The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-20
TRIBUTE OF LOVE
AND SYMPATHY
To Rev. DIR. I. II. Mendes of Mickva
Israel Synagogue

To Rev. DIR. I. II. Mendes of Mickva
Israel Synagogue.
The recent afIiiction that has come
upon Rev. DR.. l. r. Mendes, pastor of
Temple Mickva Israel has called forth
the most sincere expressions OF sympa-
thy and regret from all parts of the
South, but none more appreciative of
DIR. Mendes' personality and his work
in Savannah. than that of the Jewish
Chronicle, of Montgomery, in its latest
issue. In an editorial ii says
rabbi Isaac 2. Mendes, who has
been for over a generation the light of
life to hundreds and hundreds is now
walking in darkness. At least such is
the sad news that reaches us through
the columns of the Jewish Spectator
of Memphis, which reports that the
week before last this beloved rabbi of
Mickva Israel Congregation, Savan-
nah, Ga, was stricken with almost to-
tai blindness.
With what shock this informa-
ton comes to the Jews of the South
only the Jews of the South themselves
can appreciate. Rabbi Mendes has
been throughout his entire career one
OF the most modest, most retiring of
men that have ever distinguished the
pulpit of American Israel. His name
has seldom appeared In the public
prints, but only because he discouraged
such appearance. He has sought
simply good work. religious result.
holy influence. Honor and notoriety
ne never courted, in fact the latter has
always been repugnant to him.
His ministry has been blessed with
what he sought to have as it's success.
namely inspiration, or we had rather
say, inspirations for historic Judaism.
In his own community he has largely
stemmed the tide of reform But his
orthodoxy has ever been a most mag
unanimous orthodoxy. an orthodoxy
sweet, tolerant. love-aspiring and
loVe-winning. What has particularly
gained recognition in Rabbi Mendes'
ministry, however, is his personal
| character.
Especially at home in Savannah,
both among Jews and Gentiles, Rabbi
| Mendes has always stood in the very
highest, deepest, tenderest respect. No
| man has been or is more beloved, more
warmly beloved in his home circles than
| ne is. But like rose which Is hidden
In an obscure corner of a room never
| theless makes known its presence by
the fragrance ii WATTS so Rabbi Men
des though modestly and devotedly
| combining all the warmth and intensity
| of his consecrated ministry to the i'm
mediate duties of his local sphere, could
not fail of recognition in broader fields
| SaVannahians everywhere have all
these years carried the report of how
blessed they have been this quarter OF
a century and more in the possession
of such man as Rabbi Mendes.
But Isaac p. Mendes is entitled ia
| further recognition than even that OF
| character, of heart and of soul His
is most graceful mind, refined artis-
| tic in its tastes 1t is in this way that
he has asslmilated his scholarship
| which is of no mean order, so that
the beauty of it's evidence largely con-
| ceals its depth and extent His pen
too, is pen Of beauty. His English is
| almost Addisonian and no sweeter
| prettier prayers from the standpoint OF
| literary worth or true spirituality than
his Pure Words" published in 1884
| have ever been written by anyone
whether Jew or Gentle Each prayer
in the little volume is a verttable gem
rabbi Mendes is still young man.
He must be yet well on the sunny
| side of so. In every event he can
1 not be much over so. AS we remem-
Der him of sixteen years ago, he was
| a f1ne looking, black-haired and black
| bearded young man whose very pres
ence was an inspiration and whose
| voice was music. Particularly his eyes
shone bright and kind. There is a pos
| sibilfty, we are told, that his loss of
vision may prove only temporary. De-
Voutly we pray so both for his sake
ana for his peoples sake. How they
value him their generosity on the oc-
| casion of the celebration of his twen-
ty-hfth anniversary with them elo-
| quently testified.
That celebration was made an MIS-
toric event in historic Savannah. All
sects united to do him honor the IN
| est oratory of the city heaped the
laurels on his head, his congregation
| freed the mortgage on his home, and
| in addition handed him a most mag
nifcent purse, the entire gift amount
ing, II we remember rightly, to Some
$4,000. Certainly the sum is no index
| to the value of the man, but the sacri-
fees it no doubt represented. the
| friendships 1t stood for, witness the
| place he holds in the hearts of his peo-
pie To their prayers in his behalf we
beg leave to add ours. May God evil
dence that he is 'Hearer of Prayer -