Object numberM2016/026:001
DescriptionThis is a 4-page letter addressed to George J. Cohen Esq., President of the Gt. Synagogue, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, dealing with issues of concern to the writer.
104 years ago, G J Cohen, President of The Great Synagogue on Elizabeth Street in Sydney received a serious complaint from E. Green about some Jews requesting the hind-quarters of meat, and the sale of such meat as Kosher. While without the meat being properly 'porged', it cannot be considered kosher, and "by no manner of reasoning can what is trifa, be Kosher". And further, letter informs that the explanation respecting the stamping of meat, as given from the pulpit on Sabbath the 4th inst., Rabbi Cohen, was unsatisfactory in the extreme, and with regards to the stamping of the hind-quarters, it must cause dismay in the minds of conscientious Jews.
The letter has not been signed, however, from reading the response from The Great Synagogue attached to this letter, addressed to E. Green Esq., Randwick, it is very likely that the writer of the letter was the same person, ie. E. Green.
The severity of the complaint can be seen from reading the second sentence of the letter:
"A scandalous evil, a disgrace to the Jews of this City, continues to be perpetrated and sanctioned in connection with the authorised sale of so called Kosher Meat. I wish to lay certain facts before you, with the earnest hope, that this evil may be stopped forthwith'.
The significance of the letter is in its first-hand manifestation of the daily-life issues the Jewish community faced at the time of its growth in the early 20th century – issues not dissimilar to the well-established and large Jewish community in London.
For full transcription text of the letter see Inscriptions.
Attached to this (copy of) letter is a typed up transcription of an "Extract from the Jewish Chronicle Jan. 19. 1912." thought to be a London-based newspaper of the Jewish community which describes a similar situation apparently happening in London as well.
It summarises the law and religious principles which regulate the procedures for preparation of meat to be used by even the strictly observant Jews and Jewesses and provides the base for confidence they would have in the Jewish butchers. It also puts in perspective the apparent demands of some of his Jewish customers to be provided with meat which they knew, or ought to know, was trifa. The article calls for "this wrong they must stop".
Apparently, many Jewesses in London thought that it was sufficient to buy meat "killed Kosher", and were unaware that the prohibition of unporged hind-quarter meat went back to the early history of Israel, and that kidney fat was forbidden in the Bible", and furthermore, the butchers reported that 90 per cent of their hind-quarter meat went out unporged. Apparently, there were many Jews, both in the East End and the West End, who were mistakenly thinking that whatever came from a Kosher butcher shop was Kosher.
It is necessary that they (the butchers?) must point out to them their error, and warn them against purchasing food which was forbidden. Finally, there is a reference to the Beth Din's letter and a proposed circular.
Last attached to this bundle of old pages is a letter - again a copy of - one-page typed letter which contains the reply to Mr. E. Green Esq., of Randwick to his letter of concerns regarding the status of Sydney Kosher meat.
It is dated Sydney 23rd June, 1912, and it reads
Dear Sir,
In reply to your letter dated 16th ultimo, to the President I desire to inform you that the matter referred to has now received the attention of both the Schechita Committee and the Board of Management.
The letter – admittedly rather confusingly – continues that observant Jews should refrain from ordering hindquarters at all. But there are many who insist on getting them and others who require the permitted cuts from such joints. It concludes that “since, however, it has been shown that a conscientious Jew may possibly be misled by the stamp formerly used, another has been substituted which will render mistake impossible.
The letter is signed by I. Frankel, Secretary (of the Great Synagogue).
The significance of the letter is in its first-hand manifestation of the daily-life issues the Jewish community faced at the time of its growth in the early 20th century – issues not dissimilar to the well-established and large Jewish community in London.
104 years ago, G J Cohen, President of The Great Synagogue on Elizabeth Street in Sydney received a serious complaint from E. Green about some Jews requesting the hind-quarters of meat, and the sale of such meat as Kosher. While without the meat being properly 'porged', it cannot be considered kosher, and "by no manner of reasoning can what is trifa, be Kosher". And further, letter informs that the explanation respecting the stamping of meat, as given from the pulpit on Sabbath the 4th inst., Rabbi Cohen, was unsatisfactory in the extreme, and with regards to the stamping of the hind-quarters, it must cause dismay in the minds of conscientious Jews.
The letter has not been signed, however, from reading the response from The Great Synagogue attached to this letter, addressed to E. Green Esq., Randwick, it is very likely that the writer of the letter was the same person, ie. E. Green.
The severity of the complaint can be seen from reading the second sentence of the letter:
"A scandalous evil, a disgrace to the Jews of this City, continues to be perpetrated and sanctioned in connection with the authorised sale of so called Kosher Meat. I wish to lay certain facts before you, with the earnest hope, that this evil may be stopped forthwith'.
The significance of the letter is in its first-hand manifestation of the daily-life issues the Jewish community faced at the time of its growth in the early 20th century – issues not dissimilar to the well-established and large Jewish community in London.
For full transcription text of the letter see Inscriptions.
Attached to this (copy of) letter is a typed up transcription of an "Extract from the Jewish Chronicle Jan. 19. 1912." thought to be a London-based newspaper of the Jewish community which describes a similar situation apparently happening in London as well.
It summarises the law and religious principles which regulate the procedures for preparation of meat to be used by even the strictly observant Jews and Jewesses and provides the base for confidence they would have in the Jewish butchers. It also puts in perspective the apparent demands of some of his Jewish customers to be provided with meat which they knew, or ought to know, was trifa. The article calls for "this wrong they must stop".
Apparently, many Jewesses in London thought that it was sufficient to buy meat "killed Kosher", and were unaware that the prohibition of unporged hind-quarter meat went back to the early history of Israel, and that kidney fat was forbidden in the Bible", and furthermore, the butchers reported that 90 per cent of their hind-quarter meat went out unporged. Apparently, there were many Jews, both in the East End and the West End, who were mistakenly thinking that whatever came from a Kosher butcher shop was Kosher.
It is necessary that they (the butchers?) must point out to them their error, and warn them against purchasing food which was forbidden. Finally, there is a reference to the Beth Din's letter and a proposed circular.
Last attached to this bundle of old pages is a letter - again a copy of - one-page typed letter which contains the reply to Mr. E. Green Esq., of Randwick to his letter of concerns regarding the status of Sydney Kosher meat.
It is dated Sydney 23rd June, 1912, and it reads
Dear Sir,
In reply to your letter dated 16th ultimo, to the President I desire to inform you that the matter referred to has now received the attention of both the Schechita Committee and the Board of Management.
The letter – admittedly rather confusingly – continues that observant Jews should refrain from ordering hindquarters at all. But there are many who insist on getting them and others who require the permitted cuts from such joints. It concludes that “since, however, it has been shown that a conscientious Jew may possibly be misled by the stamp formerly used, another has been substituted which will render mistake impossible.
The letter is signed by I. Frankel, Secretary (of the Great Synagogue).
The significance of the letter is in its first-hand manifestation of the daily-life issues the Jewish community faced at the time of its growth in the early 20th century – issues not dissimilar to the well-established and large Jewish community in London.
Production date 1912 - 1912
Object nameletters
Dimensions
- width: 205.00 mm
height: 256.00 mm
Language
- English
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Shosh Kloot