BAET. 
 
 GENTLEMEN, 
 
 As you are aware on Sunday, the 8th of 
 Heshvan last, corresponding with the 26th of October, 
 our Venerable Elder, Sir Moses Montefiore, Bart., 
 completed the hundredth year of his eventful life. 
 Desirous of making this event an occasion of great 
 public Jewish interest, and a day memorable in the 
 annals of the Congregation, the Mahamad invited the 
 Rev. Dr. Hermann Adler, Delegate Chief Rabbi, to 
 preach a sermon in the parent Synagogue during the 
 Special Service which was held on that day. 
 
 Invitations were issued to all the leading members 
 of the Jewish community, together with the Lord 
 Mayor and Lady Mayoress, the Sheriffs of London 
 and Middlesex, and other distinguished persons of 
 different religious denominations. The Mahamad are 
 pleased to record the cordiality with which the invita- 
 tions were responded to. The Lord Mayor and the 
 
 5002985
 
 4 
 
 Lady Mayoress were present, and our ancient Syna- 
 gogue was filled with an assemblage worthy of the 
 occasion which called it together. About seven 
 hundred were seated in the building, and the task of 
 ushering in and quickly placing this large concourse 
 of people, was much facilitated by numbering the 
 seats throughout, and by the active co-operation of 
 a body of Stewards, twelve in number, to whom the 
 Mahamad owe their thanks for the quiet and efficient 
 manner in which all the details of their arrangements 
 were carried out. 
 
 The special form of service, compiled by the Rev. 
 Dr. Adler, Chief Eabbi, for use in the Synagogues 
 under his jurisdiction, was used on the occasion. 
 
 The Afternoon Service, which commenced at half- 
 past four, was read by the Rev. Mr. Piperno, the 
 Special Service by the Rev. Mr. Piza, Senior Minister 
 of the Congregation, and the Evening Service by the 
 Rev. Mr. Roco. The Choir was under the direction 
 of Mr. Jessurun (the Choir Master), and Mr. Hollan- 
 der, the celebrated violinist, was specially engaged to 
 preside at the harmonium. Wishing to make the 
 choral part of the Service as effective and brilliant 
 as possible, the Mahamad, through one of their mem- 
 bers, Mr. Jacob Nunes Castello, sought and obtained 
 the honorary assistance of Monsieur Jules Diaz de 
 Soria, of Bordeaux. This gentleman made the 
 journey to London specially in order to sing at the 
 Centenary Service in our Synagogue. 
 
 The President of the Mahamad received a letter
 
 from Mr. and Mrs. Joseph de Castro, informing him 
 that they wished to present to the Congregation a 
 Sepher Torah, Cloak, and Bells, in memory of their 
 beloved daughter, Mrs. Florence Deborah Abecasis. 
 This gift was accepted on behalf of the Congregation, 
 and it was decided that the Scroll of the Law should 
 be deposited in the Ark in a solemn and respectful 
 manner. The Sepher was carried from the Vestry 
 Room to the Synagogue by the Rev. Dr. Hermann 
 Adler, followed by the Hazanim and the Gentlemen 
 of the Mahamad. On its entry into the Synagogue 
 the verses commencing S2n ~[TQ were sweetly intoned 
 by M. de Soria, who continued the solo until the 
 Sepher was deposited in the Ark, when he rendered 
 most impressively the verse of 'n "fba's accompanied 
 by the choir. The effect of this ceremony on the 
 Congregation was most marked, and those who had 
 the privilege of being present, will long remember its 
 solemnity and grandeur. The melody of the TTQ 
 S^n was the composition of M. Perpignan, of Bor- 
 deaux, and the nbl3?b 'n ~f?W was from the selection 
 of Synagogue Music by Mr. Jonas, of Paris ; with 
 these exceptions the music was selected entirely from 
 the ancient Portuguese Jewish melodies, and the choir 
 acquitted itself very creditably. The Sermon delivered 
 by the Rev. Dr. Hermann Adler was listened to with 
 deep attention, and the opinions expressed by visitors 
 as well as by members of the Jewish Community 
 were unanimous in its praise. Letters of thanks were 
 sent to the Rev. Dr. Hermann Adler and to M. de
 
 6 
 
 Soria, accompanied by a silver-gilt vase to the former, 
 and a silver goblet to the latter, with suitable inscrip- 
 tions, in recognition of their valuable services. 
 
