November
27, 2014 / 5 Kislev 5775
Thanksgiving:
Dear Friends,
Back in 1790, one
year before the Bill of Rights was ratified, George Washington visited the
Jewish community of New Port, Rhode Island.
Following the visit, letters were exchanged between Moses Seixas, leader
of the Jewish community, and President Washington. Those letters express the very special
essence of welcome, safety and prosperity that we Jews have enjoyed here in
America. The full texts of the letters
are printed below. I hope you will read
them at your Thanksgiving tables this year.
Happy Thanksgiving!
L’Shalom (In Peace),
Rabbi Eitan
Weiner-Kaplow
The letter from Moses Seixas to President
George Washington
To the President of the United States of
America.
Sir:
Permit the children of the stock of
Abraham to approach you with the most cordial affection and esteem for your
person and merits — and to join with our fellow citizens in welcoming you to
NewPort.
With pleasure we reflect on those days —
those days of difficulty, and danger, when the God of Israel, who delivered
David from the peril of the sword, — shielded Your head in the day of battle: —
and we rejoice to think, that the same Spirit, who rested in the Bosom of the
greatly beloved Daniel enabling him to preside over the Provinces of the
Babylonish Empire, rests and ever will rest, upon you, enabling you to
discharge the arduous duties of Chief Magistrate in these States.
Deprived as we heretofore have been of
the invaluable rights of free Citizens, we now with a deep sense of gratitude
to the Almighty disposer of all events behold a Government, erected by the
Majesty of the People — a Government, which to bigotry gives no sanction, to
persecution no assistance — but generously affording to all Liberty of
conscience, and immunities of Citizenship: — deeming every one, of whatever
Nation, tongue, or language equal parts of the great governmental Machine: — This
so ample and extensive Federal Union whose basis is Philanthropy, Mutual
confidence and Public Virtue, we cannot but acknowledge to be the work of the
Great God, who ruleth in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the
Earth, doing whatever seemeth him good.
For all these Blessings of civil and
religious liberty which we enjoy under an equal benign administration, we
desire to send up our thanks to the Ancient of Days, the great preserver of Men
— beseeching him, that the Angel who conducted our forefathers through the
wilderness into the promised Land, may graciously conduct you through all the
difficulties and dangers of this mortal life: — And, when, like Joshua full of
days and full of honour, you are gathered to your Fathers, may you be admitted
into the Heavenly Paradise to partake of the water of life, and the tree of
immortality.
Done and Signed by order of the Hebrew
Congregation in NewPort, Rhode Island August 17th 1790.
Moses Seixas, Warden
The letter from George Washington in
response to Moses Seixas
To the Hebrew Congregation in Newport
Rhode Island.
Gentlemen,
While I receive, with much satisfaction,
your Address replete with expressions of affection and esteem; I rejoice in the
opportunity of assuring you, that I shall always retain a grateful remembrance
of the cordial welcome I experienced in my visit to Newport, from all classes
of Citizens.
The reflection on the days of difficulty
and danger which are past is rendered the more sweet, from a consciousness that
they are succeeded by days of uncommon prosperity and security. If we have
wisdom to make the best use of the advantages with which we are now favored, we
cannot fail, under the just administration of a good Government, to become a
great and happy people.
The Citizens of the United States of
America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples
of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation. All possess
alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that
toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people,
that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent national gifts. For happily
the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to
persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection
should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their
effectual support.
It would be inconsistent with the
frankness of my character not to avow that I am pleased with your favorable
opinion of my Administration, and fervent wishes for my felicity. May the
children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and
enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in
safety under his own vine and figtree, and there shall be none to make him
afraid. May the father of all mercies scatter light and not darkness in our
paths, and make us all in our several vocations useful here, and in his own due
time and way everlastingly happy.
G. Washington
