Jacob Henry Letter First Plea for Jewish Rights in North Carolina. CINCINNATI —"The citizens bly, and that the same be va- Were his colleagues "prepared published in The Ajnerican Ora- tion, t'he Jacob Henry letter, of the United States of Amer- cated." to plunge at once from the sub- tor, a widely - used children's and thousands of other docu- ica." wrote George Washington The next day, while the lime heights of moral legisla- reader which influenced a gen- ments relating to 19th-century to Newport Jewry in 1790 House was debating the Mills tion into the dark and gloomy eration — even in states which American Jewish life are to be - "have a right to applaud them- resolution, Henry took counsel caverns of superstitious ignor- maintained Jewish disabilities. found in the American Jewish selves for having given to man- with two prominent jurists, ance?" But, said Henry, he Copies of the Mills resolu- Archives. kind examples of an enlarged William Gaston, a Catholic thought it impossible that they and liberal policy. a policy member of the House, and "could ever assent to such ab- worthy of imitation." Judge John Louis Taylor of surdities." He said: "Nothing is more easily demon- Yet, as the 1800s dawned, North Carolina's Superior Court. than that the conduct alone seven of the original 13 states Gaston, who later became strated is the subject of human laws. and still denied their Jewish citizens Chief Justice of North Caro- that man ought to suffer civil dis- Located of for what he'does and full political rights, according lina's Supreme Court, as a Cath- qualification 12650 LINWOOD corner LESLIE not for what he thinks . . The to Dr. Jacob R. Marcus. direc- olic had cause to fear for his religion I profess inculcates every Hurry do not wait for lost minute to buy seat tickets— tor of the American Jewish own seat if the Mills resolution duty which man owes to this fellow- prices reasonable. men: it enjoins. the practice of Services conducted by Rabbi Israel Flom Archives, the American Jewish were passed. He and his broth- every virtue. and the detestation of Office Open All Doy Sunday; Doily: 6 A.M. - 10 A.M. historical research center on the er-in-law, Judge Taylor, later to every vice: it teaches (its adher- to hope for the favor of and 4 P.M. to 8 P.M. Cincinnati campus of Hebrew be elected the first Chief Jus- ents) Heaven exactly in proportion as union College-Jewish Institute tice of the State Supreme Court, their lives are directed by just. of Religion. carefully consulted with their honorable and beneficent maxims." Henry was sure that his col- Drawing on historical docu- Jew's associate and from their ments in the Archives files, Dr. deliberations emerged an ex- leagues could not "see anything Marcus tells the dramatic story traordinary letter, signed by in this religion to deprive" him of Jacob Henry, a Jewish land- Henry, but, thought by some:to of his seat in the House. lie had never concerned himself owner, whose election to the bear Taylor's stamp. with the religious beliefs of his North Carolina legislature ex- North Carolina's declaration fellow citizens, nor sought "to ploded the contradiction be- of rights, extending freedom of tween liberal policies and re- worship to all, wrote Henry. had make converts" to his own faith, You can help your children to develop their strictive laws into public con- to be "considered paramount." nor ever excluded any man frotn own inner strength mid emotional security by troversy and whose champion- Religion, Henry insisted. his "esteem or friendship" on religious grounds. enrolling them—today—in a Jewish school. ship of religious tolerance "is surely a question between a "The same charity, therefore," helped lay the ideological man and his Maker. and requires more than human attributes to pro- he declared, "it is not unrea- groundwork for elimination of nounce which of the numerous sects sonable to expect, will be ex- such flaws. prevailing in the world is most acceptable to the Deity. If a man tended to myself, because in all The Directors Council of the The North Carolina constitu- fulfills the duties of that religion things that relate to the state tion, adopted in 1776, piously which his education or his con- and to the duties of civil life, I science has pointed to him as the JelVish Religious Schools of avowed "that all men have a true one. no person ... in this, our am bound by the same obliga- natural and inalienable right to laud of liberty. has a right to ar- tions with my fellow-citizens." raign him at the bar of any in- Metropolitan Detroit worship Almighty God accord- quisition." Influenced or not by his elo- ing to the dictates of their own , Henry trusted, as he said, that quence, the House permitted conscience," but it went on to religious conformity could. no Henry to retain his seat. The Adas Shalom B'nai Moshe Shaarey Zedek declare that "no person, who longer be compelled by force. dilemma was resolved by a re- Beth Sholom Ahavas Achim Temple Beth El shall deny ... the truth of the God desired, above all else, "an markable constitutional inter- Protestant religion, or the di- humble spirit and sincere mind" pretation which held that non- Cong. Emanuel Beth Aaron Temple Israel vine authority either of the Old in man. He contended: Protestants, while constitution- Evergreen or New Testaments . . . shall y denied executive or judicial Beth Abraham "The proud monuments of liberty Jewish be capable of holding any of- knew . . that intolerance In mat- orfice, did not violate the state litinai David fice ... in the civil department ters of fith had been, from the