CONSECRATION OF THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2368, 4 November 1881, Page 3

CONSECRATION OF THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE.

Yesterday was to our Hebrew fellow oitizens quite as red letter a day in their calendar as the opening of the Cathedral to Churchmen, it being the occasion of the consecration of the new and commodious synagogue recently ereoted in Gloucester street. For some time past the old building has proved totally inadequate to the requirements of the congregation, the whole of the accommodation being more than fully occupied, whilst many were precluded from attending owing to want of room. An effort was accordingly made to secure a more commodious building, and the result was the very handsome edifice opened yesterday, and solemnly dedicated according to ancient custom to the worship of tho Great Jehovah. The synagogue proper is not yet complete, inasmuch as there are a number of decorations yet to be carried out, but even now it is inside very pretty and commodious. The recess for the ark, wherein is deposited tho scrolls of tho law, is perhaps one of the handsomest pieces of the mason's art seen here. Tho front arch is of white stone, elaborately carved all round with a double arch at the apex. The pillars supporting the ark are of polished stone, the recess of the ark itself being also very nicely worked. Above the ark are the two tables of the law in Hebrew, surmounted by the double triangle and a crown. The veil of the ark is of white silk, bearing upon it the double triangle and Hebrew characters. The recess is lighted from the above by a dome-shapod skylight. The president of the Anglo-Israel Association must have been greatly pleased, not alone in his capacity as architect, but as president of the association, as there was a very large gathering of the Anglo-Saxon race, amongst them a number ot church dignitaries, who evinced the deepest interest in the oeremonies, and by their liberality evinced how much they sympathised with the efforts made by our Hebrew fellow citizens to provide a suitable Temple wherein to worship the Most High. This in itself must have foreshadowed to the mind of that gentleman the approaoh of tho period when the lost tribes will be discovered in the Anglo-Saxon race.

The honorary officers of the Synagogue are a« follows :—Mr Maurice Harris, president; Mr Charles Louisson, treasurer; committee, Mr Sandstein, Mr Cohen, Mr Naehelski, Mr Levein; hon. secretary, Mr It. 8. Raphael ; trustees, Mr L. E. Nathan, Mr H. Moss, Mr D. Davis, Mr M. Harris, Mr D. Caro ; building committee, Mr M. Harris, Mr 8. Nasholski, Mr L. B. Nathan, Mr L. Caro, Mr Herbort Davis, Mr O. Louisson. Mr M. Sandstein, Mr D. Davis, Mr D. Caro ; hon. sec. V. Harris.

The arohitect is Mr T. S. Lambert, and the contractor Mr Prudhoe.

The body of the Synagogue was filled to overflowing, every seat being occupied, whilst the very handsome gallery was crowded with ladies. The Jewish custom of separating the ladies from the gentlemen hardly seemed to find favor in the eyes of some of those present, judging from the longing looks upwards. A very excellent ohoir, under the able leadership of Mr 8. Schwartz, the choir master of the congregation, rendered the music incidental to the ceremony excellently, and in a manner deserving the highest praise. The members of the choir were Mrs Zachariah, Mrs Levy, Mrs Nashelski, Miss Metz, Misses Davis (2), Miss Louie son. Misses Cohen (2), Miss Nathan, Miss Harris, Masters Herman and Zachariah, Messrs D. Davis, P. Selig, Cohen, &o. Mrs D. Davis presided most ably at the harmonium.

The oeremony of consecration was conducted by the Bev. Mr Zaohariah, the Babbi of the Canterbury Jewish congregation, assisted by the Bev. Van Stavevin of Wellington.

The ceremony commenced by the Babbi demanding entrance to th<) Synagogue, chanting the sentence " Open unto me the gates of righteousness." The doors being thrown open, the Babbi, acoompanied by the assisting Babbi and Messrs Harris and L. E. Nathan, entered the building bearing the scrolls of the law under a silken canopy. The prooession having taken up its position at the reading desk, the choir thon sang the following—" Blessed be he who cometh in the name of the Lord," "How goodly are thy tents," " I will extol Thee, O Lord," and other Psalms selooted for the oocasion. These were given in very artistic style, especially the trio and ohorus, " Audou al aretz," in whioh the voioes of Mrs Levy, Mr D. Davis and Mr Cohen were heard to great advantage. The Babbi having offered prayers, a procession was once more formed to the ark, and whilst the choir sang " GKve unto the Lord" the scrolls were deposited in the ark. The Bev. Mr Zachariah then said bofore he gave out bis text he desired to welcome

i those whom he saw before him most heartily within the walls of that holy house. He greeted them in the name of the Lard, nnd said to them " Blessed be ya who came in the name of the Lord ; wo bless you in the name of the Lord." The rev. gentleman then gave his text as being 1 Kings viii. v 61—" Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments vs at this day." He said these were the words addressed by King Salomon to the people on the completion of the tempt'' which had been built to the honor of the God of Israel. That was a day of joy and rejoioing, and so the occasion of their meeting that day within thoße sacred walls was also to them a day of happiness, because they had met there to conseorate that place to His service and glory. The Rabbi then pr ceeded to deliver a most eloquent and practical discourse, dividing the text into two divisions, and deducing therefrom lessons as to the moral and religious conduct which should animate the truo servant of the Most High, to whatever denomination he belonged. At the conclusion of his remarks the Rabbi said -. —" I now dedioate this place, in the presence of all of you, to the service of God, as a a place where His immutable law shall be proclaimed. I dedicate it to the principles of beneficence and charity, to be called Bethel—the house of God."

A collection was then made, amounting to £220, during which Mr Bchwarfz played the " War Maroh," from " Athalie." Several other psalms were sung, and after a prayer by the Rev. Mr Van Stavovia tho proceedings terminated.