Travel
Historic Philadelphia
Has A Jewish Focus
RUTH ROVNER
Special to The Jewish News
T
he narrow cobblestoned
street with modest brick
row houses is called
Elfreth's Alley. It's the oldest
continuously occupied street in the
entire United States, with the first resi-
dents living here in 1702. Because of
its historic significance, it's a popular
site for tourists exploring the historic
area of Philadelphia.
Our tour group was on the street
for a less typical reason. It was the first
stop on a walking tour focused on the
Jewish sites and themes in historic
Philadelphia. We began here because a
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founding of the first congregation,
Mikveh Israel, which is still function-
ing as the second oldest congregation
in the country. The present sanctuary
of Mikveh Israel is the fifth home of
this historic congregation. Opened in
1976 in honor of the nation's bicenten-
nial, it is located just across from
Independence Mall at 55 North Fifth
Street.. It's in the same building as the
National Museum of American Jewish
History, the only museum in the
United States devoted exclusively to
the American Jewish theme.
The museum, with its well detailed
exhibits and varied cultural events, is
well worth a separate visit.
The sanctuary of Mikveh Israel was
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striking in its dignity and simplicity.
Services are held regularly, in
Sephardic style, and members take
great pride in the history of their con-
gregation.
Across the street in Independence
Mall is the Liberty Bell Pavilion,
where crowds of tourists were in line
to see one of the nation's most trea-
sured landmarks. Shipping magnate
Nathan Levy, the founder of Mikveh
Israel, and his partner David Frank,
both owned the Myrtilla, the ship
which carried the Liberty Bell to
America in 1752.
Colonial Jews also were part of
events at our next stop, Carpenter's
Hall, near Fourth and Chestnut
Street. Besides serving as a meeting
place for carpenters, it was used as a
general meeting hall where many ideas
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Elfreth's Alley was an early residential street for Jews.
number of Colonial Jews were living
here in the 1700s.
The tour proved a novel and inter-
esting way to enjoy this very compact
and walkable area which is rich in his-
toric sites and Colonial architecture.
A walking tour titled "Colonial
Judaic Philadelphia" is offered six
times a year; it's given by the Founda-
tion for Architecture, which offers
over 50 tours of Philadelphia, all by
well-trained guides.
On the narrow street we were
shown several houses where Colonial
Jews lived: Moses Mordecai, a promi-
nent merchant, lived at #118, and
Rabbi Jacob R. Cohen lived a few
houses away at #113.
These and other Colonial Jews
lived in an environment of religious
tolerance. In 1740, there was the
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