Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Torah mantles]]> Jews]]> Bible. Pentateuch]]> Liturgical objects]]> Judaism]]>
A pharsha/parsha/parashah is a division of the Torah, and the Seapher/Sefer Torah is a handwritten copy of the Pentateuch, used in ritual readings.]]> Manuscripts]]> Correspondence]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Pews and pew rights]]> Synagogues]]> Jews]]> Church discipline]]> Manuscripts]]> Correspondence]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogues--Finance]]> Jews]]> Account books]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue fund raising]]> Account books]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Jews]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Account books]]> Charity]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogues--Finance]]> Account books]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue fund raising]]> Jews]]> Religious facilities]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Synagogues--Finance]]> Account books]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue fund raising]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Synagogues--Finance]]> Account books]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue fund raising]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Synagogues--Finance]]> Account books]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue fund raising]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Synagogues--Finance]]>
Note: page numbering starts over twice within the manuscript itself, at images 223 and 383.]]> Manuscripts]]> Account books]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue fund raising]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Synagogues]]> Jews]]> Pews and pew rights]]> Account books]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue fund raising]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Synagogues]]> Jews]]> Pews and pew rights]]> Registers (Lists)]]> Manuscripts]]> Account books]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Jews]]> Synagogues--Finance]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Account books]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Registers of births, etc.]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Registers (Lists)]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Jews]]> Registers of births, etc.]]> Synagogues]]> Registers (Lists)]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Corporate minutes]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue officers]]> Manuscripts]]> Minutes (Records)]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Corporate minutes]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Jews]]> Cemeteries]]> Pews and pew rights]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue officers]]> Church management]]> Church finance]]>
This volume has been partially digitized, up to 1870. Names of officers for each Hebrew calendar year covered are listed at the back of volume, and those pages are also included.]]> Minutes (Records)]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Burial records]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Jews]]> Cemeteries]]> Synagogues]]> Registers (Lists)]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Beth El Emeth (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Charters]]> Congregation Beth El Emeth (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Leeser, Isaac]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Manuscripts]]> Charters and articles of incorporation]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Wertheim, Alexander]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Circumcision]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Medical records]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Registers (Lists)]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Corporate minutes]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Synagogues]]> Jews]]> Minutes (Records)]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Charters]]> Synagogues]]> Constitutions]]> Church membership]]> Jews]]> Articles of incoporation]]>
Note: Some years are cited using the Hebrew calendar.]]> Manuscripts]]> Charters and articles of incorporation]]> Constitution]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogues]]> Constitutions]]> Jews]]> Articles of incoporation]]> Manuscripts]]> Charters and articles of incorporation]]> Constitution]]> ]]> Solis, David H.]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Leeser, Isaac]]> Congregation Beth El Emeth (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Jews--Dietary laws]]> Religious leaders]]> Letters]]> Manuscripts]]> Correspondence]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Deeds]]> Cemeteries]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Manuscripts]]> Deeds]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Jews]]> Judaism]]> Prayers]]> Memorial rites and ceremonies]]> Synagogues]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Salomon, Haym, 1740-1785]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Synagogue fund raising]]> Synagogues--Finance]]>
Cover page indicates the manuscript is from the collection of Sigmund and Felicia Harrison of Ardmore, Pa.]]> Manuscripts]]> Correspondence]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue dedication services]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogues]]> Dedication services]]> Consecration]]> Jews]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogues]]> Cornerstone laying]]> Jews]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Phillips, Jonas, 1736-1803]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Phillips, Jonas, 1736-1803]]> Synagogues]]> Jews]]>
Jonas Phillips was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War, a prominent Philadelphia merchant, and one of the founders of Mikveh Israel. In 1782 he was serving as president of the congregation.]]> Manuscripts]]> Correspondence]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Jews]]> Jews--Dietary laws]]> Synagogues]]> Manuscripts]]> Correspondence]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue officers]]> Synagogues]]> Jews]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Pews and pew rights]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Marriage records]]> Jews]]> Ketubah]]> Synagogues]]>
The marriage contract, called a ketubah, is in Aramaic. Ketubot (plural) are fairly standardized and usually read like this:

