A Lively Experiment
A Multireligious Historical Overview of Rhode Island
|
|
| As Newport's Jewish population increased over the next hundred years with more Sephardic as well as Ashkenazic immigrants, the community eventually realized that it would need a synagogue. Thus, in 1759, they employed the renowned eighteenth-century church architect Peter Harrison to design one. The synagogue later came to be called the Touro Synagogue after Rabbi Isaac Touro, the community's spiritual leader during the time of its construction. The congregation meeting there called itself Congregation Jeshuat Israel—the "Salvation of Israel." In 1790, President George Washington visited the synagogue. He later wrote to them, saying:
"The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people, that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent national gifts. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens . . . May the children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid. May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our paths, and make us all in our several vocations useful here, and in his own due time and way everlastingly happy." |
PAGE : 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10
11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20
21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25
INDEX : 1-12 • 13-25 • All
Back to Images page