The Jews in this country are classed as “Portuguese” and “German.”
Among them are no distinctions of tribes, but there is of rites and
ceremonies, as is set forth in the following extract (which shows
also the mode of government) from a Jewish writer: “The Spanish and
Portuguese Congregation of Jews, who are also called Sephardin (from
the word Sepharad, which signifies Spain in Hebrew), are distinct from
the German and Polish Jews in their ritual service. The prayers both
daily and for the Sabbath materially differ from each other, and the
festival prayers differ still more. Hence the Portuguese Jews have a
distinct prayer-book, and the German Jews likewise.
“The fundamental laws are equally observed by both sects, but in
the ceremonial worship there exists numerous differences. The
Portuguese Jews eat some food during the Passover, which the German
Jews are prohibited doing by _some_ Rabbis, but their authority
is not acknowledged by the Portuguese Rabbis. Nor are the present
ecclesiastical authorities in London of the two sects the same. The
Portuguese Jews have their own Rabbis, and the German have their own.
The German Jews are much more numerous than the Portuguese; the chief
Rabbi of the German Jews is the Rev. Dr. Nathan Marcus Adler, late
Chief Rabbi of Hanover, who wears no beard, and dresses in the German
costume. The presiding Rabbi of the Portuguese Jews is the Rev. David
Meldola, a native of Leghorn; his father filled the same office in
London. Each chief Rabbi is supported by three other Rabbis, called
Dayamin, which signifies in Hebrew ‘Judges.’ Every Monday and Thursday
the Chief Rabbi of the German Jews, Dr. Adler, supported by his
three colleagues, sits for two hours in the Rabbinical College (Beth
Hamedrash), Smith’s-buildings, Leadenhall-street, to attend to all
applications from the German Jews, which may be brought before him, and
which are decided according to the Jewish law. Many disputes between
Jews in religious matters are settled in this manner; and if the Lord
Mayor or any other magistrate is told that the matter has already been
settled by the Jewish Rabbi he seldom interferes. This applies only
to civil and not to criminal cases. The Portuguese Jews have their
own hospital and their own schools. Both congregations have their
representatives in the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which board
is acknowledged by government, and is triennial. Sir Moses Montefiore,
a Jew of great wealth, who distinguished himself by his mission to
Damascus, during the persecution of the Jews in that place, and also by
his mission to Russia, some years ago, is the President of the Board.
All political matters, calling for communications with government, are
within the province of that useful board.”
The Jews have eight synagogues in London, besides some smaller
places which may perhaps, adopting the language of another church,
be called synagogues of ease. The great synagogue in Duke’s-place
(a locality of which I have often had to speak) is the largest, but
the new synagogue, St. Helen’s, Bishopgate, is the one which most
betokens the wealth of the worshippers. It is rich with ornaments,
marble, and painted glass; the pavement is of painted marble, and
presents a perfect round, while the ceiling is a half dome. There
are besides these the Hamburg Synagogue, in Fenchurch-street;
the Portuguese Synagogue, in Bevis-marks; two smaller places, in
Cutler-street and Gun-yard, Houndsditch, known as Polish Synagogues;
the Maiden-lane (Covent-garden), Synagogue; the Western Synagogue, St.
Alban’s-place, Pall-mall; and the West London Synagogue of British
Jews, Margaret-street, Cavendish-square. The last-mentioned is the
most aristocratic of the synagogues. The service there is curtailed,
the ritual abbreviated, and the days of observance of the Jewish
festival reduced from two to one. This alteration is strongly protested
against by the other Jews, and the practices of this synagogue seem
to show a yielding to the exactions or requirements of the wealthy.
In the old days, and in almost every country in Europe, it was held
to be sinful even for a king--reverenced and privileged as such a
potentate then was--to prosecute any undertaking before he heard mass.
In some states it was said in reproach of a noble or a sovereign, “he
breakfasts before he hears mass,” and, to meet the impatience of the
Great, “hunting masses,” as they were styled, or epitomes of the full
service, were introduced. The Jews, some eight or nine years back in
this country, seem to have followed this example; such was the case, at
least, as regards London and the wealthier of the professors of this
ancient faith.
The synagogues are not well attended, the congregations being smaller
in proportion to the population than those of the Church of England.
Neither, during the observance of the Jewish worship, is there any
especial manifestation of the service being regarded as of a sacred
and divinely-ordained character. There is a buzzing talk among the
attendants during the ceremony, and an absence of seriousness and
attention. Some of the Jews, however, show the greatest devotion, and
the same may be said of the Jewesses, who sit apart in the synagogues,
and are not required to attend so regularly as the men.
I should not have alluded to this absence of the solemnities of
devotion, as regards the congregations of the Hebrews, had I not heard
it regretted by Hebrews themselves. “It is shocking,” one said. Another
remarked, “To attend the synagogue is looked upon too much as a matter
of _business_; but perhaps there is the same spirit in some of the
Christian churches.”
As to the street-Jews, religion is little known among them, or little
cared for. They are indifferent to it--not to such a degree, indeed,
as the costermongers, for they are not so ignorant a class--but yet
contrasting strongly in their neglect with the religious intensity of
the majority of the Roman Catholic Irish of the streets. In common
justice I must give the remark of a Hebrew merchant with whom I had
some conversation on the subject:--“I can’t say much about street-Jews,
for my engagements lead me away from them, and I don’t know much about
street-Christians. But if out of a hundred Jews you find that only ten
of them care for their religion, how many out of a hundred Christians
of any sort will care about theirs? Will ten of them care? If you
answer, but they are only nominal Christians, my reply is, the Jews are
only nominal Jews--Jews by birth, and not by faith.”
Among the Jews I conversed with--and of course only the more
intelligent understood, or were at all interested in, the question--I
heard the most contemptuous denunciation of all converts from Judaism.
One learned informant, who was by no means blind to the short-comings
of his own people, expressed his conviction that no Jew had ever been
really _converted_. He had abandoned his faith from interested motives.
On this subject I am not called upon to express any opinion, and merely
mention it to show a prevalent feeling among the class I am describing.
The street-Jews, including the majority of the more prosperous and most
numerous class among them, the old-clothes men, are far from being
religious in feeling, or well versed in their faith, and are, perhaps,
in that respect on a level with the mass of the members of the Church
of England; I say of the Church of England, because of that church the
many who do not profess religion are usually accounted members.
In the Rabbinical College, I may add, is the finest Jewish library
in the world. It has been collected for several generations under
the care of the Chief Rabbis. The public are admitted, having first
obtained tickets, given gratuitously, at the Chief Rabbi’s residence in
Crosby-square.