 In order to make the ancient building bear a 
 festive aspect, extra lights were introduced into the 
 ladies' galleries. The whole of the interior was deco- 
 rated with flowers; festoons of red and yellow 
 blossoms (the Spanish colours) were hung from 
 column to column, and garlands of the same colours 
 were fixed to each chandelier. The Ark, Reading 
 Desk, and Ecclesiastical Chair were also decorated 
 with parterres of flowers. No one was permitted to 
 occupy the seat of the venerable Baronet, which was 
 specially decorated for the occasion. At the expense 
 of certain gentlemen, a bouquet of red and yellow 
 flowers, tastefully fastened with a white ribbon, bear- 
 ing the inscription " Think and Thank " in gold, was 
 presented to each lady on entering the Synagogue. 
 The coup cFceil was most pleasing, and reflected great 
 credit on the ladies who superintended the decoration. 
 An awning was erected, which reached from the big 
 gates in Bevis Marks to the entrance of the Syna- 
 gogue building, lighted by several candelabras, and 
 lined with palms and shrubs. Here those children 
 attending the Girls' Schools of our Congregation who 
 could not be accommodated with seats in the build- 
 ing, were drawn up on either side, dressed in the 
 quaint style which has been handed down to us from 
 the founders. This work was entrusted to Messrs. 
 J. Defries & Sons, of Hounsditch, and all the flowers
 
 were supplied by Mr. "W. Gardiner, of Queen's Road, 
 Bayswater, both firms carrying out their work in a 
 most efficient manner. The Mahamad, anxious that 
 the funds of the Congregation should be spared as 
 much as possible, and feeling sure that every member 
 would be desirous of showing his respect for the 
 venerable Baronet, issued a circular, stating that a 
 Nedaba was to be made. They regret that, for some 
 unforeseen reason, it did not meet with the cordiality 
 or liberality which they expected, as only a sum of 
 54 17s. 6d. was, in all, collected from the 270 circulars 
 that were issued. The Nedaba was not announced 
 in Synagogue during the Special Service, as the 
 Mahamad were unwilling to appear as if they desired 
 to solicit donations from those invited to the ceremony. 
 
 After the Service, Mr. Joseph Sebag, President of 
 Elders, and Nephew of Sir Moses Montefiore, in 
 honor of the Centenary, entertained at dinner at 
 the Criterion, Piccadilly, the Elders of the Congre- 
 gation and many distinguished friends. 
 
 This dinner being of a semi-private character, the 
 Mahamad feel it would be an intrusion to refer to it 
 further.
 
 DINNERS TO THE POOR. 
 
 The Mahamad, mindful of the unbounded charitable 
 disposition of Sir Moses Montefiore, and his never- 
 failing interest in the welfare of the poor, decided to 
 further commemorate the completion of the hundredth 
 year of his life by giving dinners to all the poor, both 
 old and young, registered on the books of the Board 
 of Guardians of this Congregation. Funds being 
 required to meet the expenses of an undertaking of 
 such magnitude, it was resolved to issue a circular to 
 the prominent members of the Congregation, and the 
 Mahamad authorized their colleague, Mr. Joseph de 
 Castro (who is President of the Board of Guardians) 
 to sign the same on their behalf. They have the 
 pleasure to record the liberal response with which 
 they were met, and a sum of 210 16s. was the result 
 of their appeal. 
 
 Monday (the day following the celebration in the 
 Synagogue) was chosen for these festivities, and 
 accordingly, on that day, the children of our several 
 schools, the inmates of Beth Holim, and the Buildings, 
 and a large proportion of the poor on the register, 
 were entertained as follows : 
 
 INFANT AND VILLA REAL SCHOOLS. 
 
 The children attending these Schools dined in the 
 afternoon on the school premises, and in the evening
 
 had a magic-lantern exhibition, and a distribution of 
 toys and buns. 
 
 SHAARE-TIKVA SCHOOL. 
 
 The boys of this school were entertained with a 
 tea, followed by a a conjuror's performance. 
 
 x 
 
 ORPHAN SCHOOL. 
 
