Subject: Religious education

This is a certificate of merit awarded to a student in the First Grade, Section A of Congregation Beth Israel Sabbath School in Meridian, Mississippi, on June 30th, 1898. The award recognizes the student for achieving the highest average in April, May, and June of that year. The certificate features a printed list of 600 Talmudic sayings. The document also notes that the Rosenbaum family were among the first Jewish families in Meridian before the Civil War.

This is an 1866 reprint of L.H. Frank's 1851 textbook, "A Class Book for Jewish Youth of Both Sexes." The book was designed as an educational resource for Jewish children. This particular copy shows ownership marks indicating it was owned by Dagmar Cohen and acquired on May 4, 1904.

Second edition of the first Hebrew grammar written by an American-born scholar. Published circa 1810.

This book, "A Manual of the Jewish Religion for School and Home," is a translation from the German of Dr. F. Feilchenfeld, Chief Rabbi of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany. The book contains 136 pages. Published in 1894.

Illustrated advertising cover from the American Institute of Hebrew. Postmarked October 6, 1884, and cancelled in Morgan Park, Illinois. In very good condition, roughly opened. This unusual cover advertises home study of Hebrew for the purpose of Old Testament literature and interpretation. The return address is W.R. Harper, Baptist Union Theological Seminary, Morgan Park, Chicago. The verso is filled with an explanation of instruction through the mails.

This is the first edition of "Biblical History for Israelite Schools," published in 1874 by Thalmessinger & Mendham, located at 387 & 389 Broadway. The book was authored by Dr. S. Adler and Emanuel Hecht and intended as a textbook for Jewish schools.

This book, published in 1909, contains two distinct parts bound together. The first section, "Children's Services Arranged for Each Week of the Month," provides liturgical materials for children's religious services throughout the year. The second section, "A Brief Manual Regarding Jewish Faith and Life," offers a concise overview of Jewish beliefs and practices. Both sections were authored by Rabbi Rudolph Grossman, and the book was likely used as a resource in a religious school setting, as indicated by the cover inscription, "Religious School Temple Rodeph Shalom."

This book contains dissertations on the importance and best method of studying the original languages of the Bible. It is the second edition and was likely published around 1827, based on the date provided. The book's physical location is Arc.MS.56, Box 10.

A 14-page handwritten draft of a speech by Rabbi Gustav Gottheil (1827-1903), circa 1885, concerning the methods and teaching of religious schools. The draft emphasizes the importance of the teacher's personal influence and the creation of a positive learning environment. Includes a signed cover note by Richard James Horatio Gottheil (1862-1936), the Rabbi's son, dated May 13, 1903.

This is the third, improved edition of Louis Naumburg's elementary Hebrew reading textbook, published in Philadelphia in 1869. Naumburg, a cantor with a distinguished family history in the profession, served congregations in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. This edition is notable for being the earliest recorded in OCLC, with only two other copies known to exist worldwide. It was printed by the Christian-Pa. German printing house of Schafer & Kordi.

This book is the first English edition of a textbook on Jewish religious instruction for children. Translated from the German of J. Joholson by Isaac Leeser, it was published in Philadelphia in 1830. Leeser, then reader of the Portuguese Congregation Mikveh Israel, self-published the work after failing to find a local publisher. The book is dedicated to Leeser's uncle, Zalma Rehnie, of Richmond, Virginia.

This book is Part III of Katzenberg's Biblical History for Home and School, covering the period from the death of Moses to the last of the Judges. Published by Bloch Publishing Company, likely around 1913, it is part of a larger series designed for home and school use. This particular copy shows ownership markings, indicating previous use.

This book is Part IV of Katzenberg's Biblical History for Home and School, focusing on the lives of Saul, David, and Solomon. Published by Bloch Publishing Company in 1912, it offers a narrative account of these pivotal figures in the Hebrew Bible, likely intended for educational use within a Jewish home or school setting.

A letter written by B. Felsenthal to his nephew, Henry B. Kiefer, on June 2, 1889, in Chicago, Illinois. The letter discusses Henry's upcoming confirmation or Bar Mitzvah. The letter is a copy.

A stampless letter dated June 11, 1827, from the clergy of Lykens Valley, Pennsylvania, to the American Sunday-School Union. The letter discusses the clergy's admittance to the organization. The letter originates from Gratztown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, and may bear the earliest known Gratztown postmark. The letter's connection to Michael Gratz, after whom Gratztown is likely named, and the 1831 founding of the Wiconisco Coal Company by his son, Simon Gratz, are noted.

Autograph letter from Jacob Rodrigues Peynado of Hackney, London, to Isaac Leeser in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, dated August 15, 1849. Peynado, a contributor to *The Occident*, discusses the pedagogical error of forbidding children from reading the New Testament, arguing that it leaves Jewish youth unprepared to defend their faith against Christian inquiries. He proposes that Jews should instead teach the New Testament critically.

