The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1939-10-20
Jews Come To Georgia


they set up in one of the shacks
designated to serve as a Syna-
gogue.
Months passed. It was already
September. The day arrived for
partitioning the farmlands. Sew
eral of the Jews were men of sub
stance. When the auctioneer an
nounced that a modest price would
have to be paid for each allot-
ment, Nunez. offered to purchase
six farms; old Henriques bid in
for eight farms; LIE Desma paid
J outright for ten; Abraham de
Lyon, who had been an expert
vineron in Portugal, asked for
hill-land, II shall plant a vine
yard" he announced.
Protests were heard from all
sides. "Those Jews are grabbing
up all the land. They won't leave
any for U.S." But the governor
was firm in dispensing justice.
1.-THE Jews" he reminded the NAL
contents, "have come to Georgia
by Royal grant. Their rights and
privileges shall be respected.
There is enough land in the col
ony for all but the idlerS."
The more boisterous still ragged
and fumed; but when they felt the
eyes of the governor rest on them,
they remembered that they had al
ready tasted Oglethorpe's dis
pleasure, and walked off muttering
angrily. The hostility of the set
tiers increased. When a baby was
born to the Jewish Monis family,
even though it was the first white
baby in the colony, the neighbors
did not call to bless the parents:
Instead, there were those who
spoke to one another resentfulIy,
Nov those Jews will surely stay
in our colony. There will be no
radiance of them"
And then came the plague. The
swamps vomited the fevers. Sick
ness grew violent. But there was
not physician in the colony. and
death lurked at many bedside.
Strange rumors were current that
the Jews behind their enclosure
were not stricken. Good Lord"
the pious Georgians asked one an
other, sis the story of Egypt re-
peating itself? Has the God of
Israel inflicted this plague upon
the colony to avenge our hostility
toward the seed of His chosen
people? Is the Jews enclosure
even their Goshen to shield them
from the plague ?" Many bowed
their heads, they knelt in contri-
ton, and prayed for a healer to
come.
Soon the healer appeared. He
was the Jew, DR.. Samuel Nunez
Ribiero.
II have practiced the healing art
these many years in Portugal"
he told the Governor. II am IA
miliar with the temper of these
fevers. I have even tested the
efficacy of my herbs on the Monis
child, and I have no fears of the
results" Thus he sought to con-
vince the Governor. "Tell the set
tiers that the Jew Doctor will heal
Them"
IF you can only accomplish
this, my dear DR.. Nunez, you will
heal not only their bodies, but me-
thinks, also their hearts," Ogle-
thorpe unused. Then he made his
decision. II shall myself escort
you. Come let us go from house
to house. Wherever there is an
alllng man, woman, or child. you
shall minister to him under nv
own eye. We shall heal both, their
bodies and their hearts," he re-
peated as they left the house arm
in arm.
For weeks DR.. Nunez ministered
to the sick. He labored inces-
sanity. The fevers abated. Heal
ing came to the colony. The name
of the Jew Doctor became a
blessing to be spoken in gratitude.
And henceforth the settlers and
their Jewish neighbors lived to-
gether in peace and friendship.
(The Spectator)