Extensions of Remarks Hon.Thomasf.Hartnett
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
12326 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS May 15, 1984 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS REMARKS BY AMBASSADOR by the British, but Moses had a gift for It implies something more-compassion, a JOHN L. LOEB, JR., UPON RE business, and he built a successful career as sense of brotherhood, a feeling for human CEIVING THE ANNUAL HUMAN a merchant with a shop on King Street. He ity. ITARIAN AWARD OF THE also built a large family, and he prospered The Torah prescribes that the stranger, enough to buy a plantation called Oaks the orphan and the widow must be cared HEBREW BENEVOLENT SOCIE Plantation in Goose Creek from the Middle for. Akiba and Maimonides and other sages TY, CHARLESTON, SC, MARCH ton family. and scholars taught the obligation and re 18, 1984 Isaiah Moses was the senior trustee for wards of helping others. According to the Beth Elohim Congregation, but he ulti Mosaic prescriptions, the duty of chartity is HON.THOMASF.HARTNETT mately broke with that synagogue because enjoined not only upon the wealthy, but OF SOUTH CAROLINA he objected to the reform modes of worship upon all men and women, and not only upon which it adopted. He joined the new congre individuals, but on the community acting to IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES gation, Shearith Israel, was elected its first gether. Thus, from the beginning of record Tuesday, May 15, 1984 president, and led the building campaign for ed Jewish history, one finds examples of or Mr. HARTNETT. Mr. Speaker, it is the synagogue which was consecrated in ganized community relief work. e 1847. In this, I think that Jews understood with great pleasure that I share with Isaiah Moses lived to the age of 85. He something fundamental about the human my colleagues the remarks recently died in 1857 and is buried in the Coming spirit and the nature of social relations. made by the distinguished Ambassa Street Cemetery. His widow, Rebecca Phil They understood that the act of helping dor, John L. Loeb, Jr., upon receiving lips Moses, joined him there many years others is ennobling to those who extend the the annual humanitarian award at the later. She was a devoted daughter of the help, and that when help is extended by a 200th anniversary of the Hebrew Be Confederacy, and family legend has it that communal effort, it becomes an act which nevolent Society in Charleston, SC. I she suffered a stroke upon hearing news of binds and unites the community. To share am confident that my colleagues will Lee's surrender. responsibility for its members gives a com One of the many sons of Isaiah and Re munity cohesion and strength. Which is find Ambassador Loeb's statement as becca was my great-grandfather, Levy why, perhaps, Jewish communities have en enlightening and interesting as I did. Moses. dured for so long and under such adversity. REMARKS BY AMBASSADOR JOHN L. LoEB, JR. Levy Moses is mentioned in Bernard Bar And so, wherever Jews have lived in the I am grateful to you for this honor you uch's autobiography, "My Own Story," as past, they have created institutions to help have paid me and for your gracious and gen being one of the two trustees for his grand the less fortunate among them-the sick, erous words. It's not false modesty that mother, Sarah Cohen, in her marriage con the forgotten, the destitute. The Hebrew compels me to say that the tribute, however tract with Saling Wolfe in November of Benevolent Society, the first Jewish charita gratifying, is exaggerated. But I accept it, 1845. ble agency ever created in America, stands not so much for myself, as on behalf of my Levy Moses was a member 6f the Hebrew in the long line of communal institutions, family and its many ancestors who have in Orphan Society, to be distinguished from and the men and women who have support stilled in me an understanding of the re the Hebrew Benevolent Society, for more ed it over these two centuries have carried sponsibility and privilege of helping others. than 40 years and served as its secretary on a noble Jewish tradition. It's a particular pleasure to share in this treasurer for almost two decades, including All of you here tonight, members of the significant anniversary with you because it the years of the Civil War. Bicentennial Committee, Officers and gives me the opportunity to revisit this During the occupation of Charleston by Trustees of the Society-past and present, lovely city of Charleston. I have a special at Union forces, he managed to hide the assets members of the Society-can be justly and tachment to it, for my family's roots go of the Orphan Society from the Yankee au