Rosh HaShana
CONT. FROM PAGE R60
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some 10,000 Jews.
In London, it appears, there were
enough people Who knew Hebrew
and there were schools to train the
youth in the language. Furthermore,
Yiddish and Ladino translations of the
machzor and the siddur (daily prayer-
book) were readily available.
The colonial scene was quite differ-
ent. Since the few colonial American
synagogues all followed the Sephardic
ritual, the Ashkenazic members could
not readily use their own prayerbooks,
which had a Yiddish translation
geared to the Ashkenazic ritual. And
by now the Sephardim in America
were second and third generation
Americans; they were not as conver-
sant with the Hebrew as their parents
and grandparents. So an English
translation was essential since it was
the common language.
Finally, in the summer of 1761,
the small volume was issued anony-
mously, no translator specified.
Most probably, the translator was
Isaac Pinto, a highly knowledgeable
Jew in New York. However, it seems
that he left his name off because in
1761 the Jewish community of New
York was not completely free of "its
feelings of colonial inferiority."
Hence, it was thought to be a bit
presumptuous for a New Yorker to
upstage the resourceful and talented
London Jewish community and
issue the first English translation
ever of a prayerbook.
The work known as Evening Service
of Roshashanah and Kippur does not
contain a complete translation of the
machzor. That would have been too
much to expect.
The translation of the Aleinu prayer
demonstrates that the American Jew
who prepared it had the original text
of the prayer.
Moreover, the prayer for the gov-
ernment highlights the British Royal
House. "Bless, preserve, guard and
assist our Sovereign Lord King George
the Third, her Royal Highness the
Princess Dowager of Wales, and all the
Royal Family." It continues, "The
Supreme King of Kings, inspire him,
and his Council, and the States of his
Kingdoms, with Benevolence towards
us and our Brethren."
Who could have predicted that
when the Jews arrived in New
Amsterdam 345 years ago, that
America would today host such a
vibrant Jewish community on the
eve of Rosh HaShana 5760, also the
dawn of the secular new millenni-
um. H