Subject: Conservative Judaism

This 120-page diary (60 leaves), written and signed by Charles Isaiah Hoffman, documents his attendance at the Fourth Zionist Congress in 1900. Hoffman, a Philadelphia attorney in his mid-thirties, would later become a prominent early pulpit rabbi in the Conservative Movement. The diary details his journey, including a stay in New York City, and his meetings with notable figures. The Congress addressed the persecution of Romanian Jewry and the challenges faced by Jewish workers in Palestine. A significant event documented is Solomon Schechter's persuasion of Hoffman to abandon law and pursue rabbinical studies. The diary is a gift of Rabbi Geffen.

Three-page draft letter written by Rabbi Sabato Morais to the Sunday Dispatch, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, supporting an article in the Israelite advocating for reform in Jewish dogma. The letter, dated circa 1855, reflects the transition to "American Modern Orthodoxy" and Morais's significant role in shaping American Judaism.

Ticket to High Holiday services at Congregation Shari Eli in 1977. The ticket misspells "High Holidays" as "High Holly Days." The ticket is from the congregation's location at Eighth and Porter Streets. Congregation Shari Eli, founded in 1916, is described as a struggling Young People's Congregation located at 728 W. Moyamensing Ave. in South Philadelphia. It originated as the orthodox congregation Shari Torah. In 1948, a group of younger members from the former orthodox synagogue Shari Eli at Eighth and Porter Streets bought the building and established South Philadelphia's first conservative synagogue. The English translation of Shari Eli is "Gate of God."

Letter written by Rabbi Henry Morais Sabato (1823-1897) to J. H. & S. Riker, attorneys in New York City, on July 27, 1872. The letter discusses the purchase of buildings and mentions E. Judah. Morais' address is listed as 217 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Two-page letter written by Robert Lyon in New York to Rev. Sabato Morais, rabbi of Mikveh Israel in Philadelphia, on October 26, 1858. Lyon requests literary assistance from Morais. Lyon was a publisher of the *Asmonian* and editor of the *Mercantile Journal*.

Letter written by Rabbi Sabato Morais to J. H. & S. Riker, attorneys in New York City, on July 9, 1870, concerning the purchase of buildings. Morais' address is listed as 217 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The letter discusses matters related to E. Judah.

Book by Frederick De Sola Mendes, published in New York in 1887. This is the fourth revised and enlarged edition, fourteenth thousand. The book simplifies the text of Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, and portions of the Prophets and Judges for younger children, with questions following each chapter. The book is bound in contemporary printed paper over boards; hinges are cracked, and a bookplate has been removed from the front pastedown. The text is clean but shows light uniform browning. The author was a prominent New York Rabbi and scholar, a founder of the Conservative Jewish publication *The American Hebrew*, and an original member of the New York Board of Jewish Ministers (later renamed the New York Board of Rabbis in 1946). This edition is considered scarce.