 The boys in this Institution, having been allowed 
 to participate in a treat at the Bayswater Jewish 
 Schools, which they regularly attend, were, on a later 
 day, taken to a performance of the Christy Minstrels. 
 
 BETH HOLIM. 
 
 The inmates had an excellent dinner in the middle 
 of the day, and a further entertainment in the even- 
 ing was concluded with a display of fireworks. 
 
 THE BUILDINGS. 
 
 The occupants had an ample dinner with poultry, 
 provided for them. 
 
 THE GENERAL POOR. 
 
 The first difficulty to be overcome in arranging for 
 the entertainment of so large a number of people
 
 10 
 
 was that of finding in the neighbourhood a building 
 capable of holding them. No public hall existed 
 suitable for the purpose, but at length a vacant ware- 
 house in Tabernacle Street, Finsbury, was discovered, 
 and on application being made to the owner, Mr. Wil- 
 liam Angus, that gentleman most courteously and 
 generously placed it at the disposal of the Mahamad, 
 free of charge. The Mahamad have the greater 
 pleasure in recording this graceful act on the part of 
 a stranger, bearing witness as it does to the wide 
 spread veneration with which Sir Moses Montefiore is 
 regarded. 
 
 Having thus fortunately obtained a place admirably 
 adapted for the accommodation of so large a number 
 of people, the Mahamad employed Messrs. J. Defries 
 & Sons to decorate the building, supply tables and 
 chairs, &c., and they further arranged with Mr. Silver, 
 of Gower Street, to provide an ample dinner, consist- 
 ing of roast beef, corned beef, potatoes, plum pudding, 
 beer, and an excellent dessert. Notices were posted 
 in Bevis Marks and its neighbourhood informing the 
 Poor of the intended dinner, and directing them to 
 apply to the Vestry for Tickets of Admission. Over 
 500 of the Poor sat down to dinner, and before leaving 
 every woman was presented with a half-pound packet of 
 tea, and every man with a two-ounce packet of tobacco. 
 Several of the ladies and gentlemen whose liberality 
 had helped to provide the entertainment were present 
 during the evening, and all were delighted with the 
 pretty spectacle which the gaily decorated room
 
 11 
 
 presented, and were pleased to note the evident 
 enjoyment by the Poor of the good fare provided. 
 
 Grace was said by the Rev. D. Piza, and the health 
 of Sir Moses was drunk with great enthusiasm. Other 
 speeches followed, and Mr. Angus, the proprietor of 
 the warehouse, was present and replied in suitable 
 terms to the toast of his health. 
 
 The above is an accurate account of the manner in 
 which the Mahamad expended the money so liberally 
 placed at their disposal. The balance of about 40 
 remaining in hand after providing for everything will 
 be handed over to the General Fund of the Board of 
 Guardians. A Balance Sheet giving all the details of 
 the collection and expenditure will be issued in due 
 course to each donor. 
 
 In conclusion the Mahamad express the hope that 
 the manner in which they carried out the celebration 
 of this interesting event will have met with the 
 approval of every member of the Congregation. Being 
 in office, in a year which will ever be distinguished in 
 the calendar of Jewish history, they felt that a great 
 responsibility rested upon them to uphold the dignity 
 of the Congregation, to whose oldest member all the 
 world was paying a tribute of respect and admiration. 
 The Centenary of Sir Moses Montefiore was the occa- 
 sion of such a spontaneous outburst of congratulation 
 from every quarter of the globe, that it especially 
 behoved the Congregation which had the great honour 
 of possessing the venerable philanthropist as one of
 
 12 
 
 its members, to take a prominent place in this univer- 
 sal celebration. 
 
 The Mahamad were mindful of this, and they trust 
 that every arrangement for which they were respon- 
 sible was carried out to your satisfaction, worthy of 
 the man in whose honor it was done, and of the tra- 
 ditions of our ancient Congregation. 
 
 We are, Gentlemen, 
 
 Your obedient Servants, 
 
 H. GUEDALLA, President, 
 L. ALLATINI, 
 A. I. MONTEFIORE, 
 JOSEPH DE CASTRO, 
 JACOB N. CASTELLO, Gabay.