A single-page letter (with blank reverse) written in English and German from Rabbi Freudenthal in Williamsport, Pennsylvania to Isaac Leeser on November 14, 1867. The letter inquires about a curriculum for religious instruction to prepare students for confirmation.

A letter written by S. Edinger to Isaac Leeser on November 20, 1865, from New Orleans, Louisiana. The letter orders three dozen Hebrew primers to be sent via Adams Express as soon as possible.

This 112-page book, *Ner Tamid: Die Lehre des Judenthums*, by David Einhorn, was published in Philadelphia in 1866. Subtitled *The Doctrine of Judaism Illustrated for School and Home*, it presents a systematic overview of Jewish teachings aimed at both educational and domestic audiences. The book is unbound.

This book, published by Bloch Publishing Company in 1908, presents a simplified version of Bible history tailored for young Jewish children. The book's content focuses on key events and figures from the Hebrew Bible, presented in a manner suitable for a younger audience. This particular copy shows evidence of previous ownership through a signature.

This 8-page prospectus, published by Froman Bros. in New York in 1886, appeals for moral and material support for the establishment of the Jewish Theological Seminary Association. It's a crucial document illustrating the early development of American Jewry and the efforts to establish a prominent institution of Jewish higher learning.

This four-page pamphlet, printed in 1859, outlines the regulations of the Philadelphia Hebrew Sunday School. Established March 4, 1838, the school's regulations are detailed in seven brief rules. This is a rare item, with only one known copy recorded by Singerman (No. 1596).

This book contains the Rules and Regulations for the Government of Maimonides College, established in 1867, and the Charter and By-Laws of the Hebrew Education Society of Philadelphia (Incorporated 1849). Printed by Stein & Jones in 1868, this edition marks the founding of the first rabbinical seminary in America. The Hebrew Education Society, organized in 1848, played a key role in establishing Maimonides College and promoting Hebrew language and literature education. The book includes historical context on the society's founding and its contributions to Jewish education in Philadelphia. This copy was a gift from Rabbi Geffen. Singerman #2096.

This book, "Scripture History Simply Arranged for the Use of Jewish Schools," is an 84-page volume printed for the Sunday Schools of Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in New York. Published in 1879 by H. Sakolski's Hebrew Book Store (53 Division Street, New York), it represents a later edition (the first American edition was published in 1870). This edition is not listed in OCLC, making this copy at the University of Pennsylvania a unique resource.

Book - "Teachers' Guide and the Parents' Assistant or Thirteen Lessons Conveying to Uninformed Minds the First Ideas of God and His Attributes by an American Jewess." Published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1845 by Sherman. This is considered the first Jewish study book written by a woman in America. The book is in the form of conversations designed to help parents and teachers instruct children about God and His attributes. An introduction was written by Reverend Isaac Leeser of Mikvah Israel. A review of the book appeared in Leeser's Occident (Vol. III, No. 3, June 1845). Rosenbach #578 lists only three copies of this book; this may be one of them.

Book published in New York in 1877 by Rev. Dr. DeSola Mendes. This first edition of a children's Bible in the USA provides an abridged version of the story of Noah, staying close to the Book of Genesis, and includes questions to help children recall facts. Singerman 2643 locates only 3 copies; WorldCat lists 2. The book's aim was to present the Biblical text in a simplified form suitable for young children, focusing on factual recall rather than theological interpretation.

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.

This book, "The Glory of Israel; or, Letters to Jewish Children," is a work of Jewish children's literature published in 1843. While the author's full name is unknown, it was written by someone with the initials 'ASSU'. The book aims to instill religious and moral values in young Jewish readers through a series of letters. The content likely focuses on Jewish history, traditions, and ethical teachings, presented in an accessible manner for children. Further details about the specific content and structure of the letters are unavailable without a deeper analysis of the book itself.

Book published in the USA, likely around 1845. Printed by the Moss Brothers, a well-known family of printers active in the Jewish community. This is one of the known children's chapbooks published by a Jewish firm in the USA. It contains wood block prints and includes Christian teachings. The book's address is listed as 12 South 4th Street.

Book published by C. Sherman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1851. The book contains an address delivered at the first opening of the Hebrew Education Society of Philadelphia's Sunday School on the 4th of Nissan.

Book published by the American Sunday-School Union for Christian Children, likely in 1848. The book recounts the life of Alfred Moritz Myers. This item is listed in the Rosenbach catalog, #638.

This book, published by the American Sunday-School Union for Christian children in 1848, tells the story of Alfred Moritz Myers. The book is listed in the Rosenbach catalog (#638). It likely presents a narrative of Myers' life, framed within a Christian perspective suitable for a young audience.

This trade card advertises the services of Rev. Joseph Schwed. The card, printed in German, Hebrew, and English, lists the Rabbi's address as 400 E. 52nd Street, New York. The card also lists his services as performing circumcisions, marriages, and delivering sermons in German and English. Additionally, he offers private lessons in Hebrew, German, English, and French.