constitution by serving as legis- Congregation earliest ages of the world, the se- within the state." verest torments by which mankind lators. Non-Protestants could could be afflicted, and that govern- Compounding the contradic- ments were only concerned about make the laws; they could not tions in the state's political life, the actions and conduct of man. interpret or execute them! il. not his .speLuXivieimnollonS. North Carolina continued to the- North Carolina electorate am ong so proceeded in 1781 to bestow the exalted above his fellows as to have withhold full rights from Cath- right to dictate to them their olics until 1835 and from Jews governorship on Thomas Burke, a mode of belief? Shall this free a CathOlic, and in 1808 and 1809 country set an. example of persecu- until 1868. In the meantime. which even the returning however, Henry's address was the voters of Carteret County tion. reason of enslaved Europe would chose Jacob Henry, the son of not Submit to? Will you bind the invoked in 1818 and later by WEST 7 MILE ROAD AT CREENLAWN a Bavarian immigrant, to rep- conscience in chains . . . in spite the protagonists for Jewish of the conclusions of reason, and resent them in the lower cham- of those ties . . which are blended equality in Maryland. A few will hold auxiliary high holiday services led by with every pulsation of the heart?" years after its delivery, it was ber, the House of Commons. His first term passeil without Cantor Eugene Greenfield and Mr. Irving Schlussel challenge. but Jacob Henry had not served a month of his sec- in its main floor air conditioned social hall. ond term when, on Dec. 5. Hugh C. Mills, representing Rocking- Tickets Available Doily 9 A.M. - 4 P.M. At Synagogue Office ham County, rose without warn- Signatories to the contract ing to complain that "a certain mend this week signed a con- were U.S. Ambassador Edward and Evenings 6:30 - 9:00 P.M. in Synagogue Lobby. Jacob Henry, a member of this tract with Bar-Ilan University, B. Lawson and the university's House, denies the divine au- the American-patterned uni- director general, Dr. Tuvia Bar- thority of the New Testanient, versity in Israel, for the estab- Ilan. Also present at the cere- and refused to take the oath lishment of a Chair of American Information regarding membership, wedding and monies on the suburban campus prescribed by law for his quali- Studies, it was announced by site at Ramat Gan, Israel, were Bar Mitzvah reservations cheerfully given at the . fication, in violation of the con- Rabbi Joseph Bernard Katzen, special State stitution of the slate." Mills , chairman of the university's I Department consultant wh o Synagogue office — UN 1-6696. moved that Henry "is not en- academic council. I made the survey of Israeli in- titled to a seat in this Assem- The chair will be underwrit- , stitutions prior to the granting Registration for Sunday Religious School — ten by a grant of 100.000 Israeli of funds, and Dr. Max Jammer, Sunday, September 7 at 9 a.m. DRIVING LESSONS pounds ($55.000) from currency chairman of the school's physics accumulated in Israel by the department, who has accepted ay LESSON S3 0 a visiting professorship at Bas- United States under its currency I COURSE guarantee for American pub- ton College for the coming Dual Controls academic year. lishers who sell books, mag- No Permit Needed to Start Ambassador Lawson handed Professional Instructors azines and technical publica- Day or Evening tions in Israel. The grant is over the initial installment of In the place of heavenly music, there should Appointments part of a multi-million dollar the grant. The first occupant of prayers be offered . Talmud Safeway Driver Training program to aid Israeli cultural the Chair of American Studies and educational institutions un- has not yet been chosen. TO. 9-7600 LI. 2-6742 Ground was broken on the dertaken by Washington. campus last February for a new Abraham Lincoln Physics Cen: ter toward whose construction 24061 Coolidge at 9 1/2 Mile Road costs the United States Govern- ment also contributed the equiv- Oak Park's First Synagogue 14200 WEST 10 MILE RD. at CLOVERLAWN alent of $100,000. When the sci- ence building is in full opera- Cordially invites the Community to Announces that tion it will have facilities for the science education of 1,000 undergraduates. I Congregation Bnal Israel For Hiih Holidays — HAVE YOU REGISTERED YOUR CHILD IN A JEWISH-SCHOOL OF YOUR CHOICE! wy CONGREGATION BETH ABRAHAM U. S. Underwrites American Studies Chair at Bar-Ilan University • Young Israel Center of Oak-Woods f Cong. Shaarey Shomayim HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES High Holy Day Services 6th Will be held in their new, airy building Century Mosaic Excavated in Negev A prominent Rabbi and Cantor David Tanzman will conduct traditional services JERUSALEM (JTA)—A large mosaic floor dating back to the sixth century C.E. has been un- earthed at excavations in the- The Synagogue Office at 25010 Gardner at Wales is open doily horn 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday from 9 o.m. to noon southern Negev. Membership Invited The floor, approximately 15 by 30 feet, was recovered near the site of the ancient Byzantine town of Shivta. Greek inscrip- tions can be made out in the For Information Call: H. T. Wechsler, LI 3-2545 or Mr. Golden, LI 6-6469 border of the mosaic. I. Rabbi Yaakov I. Hoinnick Officiating Prominent Cantors will chant the Liturgy Reservations: Monday - Thursday 7:30-10:00 p.m. Sunday 9:00- 1 :00 p.m. The Hebrew, Sunday and Nursery Schools have a limited number of openings for the fall term.