Two Letters to Isaac Leeser on One Sheet, September 4 and 6, 1845

This archival item consists of two letters written to Isaac Leeser on a single sheet. The first letter, dated September 4, 1845, is from Abraham Lewis in Cincinnati, Ohio. The second, more substantial letter, dated September 6, 1845, is from Joseph Jonas, also in Cincinnati, to Leeser in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jonas, an English Jew who arrived in Cincinnati in 1817, discusses the challenges of establishing a Jewish Institute in Cincinnati, expressing his disappointment in the 'rude and uneducated' recent German Jewish immigrants. He also mentions charitable contributions made for those affected by the Great Pittsburgh Fire. Jonas's letter further reveals his plea to simplify the content of Leeser's *Occident* magazine to make it more accessible to less educated Jewish readers. This collection offers a rare glimpse into the experiences of early Jewish settlers in the Ohio River Valley and the complexities of the Jewish community in the mid-19th century.

Associated People/Businesses

• Leeser, Isaac
• Lewis, Abraham
• Jonas, Joseph
• LEESER, ISAAC / ABRAHAM, LEWIS /JONAS, JOSEPH

Geography

• Cincinnati
• Philadelphia
• Pennsylvania

Subjects

• Jews--United States
• 19th century
• Jewish way of life

Physical Location

Arc.MS.56, Box 4, Folder 4