Contributed by: Morris Jacob Raphall, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
This is the text of the Rabbi Morris Jacob Raphall’s prayer offered before the U.S. House of Representatives as recorded in the Congressional Globe, (part 1, 36th Congress, 1st Session, 1859-1860) pp. 648-649, and reprinted in The Occident and American Jewish Advocate, 18:46 9 Feb 1860, pp. 275-276. . . .
Contributed by: Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
The poem, “Sandalphon,” as composed by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 – 1882) and completed January 18, 1858, first published in Birds of Passage (1858), section “Flight the First,” page 62. . . .
Contributed by: Joshua Giorgio-Rubin, David Einhorn, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
This is a the first blessing of the evening before the Shema, “Maariv Aravim” as adapted by Rabbi David Einhorn in his עלת תמיד Gebetbuch für Israelitische Reform-Gemeinden (1858), p. 419. The English translation here, by Joshua Giorgio-Rubin, translating Rabbi David Einhorn, is as found in Rubin’s Olat Hadashah: A Modern Adaptation of David Einhorn’s Olat Tamid for Shabbat Evening (2020), p. 3. . . .
Contributed by: Joshua Giorgio-Rubin, David Einhorn, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
This is Joshua Giorgio-Rubin’s English translation of Rabbi David Einhorn’s adaptation of the opening prayer “Mah Tovu” as found in Rubin’s Olat Hadashah: A Modern Adaptation of David Einhorn’s Olat Tamid for Shabbat Evening (2020). Rabbi Einhorn identifies the prayer by its familiar incipit from the verse Numbers 24:5, but left that verse untranslated. . . .
Contributed by: Joshua Giorgio-Rubin, David Einhorn, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Variations of the prayer “Elohai Netsor” upon concluding the Amidah are recorded in Berakhot 17a. The version appearing here is as found in Rabbi David Einhorn’s עלת תמיד Gebetbuch für Israelitische Reform-Gemeinden (1858), p. 426. The English translation here, by Joshua Giorgio-Rubin, translating Rabbi David Einhorn, is as found in Rubin’s Olat Hadashah: A Modern Adaptation of David Einhorn’s Olat Tamid for Shabbat Evening (2020), p. 11. . . .
Contributed by: Shimon Halkin (translation), Walt Whitman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
The famous poem by Walt Whitman in its original English with its Hebrew translation. . . .
Contributed by: Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Nathan Marcus Adler
This prayer in support of the Crimean War was offered by Rabbi Nathan Marcus Adler, chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Empire on the National Day of Humiliation and Prayer, 26 April 1854, and published in The Asmonian (19 May 1854), on page 6. . . .
Contributed by: Rosa Emma Salaman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“Future Happiness” by Rosa Emma Collins née Salaman was published in her bound collections of poetry, Poems (1853), p. 35-39. . . .
Contributed by: Unknown, Jonah S. Boyarin (translation), Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
This tekhina (supplication) upon candlelighting for Shavuot in Hebrew and Yiddish appears in the Maḥzor for Shavuot Rav Peninim (Vilna 1911) although we are uncertain whether it first appeared here. We welcome your help in correctly attributing and translating it. . . .
Contributed by: Rosa Emma Salaman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
The poem, “A Vision” by Rosa Emma Salaman, was written November 1850 and first published in the Occident and American Jewish Advocate 9:1, Nissan 5611/April 1851, p.31-33. . . .
Contributed by: Rosa Emma Salaman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
The poem, “Twilight” by Rosa Emma Salaman, was first published in the Occident 7:5, Ab 5609/August 1849, p.245. . . .
Contributed by: Rosa Emma Salaman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
The poem, “Elijah” by Rosa Emma Salaman, was first published in the Occident 6:7, Kislev 5610, December 1849, p. 455-457. . . .
Contributed by: Abraham de Sola, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
This is a faithful transcription of a prayer appearing at the end of a sermon delivered by Rabbi Abraham de Sola in K.K. Shearith Yisrael (Montreal), “during the prevalence of asiatic cholera,” and subsequently published in the Occident and American Jewish Advocate (7:7, Tishrei 5610/October 1849). The English translation is a “free translation” made by Rabbi Abraham de Sola. . . .
Contributed by: Rosa Emma Salaman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
The poem, “Divine Love” by Rosa Emma Salaman, was first published in the Occident 6:7, Tishrei 5609, October 1849, p. 197-198. . . .
Contributed by: Rosa Emma Salaman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
The poem, “A Description of my Dreams” by Rosa Emma Salaman, was written in September 1849 and first published in the Occident and American Jewish Advocate Vol. 6:4, Tamuz 5608, July 1848, p.175-177. . . .
Contributed by: Miriam Wertheimer (translation), Meïr haLevi Letteris, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“Gebet beim Abscheiden des Teiges” was written by Meïr haLevi Letteris and published in תָּחֲנוּנֵי בַּת יְהוּדָה (Taḥnunei bat Yehudah): Andachtsbuch für Israelitische Frauenzimmer (1846), p. 86. In 1852, this teḥinah was translated into English (with a short prayer added for children) by Miriam Wertheimer under the title “Domestic prayer on dividing the dough” in Devotional Exercises for the Use of Jewish Women on Public and Domestic Occasions (1852), pp. 51-52. . . .
Contributed by: Jonathan Sarna (translation), Max Lilienthal, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“Ribon kol ha-Olamim” was almost certainly written by Rabbi Max Lilienthal in 1846 soon after he arrived in New York City where he was elected chief rabbi of New York’s “united German-Jewish community.” It was first published in L. Henry Frank’s prayerbook, Tefilot Yisrael: Prayers of Israel with an English translation (1848) without attribution. In 1998, Dr. Jonathan Sarna elucidated its authorship in an article, “A Forgotten 19th Century Prayer for the U.S. Government: Its Meaning, Significance and Surprising Author.” In Hesed Ve-Emet: Studies in Honor of Ernest S. Frerichs, eds. J. Magness and S. Gitin, 431-440. Athens, Ga.: Scholars Press, 1998. . . .
Contributed by: Rosa Emma Salaman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“Enoch” by Rosa Emma Salaman was first published in the Occident and American Jewish Advocate 4:9, Kislev 5607/December 1846. . . .
Contributed by: Rosa Emma Salaman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
The poem, “God Our Light” by Rosa Emma Salaman, was first published in the Occident and American Jewish Advocate 3:8, Marḥeshvan 5606, November 1845, p.379-380. . . .
Contributed by: Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Gershon Rosenzweig (translation), Thomas A'Becket, Sr.
“Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean” (originally “Columbia, the Land of the Brave”) was an American patriotic song popular in the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Adapted by Thomas A’Becket, Sr. around 1843 from the British patriotic song “Britannia, the Pride of the Ocean”, Columbia was long used as an unofficial national anthem of the United States, in competition with other songs. . . .