Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-07-29

tiers against the admission OF the Jews
TO tho Colony, Gen. Oglethorpe was
hroad-mndesl enough not TO lie carried
away by this benighted ella NOR. as well
Us sufficiently wise to realize the prac-
ticsl beneAts to the new colony that
would accrue from the settlements of
this worldly. .wise and enterprising e,e.
mcnt amongst them. quite aside from
all questions " abstract Justice and hu-
man consideration. And 50 indeed did
II proce.
Among these hrst Jewish arrivals
WAS a pr. Nunez. the Rrst aud for a
time. the only phyaieIan in the Colony !;
Abraham Dc Lyon. who was the Arst
man to introduce there the culture Of
the grape as he had kaown 1t In his
old home In Sunny Spain. He also ip-
troduced the cultivation Of the Mul-
berry tree and the sllk-work. most like
ly the very Arst person to introduce
these now'so-inportant Industries into
the cOlOnies.
1t is interesting to remark that the
first white child to be borp in Georgia
was the offspring of Jewish family.
Its name was Isaac Minis.
OF the many Georgian Jews who
achieved fame and emincnHe during the
stirring days Of the Revolutionary Pc
riod and the years Immediately follow
ing 1t, We need mention but one. per-
ihsps the most eminent OF them all.
Mordecai Sheftal. ono Of the first
whites to be born In Georgia and lead
ing citizen OF the Colony, organized
aud became the Chairman Of the Rebel
Parochial Committee" which was ac-
tive In agitating the cause OF the Re-
.bellion as well as In other activities IN
copnecti0n with the American cause. He
was for time the official ruler Of the
City Of Savannah. where he soon ecame
thorn in the side Of the British au-
thorlties. He was made a prisoner by
the Britith and -imprisone{ OH one n
the pestileutial prisoner-stops. the
place of torture. and not infrequently
If martyrdom of many steellng Amerl-
can patriot How great wns the fear
of the British of him can be seen FROM
the fact that in the famous ."Disqual-
flying Act" issued hy them, list con
tanning so names. Sheftars name stands
near the head Of the list Of those out
-lnwed for their opposition to British
rule in the colonies.
Award 70 SheftA
In 1853 the Congress awarded Sheftal
a grant Of land in Georgia for his
great services during the Just ended
struggle for independence He re-
turned TO his native home and busted
himself with various public ACTIVITIES
to the end Of his days. He was active
in Masonry, educational and benevolent
work. He was one of the founders Of
the United Society of Savannah, a so
cicty that has survived from 1880 to
this day and still is in fourishing
condition.
While speaking of Free Masonry, it
is pertinent to note that its introduc-
tion into the colonies was due mainly
II not entirely, to the Jew arriving
from foreign lands where the Masonic
orders were widely known and their
rites practiced. Charles p. DAILY in his
Jews in North America" records the
fact that 'in 1858 fifteen Hebrew fam
ilies from Holland arrived In Newport.
r. 7. bringing with them the first three
degrees of Masonry These Jews,r
says Mrs. John King Van Rensselaer,
in her History Of Newport performed
their Masonic ceremonies for 81 years.
or until 1147. in the housc'of Mordccai
Campanalii. ''the leader Of this little
community of the fifteen Dutch Jewish
families.
Copyright. 1876, Jewish Telegraph Agency