In Good Augury
On the... [day] in the week, in the... month, the year... from the creation of the world, according to the count that we are counting here... , ... the son of... said to this... the daughter of..., "Be my wife, according to the law of Moses and Israel. And I will work to honor , feed, and support you, according to the laws of Jewish men, who faithfully work to honor, feed and support their wives. And I will give you... silver zuz... , which is due to you...; and your food, clothing and needs and to live with you in the manner of the whole world." And Miss ... here agreed and became his wife. And this dowry that she brought in to him from the house of... - whether in silver, in gold, in jewelry, in clothing apparel, in houseware or in bedclothes - our groom has assumed upon himself for... pieces of refined silver. And our groom... agreed and added another... pieces of refined silver from his own corresponding to them - all in all... pieces of refined silver. And our groom... said as follows, "I accept responsibility upon myself and upon my inheritors after me for this marriage contract, for this dowry and for this addition (to the dowry), to be paid from all the best of my properties and possessions under all the skies, that I have acquired or that I will acquire in the future. Whether they are properties that are liened or are not liened, they are all liable and guarantee payment of this marriage contract, this dowry and this addition from me - and even from the cloak on my shoulder. [This holds] during my lifetime and after my lifetime, from today and forever." And our groom... has accepted responsibility and the stringencies of this marriage contract, this dowry and this addition, in accordance with the stringencies of all marriage contracts, dowries and additions customary with regards to the daughters of Israel that are made according to the ordinance of our Sages, may their memory be blessed. This is not like a conjectural agreement nor like a contract template. And it has been validated by our groom... the son of... towards... the daughter of... here about everything that is written and specified above with an object fit to make such a validation (kinyan). It is all binding and established.]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Marriage records]]> Ketubah]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]>
The Jewish marriage contract is called a ketubah, and is traditionally written in Aramaic. Ketubot (plural) are fairly standardized and usually read like this:

In Good Augury
On the... [day] in the week, in the... month, the year... from the creation of the world, according to the count that we are counting here... , ... the son of... said to this... the daughter of..., "Be my wife, according to the law of Moses and Israel. And I will work to honor , feed, and support you, according to the laws of Jewish men, who faithfully work to honor, feed and support their wives. And I will give you... silver zuz... , which is due to you...; and your food, clothing and needs and to live with you in the manner of the whole world." And Miss ... here agreed and became his wife. And this dowry that she brought in to him from the house of... - whether in silver, in gold, in jewelry, in clothing apparel, in houseware or in bedclothes - our groom has assumed upon himself for... pieces of refined silver. And our groom... agreed and added another... pieces of refined silver from his own corresponding to them - all in all... pieces of refined silver. And our groom... said as follows, "I accept responsibility upon myself and upon my inheritors after me for this marriage contract, for this dowry and for this addition (to the dowry), to be paid from all the best of my properties and possessions under all the skies, that I have acquired or that I will acquire in the future. Whether they are properties that are liened or are not liened, they are all liable and guarantee payment of this marriage contract, this dowry and this addition from me - and even from the cloak on my shoulder. [This holds] during my lifetime and after my lifetime, from today and forever." And our groom... has accepted responsibility and the stringencies of this marriage contract, this dowry and this addition, in accordance with the stringencies of all marriage contracts, dowries and additions customary with regards to the daughters of Israel that are made according to the ordinance of our Sages, may their memory be blessed. This is not like a conjectural agreement nor like a contract template. And it has been validated by our groom... the son of... towards... the daughter of... here about everything that is written and specified above with an object fit to make such a validation (kinyan). It is all binding and established.]]> Manuscripts]]> Registers (Lists)]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Marriage records]]> Ketubah]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]>
The Jewish marriage contract is called a ketubah, and is traditionally written in Aramaic. Ketubot (plural) are fairly standardized and usually read like this:

