GESÄNGE FÜR DEN ÖFFENTLICHEN JÜDISCHEN GOTTESDIENST: AUS VERSCHIEDENEN LIEDERSAMMLÜNGEN ZUSAMMENGETRAGEN

Philadelphia: Stein & Jones. "im Verlage Der Kneseth Israel, 1862. Hardback. 1st edition. Period quarter-leather boards, 12mo, 93 pages. In German. Singerman 1749. The David Einhorn Hymnal. Title translates as "Songs for Jewish Public Worship. " The Kneseth Israel (Philadelphia) board minutes from May 4, 1862, note that: "A communication from Dr. Einhorn was handed in and reads as follows: ‘To the respectable board of directors of Keneseth Israel! Since there is a decided shortage of hymn books not only in our reform congregation but in all the others in America, I am determined to put together a collection of songs, about 80-90 pages. They should be put to use during the service, and I will give them to the congregation if the congregation is wiling to undertake the printing....I suggest to the respectable board to take over the publication of the hymn collection and let me know soon, that the printing can start. Philadelphia, April 28, 1862. Dr. Einhorn. ' Decided, to accept the communication from Dr. Einhorn and make preparations for the printing" [translation of minutes located at KI and at HUC in Cincinnati]. Then, according to the minutes of the next meeting, the board decided to fund the printing, which included 100 "bound volumes. " Reform Liturgy Scholar Judah Cohen has noted that "the hymnal was almost entirely Einhorn, at least based on these records, and created in his view as a service to the growing reform movement. " Rabbi Dr. Lance Sussman, Senior Rabbi at Kenesseth Israel in Philadelphia and a scholar on the history of the Synagogue and on 19th Century American Jewish history, reported on the H-Judaic internet listserv that "I believe from the time Einhorn arrived in Baltimore from Europe in 1855, KI was in touch with him about its music program. KI had a gentile organist, William Fischer, who partnered with Einhorn both before and during Einhorn's time in Philly. " Einhorn had fled Baltimore on April 19, 1861, following his delivery of an anti-Slavery sermon; a mob sought to tar and feather and he fled to Philadelphia where he became spiritual leader of Congregation Keneseth Israel. SUBJECT(S) : Jewish hymns. Reform Judaism -- Liturgy -- Texts. Jewish hymns. Reform Judaism - Liturgy and ritual. OCLC: 9033019 OCLC lists only7 copies worldwide (HUC, Gratz, Penn, Princeton, Princeton Theological, LBI, Brigham Young). A damaged and marked up copy bound in modern library buckram sold for $5,625 at Sothebys in 2015. Original boards and spine rubbed with some corner wear. Light staining to some pages, a bit of toning as expected, no other marks, a very clean copy. Far scarcer than famous first American Jewish hymnal published 20 years earlier in Charleston. Attractive copy of this exceedingly scarce and important American Jewish Hymnal by one of the 2 most import leaders of American Reform in the 19th Century (the other being Isaac Wise) . (AMR-51-15A-BDE+).