Congregation Mikveh Israel
Congregation Mikveh Israel, Philadelphia (“Hope of Israel”) is a Western Sephardic synagogue established in the 1740s. Over the years it has occupied several different location during its tempestuous history.
Woodcut illustration of the interior of Kehillah Kadosh Mikveh Israel at the dedication of the new building on Cherry Street in 1825.
Note the top hats and how the men wear their tallitot, both typical of Spanish and Portuguese Jews.
Congregation Mikveh Israel early records
Below is a list of digitised archives (in July 2024) on the Philadelphia Congregations website.
- Scheme of a Lottery, 1824
- Date: 1824
- Description: Two page manuscript documenting the previously secured Commonwealth approval for a lottery to raise money for repairs to Mikveh Israel’s synagogue and burial ground, “and other purposes of relief,” as well as laying out a detailed plan for how to structure the lottery.
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- Plan for Spruce Street Cemetery, 1765
- Date: 1765
- Description: A draft of the measurements of Mikveh Israel’s cemetery, situated on the North side of Spruce Street between 8th and 9th streets. According to the one page manuscript, the walled-in burying ground was found when the Poor House was built, and was resurveyed on October 8, 1765.
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- Constitution of Mikveh Israel, printed 1823
- Date: 1823
- Description: Printed copy of the Constitution of Mikveh Israel, dated June 29, 1823. One sheet with two sides, and each side divided into quarters. The recto side includes the cover page in the bottom right quarter. The text begins on page three, which is located on the bottom right quarter of the verso side….
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- Constitution of Mikveh Israel, as signed by members admitted since the Charter of Incorporation, 1826-1883
- Date: 1826/1883
- Description: This manuscript is a handwritten copy of the constitution of Mikveh Israel, signed and dated by members who joined in the years from 1826 to 1883. Mikveh Israel adopted their constitution on August 5, 1823, and the congregation’s charter was granted by the governor of Pennsylvania in 1824, as doc…
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- Abraham Israel letter, 1825
- Date: 1825
- Description: Written complaint made by Abraham E. Israel, shamas (warden or sexton) of Mikveh Israel, to Zalegman Phillips, parnass (president), and against Joseph I. Andrews, dated April 13, 1825. During the last day of Pesah, Mr. Israel told Mr. Andrews’ sisters, who had been sitting in the front seats of t…
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- Marshall family marriages, births and deaths, 1769-1813
- Date: 1769/1813
- Description: One page listing the marriages, births and deaths that took place in the Marshall family between 1769 and 1813.
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- Marriage contracts, 1843-1866
- Date: 1843/1866
- Description: Marriage contracts between members of Congregation Mikveh Israel, from 1843 to 1866. The names of bride and groom and the date of their wedding have been penciled in at the top of the page for most entries. The Jewish marriage contract is called a ketubah, and is traditionally written in Aramaic…
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- Marriage contracts, 1813-1843
- Date: 1813/1843
- Description: Marriage contracts between members of Congregation Mikveh Israel, from 1813 to 1843. The names of bride and groom have been penciled in at the top of the page for most entries. The Jewish marriage contract is called a ketubah, and is traditionally written in Aramaic. Ketubot (plural) are fairly …
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- Marriage contract, 1842
- Date: 1842
- Description: Marriage contract between Mr. Isaac [E?] and Hanna [D?], dated 1842. The paper is aging and the ink is fading, making some text difficult to read. The marriage contract, called a ketubah, is in Aramaic. Ketubot (plural) are fairly standardized and usually read like this: In Good Augury On the…..
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- Letter regarding examination of schochet (kosher butcher) David Solis, 1835
- Date: 1835
- Description: Letter from Mikveh Israel representatives regarding the delayed examination of shochet David Solis. A shochet is officially licensed by rabbinic authority to slaughter meat in accordance with Jewish dietary laws. Solis’ knife was found “not suitable,” and he was also recovering from a severe fall…
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- Jonas Phillips letter, 1782
- Date: 1782
- Description: Letter from Jonas Phillips objecting to the proposed plan for a new synagogue, because it would not leave enough space behind for other buildings, and would be too close to neighboring houses. He also objected to the proposed location of the door, which he saw as inconvenient. Jonas Phillips was…
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- Invitation to consecration of new synagogue, 1866
- Date: 1866
- Description: Invitation to the consecration of the new synagogue on Seventh St. above Arch, to be held on May 24th, 1866. The invitation was issued from parnas (congregation president) Abraham Hart, and four adjunta (members of the board of managers), and dated April 15 of that year.
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- Invitation to cornerstone ceremony (1859)
- Date: 1859
- Description: Invitation dated May 3rd, 1859, from Edward Mawson, Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, to the ceremonial laying of the corner stone of the new synagogue, to be held on Monday May 9th, 1859.
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- Eshcaboth Rosh Hodesh, 1785
- Date: 1785
- Description: The “monthly memorials of men,” a list of the names of deceased men for whom memorial prayers were to be said every Rosh Hodesh, which is the start of the new month in the Jewish calendar.
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- Abigail De Lyon letter, 1795
- Date: 1795
- Description: Letter to Benjamin Nones, parnas (president) of Mikveh Israel, from Abigail De Lyon, dated October 2, 1795. This letter accompanied the gift of “a mantle, cover & pharsha for the Seapher,” presented by Mr. David M Phillips. A pharsha/parsha/parashah is a division of the Torah, and the Seapher/Se…
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- Account book, offerings, 1786-1788
- Date: 1786/1788
- Description: Record of offerings given or promised to Congregation Mikveh Israel from 1786 to 1788. The book includes an alphabetical index of congregant names in the first two pages, followed by a listing of general offerings by quarter. More detailed records of individuals’ offerings span two pages, verso a…
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- Balance book, 1856-1876, 1900-1908
- Date: {1857/1876,1900/1908}
- Description: Detailed account of money spent and received by Congregation Mikveh Israel; the first 20 pages are of a slightly
Books on the Sephardic Jewish Congregation of Philadelphia
- The Jewish Cemetery, Ninth and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia by Leon H. Elmaleh and Joseph Bunford Samuel
- Dedication of the new synagogue of the Congregation Mikve Israel at Broad and York Streets on September 14, 1909 Elul 29, 5669 by Abraham Simon Wolf Rosenbach
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