Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-10-27
Washed of Christianity to Wed A Hebrew.

Christianity that she might marry a
Hebrew. The remuneration was made
with all the peculiar ceremony of the
Hebrew faith, and the pretty bride is
with her husband on an extended
bridal tour
The bride is the daughter of Mr..
and Mrs. William H. Moynan, of III
West One Hundred and Twenty-sev-
enth St. The Moynans are wealthy.
They own the house in which they
live, and have a handsome seaside
home in Elberon, n. j., and Mr.. Moy-
nan is one of the principal stockhold-
ers and directors in a Philadelphia
glass company. He was formerly a
member of the firm of Tetft, Weller &
Co., of this city,
The bridegroom is Albert Lewis,
who is in the street-car advertising
business at % Duane street, and who
is a son Of Samuel A. Lewis, editor
and proprietor of Hebrew newspaper
and one of the principal members OF
the Hebrew colony in New York.
The marriage of Mr.. Lewis and
Miss Moynan, which was only an
nounced Wednesday evening, was the
elimination of a romance in which the
remuneration of the girls religion was
but one of the features. As a matter
of fact, Mr.. Lewis and his older broth
er, Joseph, were rivals for the hand
of the girl, and Joseph seemed to be
getting the better of the rivalry.
Joseph was able to see Miss Moynan
oftener than his brother did. Albert s
business confined him closely, and a
good deal of his lovemaking had to
be done by letter.
Miss Moynan is a sweet-faced girl,
of medium height, having dark blue
eyes, brown hair and a dimpled chin.
She is vivacious, and has for a year
been prominent in society. She is
only seventeen years old, while her
husband is twenty-seven. The broth
in-law, who wanted her for his wife
so much, but who has accepted the
situation gracefully, is forty.
The girls mother declared two
months ago she should see neither of
the men any more, and, obtaining a
promise that she would correspond
with neither, sent her off to friends in
Asbury Park to spend the remainder
of the summer.
Albert Lewis followed her to AS
bury Park, and obtained there her
promise to become his wife.
Then came the struggle with the
girls family about religion The
Moynans are devout Episcopalians,
and the thought that their daughter
would leave that faith to become a
Hebrew was bitter one to Mr.. and
Mrs. Moynan.
But the girl and her sweetheart
finally won Mrs. Moynan's consent to
the marriage. In Elberon the bride
renounced her religion and was then
married.
This remuneration is Of a peculiar
character. The young woman, accom-
panied by two female attendants, went
to the home of Rabbi Birkowitz, in
Elberon, there to take the bath which
would wash out her old religious be-
lief. The basin in which this bath is
given is ten feet long, five feet wide
and about three feet deep. The
young woman, having disrobed, en-
tered the bath, the two female attend
ants standing close at her side. Then
the rabbi and his assistants entered
the room, demanding Of the girl ifshe
had renounced all other religion, and,
being assured in the affirmative, asked
her if she accepted the Hebrew creed
to be hers from now henceforth, to
live, abide and die in that faith.
Again she answered in the afirma-
tive. Then came prayers and finally
the bestowal of Hebrew names upon
the girl and her father and mother
Miss Moynan's name was Grace. The
rabbi changed it to Rebecca. Her
mothers name was Sarah. It is now
Rachel, and the fathers, William, was
changed to Isaac. The entire cere-
mony lasted an hour. After the Civ
ing of the names the rabbi left the
room, and the female attendants
bathed Miss Moynan, using all their
strength, the idea being to cleanse her
from any taint of Christianity.
After Miss Moynan had recovered
from the effects of her bath she went
to the home of her mother, and there
the marriage ceremony was performed
according to the rites Of the Jewish