The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-08-02
The jewish Feast OF Alb.

The Jewish Feast OF Alb.
IT'S ORION AND MODE OF OBsERv ANCE-THE DAY
IN THE sYNAGOGUEs.
At sundown Monday evening, the Jewish penitential
Feast of Alb inaugurated by solemn services in the
different city synagogues All these temples well
filed by n,acltish devotees and the ceremonies per-
formed with unusual impressiveness
ORIGIN PEAsr.
The holy day celebrated the ninth day of the He
brew month Of Alb instituted in commemoration Of
the destruction Of the second temple by Titus 1t
of the important of the many Jewish festivals roll
gousy observed throughout tho year. and held Mt such
by people which, strange to say honors with appro-
pirate rites the anniversaries of both triumphs and
verses The holyday which was ushered in at shutdown
Monday is, besides more peculiarly recalled
ers On the ninth day Of the month Of Alb the first
temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnexzar, as was the
t the same n'' annSersary in the days Of Fer
dnand and Isabella. the Jews wore driven
forth from Spain simultaneously with the Moors ana
And again. by singular coincidence. on the same date
Columbus set sail from Genoa to discover land wherein
future ages equal No doubt the strange success
sion of events which their ancestors played SO promi
the holiday most deeply on the memory of the modern
Israeltes who strictly enjoned TO regard
tho occasion second only to the three great fest
The fall Of the Temple was to the Jewish sages and
bars the fall Of Troy to the Greek poet and the drama
legends and parallels, conformity with the Lamentations
OF the Prophet Jeremiah sti alluded to this
singular contrast % the penenS Keeping Of the Feast
of Alb the ensuing Sabbath devoted to chants of JOY
and gratitude and is known as the Day Of Consolation
whereupon render thanks to God for the good that has
sprung from the evil
Like all Jewish holy days. the feast OF Abb commenc
ing eventde comes to q conclusion at sundown on the
day following The synagogues are thrown open ON the
FIRST night and tho next morning, and are draped in
black the sombre weeds ensbroudng columns but
tresscs and balustrndcs. shutting out the very
t Of ay ana and %sS M on s
artist into the shadow Of grand and gloomy sepul
chrc The usual modes Of illumination are discarded,
glare are substituted for the brancy OF gas and affixed
TO the pendants and brackets in the direct vicinity Of the
law, which are usually concealed by sliding panels and
veil Of the gaudest hue, is also hung with the dark
daperes OF mourning aud the scrolls Oh inc law Within
silver turets surmounting them, are wrapped In the
unaling Grape. The doors Of the ark are not thrown
books of the law are drawn forth from behind the
tain with every indication Of humility on the part OF tho
officiating minister The prayers which usually read
aloud from an elevated platform the very Of the
nave, offered up from small table, placed on level
with the asscmbage OF devotees The form OF worship
differs slightly, the synagogue may chance to follow
the German the Portuguese ritual AT all the temples
however, the Israelites are strictly required to
abstain from all manner OF food "from even
| tide unto eventide" The members of the con-
| grcgatioD, occasions Of mourning IN private
not the seats usucy lsf1encu
but arc scattered throughout the building, and locate
themselves they best may while In Germany the most
pous invariably seat themselves upon the oor and re-
main that posture until called rpon TO oher up such
prayers may demand general uprising Of the congre-
CATION II Is expressly commanded that leather shoes
sbn be set aside, and though many OF the worappcrs
appear in felt slippers specially donned for the OCCASION
few enter and leave tho synagogue barefooted All
while participating the ceremonies are attrcd in the
most sombrc and valueless clothing they may chance TO
possess The services proper comprise the recital OF
certain portion Of prayers the chanting OF the Lamena
tons the Prophet Jeremiah deplorng the fall OF the
great city, the reading OF those eegcs OF the sages
who were inspired by the destruction OF the ~ mPe and
the dispersion of their fellow 1sraclcs In all these cx
crcses the members OF the congregation take an active
part the most truly orthodox synagogues refusing to
accedc to tho Of organs and obecing 10 admit as
singers in their choir any but coreligions following
the same ritual thcy themselves On sabbaths aud
ordinary festivals certain members OF the congregation
are called upon by the minister to attend TO the reading
portion of the Scriptures this OCCASION none but
two from the tribe of priests and third
from the remaining tribes, be elected TO be honor
| with scat beside the officiating minister.
THE CITY syNAGoGrrs
As stated above, the synagogucs were toerably well
attended all the orthodox institutions eng thrown open
10 their congregations The reform temples the princi.
pal of which Ia situated in East Twelfth street.
closed the 1sraetes adherng to the principles OF
form not recognizing the minor hoydays revcrenty
observed by the ultra-orhodox coreligonsts AT the
Nineteenth street synagogue, tho ceremonies per-
formed by the minister Rev j. j. Lyons At the Broad
Reverend g. M Isaacs, who has been minister 10 that
congregation for the past five and twenty years At the
Twenty ninth street. Ludlow street. Greene street and
Henry synagogucs the regular oc aing ministers
performed the impressive ceremonies incident 10 the
occasion.