The hymn “Strike the Cymbal” was written by C.J.M. (possibly either Columbus or Cherie “Cherry” Moïse. We consider the former more likely as he was known to have composed a poem for the inauguration of the “Portuguese synagogue in Charleston.” —Jewish Encyclopedia (1906).) The copy transcribed here was recorded in one of the handwritten manuscripts used by the Reformed Society of Israelites as a supplement for their prayer service. A facsimile edition of the manuscript was published asThe Isaac Harby Prayerbook by Edward Cohn for Ḳ.Ḳ. Beth Elohim in 1974, and is also referred to as the Cohn lithograph. I have replaced the vocalization of the Tetragrammaton with ‘YHVH.’ –Aharon Varady

Source(s)

Strike the Cymbal (C.J.M. – Cohn Lithograph 1826)

“Strike the Cymbal, a hymn by Columbus Moïse (Reformed Society of Israelites, Charleston, South Carolina, 1826)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.

Columbus Moïse

Columbus Moïse (1809-1871) born in Charleston, South Carolina, was the son of Aaron Moïse and Sarah Cohen Moïse. He married Fanny Emma Levy, a daughter of D.C. Levy of Philadelphia, Pa. For thirty-five years he was president of the principal bank of New Orleans, Louisiana. He was postmaster of that city, and was chosen by its citizens to receive Gen. Zachary Taylor on his return from the battle of Buena Vista in 1847. He was granted a large tract of land in Florida for services rendered in the Indian War. Columbus Moïse wrote many short poems, one of which was sung at the laying of the cornerstone during the consecration of the new synagogue building for Ḳ.Ḳ. Beth Elohim in Charleston, South Carolina.

Reformed Society of Israelites

The Reformed Society of Israelites (1824-1833) was a group of forty-seven congregants of Ḳ.Ḳ. Beth Elohim, Charleston, South Carolina, who gathered in late 1824 to petition the congregation to modify the service of prayers with an adapted liturgy emphasizing English translations, original hymns, and other modifications. Among other reforms, the group called for shorter services and sermons conducted in English that would relate the weekly parashah to everyday life. Prominent leaders in the group were Isaac Harby (1788–1828), Abraham Moïse (1799-1869), and David Nunes Carvalho (1784-1860). After Harby's death in 1828, the group published a prayerbook (later reprinted by Barnett Elzas/Bloch in 1916). In 1833, the group dissolved but in rejoining Beth Elohim they also managed to succeed in their original mission in putting the congregation on a firm Reform movement trajectory.

Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

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Print; Carvalho, Solomon Nunes; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; Charleston, South Carolina, United States; 1838_Kaplan Collection Upenn

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17