In Good Augury
On the... [day] in the week, in the... month, the year... from the creation of the world, according to the count that we are counting here... , ... the son of... said to this... the daughter of..., "Be my wife, according to the law of Moses and Israel. And I will work to honor , feed, and support you, according to the laws of Jewish men, who faithfully work to honor, feed and support their wives. And I will give you... silver zuz... , which is due to you...; and your food, clothing and needs and to live with you in the manner of the whole world." And Miss ... here agreed and became his wife. And this dowry that she brought in to him from the house of... - whether in silver, in gold, in jewelry, in clothing apparel, in houseware or in bedclothes - our groom has assumed upon himself for... pieces of refined silver. And our groom... agreed and added another... pieces of refined silver from his own corresponding to them - all in all... pieces of refined silver. And our groom... said as follows, "I accept responsibility upon myself and upon my inheritors after me for this marriage contract, for this dowry and for this addition (to the dowry), to be paid from all the best of my properties and possessions under all the skies, that I have acquired or that I will acquire in the future. Whether they are properties that are liened or are not liened, they are all liable and guarantee payment of this marriage contract, this dowry and this addition from me - and even from the cloak on my shoulder. [This holds] during my lifetime and after my lifetime, from today and forever." And our groom... has accepted responsibility and the stringencies of this marriage contract, this dowry and this addition, in accordance with the stringencies of all marriage contracts, dowries and additions customary with regards to the daughters of Israel that are made according to the ordinance of our Sages, may their memory be blessed. This is not like a conjectural agreement nor like a contract template. And it has been validated by our groom... the son of... towards... the daughter of... here about everything that is written and specified above with an object fit to make such a validation (kinyan). It is all binding and established.]]> Manuscripts]]> Registers (Lists)]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Marriage records]]> Registers of births, etc.]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Corporate minutes]]> Jews]]> Charity]]> Care of the sick]]> Death]]> Synagogues]]> Minutes (Records)]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Mikveh]]> Petitions]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Jews]]> Cemeteries]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Registers of births, etc.]]> Circumcision]]> Marriage records]]> Burial records]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Jews]]> Synagogues]]>
Cohen began this record book in 1776, writing from the front as well as from the back, and his entries record events in Montreal and New York, as well as a few other locations, in addition to Philadelphia. He wrote in English and Hebrew. After Cohen's death, the record book was continued by several others, including Benjamin Nones, Dr. Alexander Wertheim, Lewis Allen, Zalegman Phillips, and Abraham Hart.

Alan Corre, who served as rabbi for Congregation Mikveh Israel from 1955 to 1963 and who was an esteemed scholar of Hebrew Studies, and Malcom Stern, a rabbi and historian who has been described as the dean of American Jewish genealogy, published an article about this record book in The American Jewish Quarterly in 1969 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/23878015). In this article, Corre and Stern provided Hebrew translations for the prayers recorded by Cohen, and with the generous permission of the American Jewish Historical Society, those translations are now included in the transcription for this record. Corre and Stern also organized the data on circumcisions, marriages and deaths into tables, and provided detailed historical context for the records.

A prayer for the Eve of Kippur from Cohen's time in Montreal is found on page 1, and repeated with additions on page 93. The misheberach (public blessing) prayer is found on page 4, and escabot/hascabot (memorial) prayers are found on pages 6 to 8, 10, 19a and 19b of the manuscript. A copy of the Order of Service for the Day of Dedication (for Mikveh Israel's new synagogue) is found on pages 20 to 22.

Circumcision records are found on pages 14 to 17 and 23 to 25, and include date of birth, name of father, son's name, and date circumcised.

Marriage records, called ketubot or ketubah, start on page 92 and run backwards to page 44. The ketubot are written almost entirely in an Aramaic-Hebrew idiom; however they are fairly standardized, and Cohen provides English translations of two Canadian marriage contracts on pages 88 and 92. Please see also https://www.sefaria.org/Ketubah_Text.4 for the traditional ketubah text, which may have been altered slightly in practice.

A haliza document, releasing a widow from marriage to her husband's brother, is found on page 72.

Records of deaths in Montreal are found on pages 2, 3 and 5; records of deaths and burials in Philadelphia at Mikveh Israel are found on pages 18 to 19 and 27 to 41. The latter records often include information on family relations and location of burial plots.]]> Registers (Lists)]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Church fund raising]]> Church buildings]]> Cemeteries]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Jews]]> Synagogue fund raising]]> Synagogues]]> Pews and pew rights]]> Account books]]> Manuscripts]]> ]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Gratz, Rebecca, 1781-1869]]> Cohen, Mary M., 1854-1911]]> Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Jewish religious education]]> Jews]]> Hebrew Sunday School Society of Philadelphia (Pa.)]]> Female Hebrew Benevolent Society (Philadelphia, Pa.)]]> Gratz, Rebecca, 1781-1869]]> Sunday schools]]> Synagogues]]> Synagogue records and registers]]> Letters]]> Manuscripts]]> Correspondence]]> ]]>