deservedly proud that you are carrying on deep into its history. Some of my ancestors thorities. such a magnificent tradition. lived here and are buried here. In recognition of this and his years of There is not time to mention each one of I am a genealogy buff. I have had great service, the Hebrew Orphan Society pre you. I wish I could because I know that ev fun, and some inspiration, in tracing down sented him with a silver cup and a testimo eryone of you in different ways has done so my forebears. From scant records, I gleaned nial. much; not only for the Hebrew Benevolent the stories of their lives. This research gives I have here with me, today, a copy of the Society and the Jewish community, but for me a sense of history; it links me to genera letter which he wrote the Hebrew Orphan Charleston and South Carolina as well. tions past, and it illuminates the ideals and Society in August of 1866. However, I cannot ieave here tonight values which are my heritage. He writes: "You will however be pleased to without recognizing and paying tribute to Judah Touro, perhaps America's first convey to the Hebrew Orphan Society my that wonderful man I met almost a decade great philanthropist, was an ancestral most grateful acknowledgements and my ago, who has brought me to Charleston cousin of mine. heartfelt desire that the funds so providen again and again, one of your great leaders My people first came to America in the tially preserved may be greatly increased and a great gentleman, an outstanding latter part of the 17th century. They were and never used except for the purposes es American citizen-Mr. Milton Banov. among the first of the handful of Jews who tablished by the Founders of the Society." It may be too much to claim that the Jews settled in the colonies in search of freedom I will not carry this family history any invented charity, but it is true, I believe, and opportunity. further but I think you will now begin to that no other people have practiced it so Seven generations ago, Jacob Phillips, my understand the reasons for my attachment magnanamously throughout the world and great-great-great-great-grandfather settled to Charleston. especially here in the United States. Indeed, here in Charleston before the Revolution In reviewing my ancestral connection and philanthropy-Jewish and non-Jewish and served in the South Carolina militia ties to this city and our nation, I could not thrives here as in no other country in the during the War for Independence. He was a help but think about my own heritage-my world. I think this reflects something in the member of Congregation Beth Elohim, American and my Jewish heritage-both of American character-a neighborliness which was then the largest Jewish commu which are in a sense represented in the which is inherent in frontier people, a con nity in the United States with a total mem Hebrew Benevolent Society. cern for human dignity, a generosity of bership of 500 souls. Nothing in the Jewish heritage is more spirit which is implicitly in the democratic One of those 500 Jewish citizens was yet noble than the concept of Zedakah-of ideal. Autocracies and dictatorships are no another of my ancestors-actually Jacob charity. The Hebrew name of your society, more known for the charity of their inhabit Phillips' son-in-law, Isaiah Moses; he had Hebra Shel Gemilut Hasidim, as you know, ants than for the compassion of their ruiers. married Jacob Phillips' daughter Rebecca. is a rabbinic term which literally means the But in America, individual and communal Isaiah Moses settled in Charleston soon bestowing of kindness. It suggests some philanthropy flourish as nowhere else. Not after the Revolution. The city and its econo thing more appealing than the term charity, only have such great fortunes as the Carne my had been badly mauled during the war which merely required the giving of money. gie, Mellon, Ford, and Rockefeller been e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. May 15, 1984- EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 12327 dedicated to humanitarian purposes and the claimed the lives of more than 40,000 civil the United States is the right policy for a betterment of society, but the great mass of ian noncombatants since 1979. Many thou country that regards itself as the great American citizens regularly contribute to sands of others have had their lives threat international protector of freedom, democ the almost endless roster of religious, educa ened and their homes destroyed. racy and human rights.e tional, cultural, social, scientific, health, and Today, about 500,000 people have sought other institutions which are so integral a protecton inside El Salvador in displaced part of American life.