Perhaps the most celebrated object in the sanctuary, the core, candle cups and drip plates are made of cast brass, and the arms of cast bronze. The uppermost element of the core was cast in the 1960s, and bears the stamp of Touro member Ben Helfner. Restoration of the object was done by Newmans, Ltd. in the early 1990s and in 2005-06.
]]>"The center [main] one, a twelve branched candelabra, was a gift Qf Jacob Pollock. in 1769. An unusual feature of this candelabra is what appears to be four monks heads which can be dearly seen in the center stem." [Rabbi Lewis, pg. 284]
Perhaps the most celebrated object in the sanctuary, the core, candle cups and drip plates are made of cast brass, and the arms of cast bronze. The uppermost element of the core was cast in the 1960s, and bears the stamp of Touro member Ben Helfner. Restoration of the object was done by Newmans, Ltd. in the early 1990s and in 2005-06.
There is a fascinating story about this Ner Tamid. It used to be fed with oil. The early settlers used to replenish it with oil when the oil evaporated, and when the wick burnt out they would put a new one in. Soon after 1882 when electricity was introduced in the Newport area, the local Jewish residents decided to make life a little less laborious for themselves and so they inserted an electric bulb into the eternal light. Strangely enough, that same electric bulb is still burning today [as of 1975]. Electricians, scientists, and other knowledgeable people, tell us something about "low wattage" to account for the bulb not having burnt out until now. We like to believe, that just as in the story of Hanukkah, in which the little cruse of oil which was found in the Temple of old and which normally would burn for only one day,yet it burned for eight days, so too, will our Ner Tamid burn for many, many years to come." [Rabbi Lewis, pg. 284]
]]>"The Ner Tamid, the eternal light,was the gift of Samuel Judah of New York in 1765.
There is a fascinating story about this Ner Tamid. It used to be fed with oil. The early settlers used to replenish it with oil when the oil evaporated, and when the wick burnt out they would put a new one in. Soon after 1882 when electricity was introduced in the Newport area, the local Jewish residents decided to make life a little less laborious for themselves and so they inserted an electric bulb into the eternal light. Strangely enough, that same electric bulb is still burning today [as of 1975]. Electricians, scientists, and other knowledgeable people, tell us something about "low wattage" to account for the bulb not having burnt out until now. We like to believe, that just as in the story of Hanukkah, in which the little cruse of oil which was found in the Temple of old and which normally would burn for only one day,yet it burned for eight days, so too, will our Ner Tamid burn for many, many years to come." [Rabbi Lewis, pg. 284]
The heavily damaged Chanukkiah was restored by Newmans, Ltd. in 2005-2006. Its restoration required complete disassembly, reforming af all the arms and parts, creating internal structures for the central stem, reinforcing the feet invisibly from behind, and reassembly.
Before restoration in 2005-2006, a section of the stem was severely distorted.The candle cup had been replaced in the past with a makeshift copper cylinder. Small flames atop the crenellations were missing. A corner of the stone base was chipped off. Due to the stick’s heavy use and lack of bobeche, heavy deposits of wax had accumulated in the bowl. The interior was gouged and distorted from repeated attempts to dislodge the wax. The exterior was covered with oxide.
]]>The Memorial Candlestick was originally on the eastern balustrade of the Bimah. It was formerly used for lighting memorial candles for deceased members of the congregation on the anniversary of their death [yartzeit]. Missing until the 1960s renovation of the Synagogue, the candlestick was found and restored to its original place. [Rabbi Lewis, pg. 292-293]
Before restoration in 2005-2006, a section of the stem was severely distorted.The candle cup had been replaced in the past with a makeshift copper cylinder. Small flames atop the crenellations were missing. A corner of the stone base was chipped off. Due to the stick’s heavy use and lack of bobeche, heavy deposits of wax had accumulated in the bowl. The interior was gouged and distorted from repeated attempts to dislodge the wax. The exterior was covered with oxide.
"On the tall graceful candlesticks on the ba lustrades in front of the Ark and on the Bimah the following wording is engraved in Hebrew: "The gift of the young man, Enoch, son of Joseph to the synagogue of the Holy Congregation Yeshuat Israel in the year 5525." "Enoch Lyon-1766" is engraved in English on the back." [Rabbi Lewis, pg. 283]
]]>These are good examples of the quality which can be achieved in casting decorative objects. Each candlestick is composed of fourteen parts which fit together like a precision puzzle. The structural issues we dealt with were only minor – refitting of the four-legged sections atop the columns.
"On the tall graceful candlesticks on the ba lustrades in front of the Ark and on the Bimah the following wording is engraved in Hebrew: "The gift of the young man, Enoch, son of Joseph to the synagogue of the Holy Congregation Yeshuat Israel in the year 5525." "Enoch Lyon-1766" is engraved in English on the back." [Rabbi Lewis, pg. 283]
During the 2005-2006 restoration, the face was removed, resurfaced, and the fragmented lacquer in the numerals was in-painted. Face cover was restructured with long bronze rods and wood dowels inserted internally from the faces of the breaks occurring along the grain boundaries. The hinge was backed up with a brass support plate hidden at the rear of the case’s wood fascia. The glass grouting was removed and replaced with a brass ring, painted to match the wood. The lower mounting hole was reinforced by a brass back plate in the rear of the wood, and a short brass tube liner for the hole. Gaps were in-filled with color-matched resin. Entire surface was cleaned with mineral spirits and high quality museum grade wax was applied.
]]>Congregation Yeshuat Israel wrote (about 1760) to the Bevis Marks Congregation in London for donations to complete the synagogue. The congregation was unable to send funds, but later sent the two charity boxes (tzedakah boxes) which are affixed to the columns at the entrance to the Synagogue and also the clock which is on the railing of the women's gallery. [Rabbi Lewis, pg. 282-83]
During the 2005-2006 restoration, the face was removed, resurfaced, and the fragmented lacquer in the numerals was in-painted. Face cover was restructured with long bronze rods and wood dowels inserted internally from the faces of the breaks occurring along the grain boundaries. The hinge was backed up with a brass support plate hidden at the rear of the case’s wood fascia. The glass grouting was removed and replaced with a brass ring, painted to match the wood. The lower mounting hole was reinforced by a brass back plate in the rear of the wood, and a short brass tube liner for the hole. Gaps were in-filled with color-matched resin. Entire surface was cleaned with mineral spirits and high quality museum grade wax was applied.
The scroll is current displayed in a case to the left of the Ark. Stiles was writing in 1763; if he is correct as to the age of the scroll, it would now be over 650 years old.
]]>"In a footnote in his diary, Vol. 1, page 6, Dr. Ezra Stiles [a noted diarist of Rhode Island and later president of Yale College] notes that he was told by Dr. Isaac Touro [first hazzan of Congregation Yeshuat Israel] that this scroll was presented from Amsterdam. This scroll which is now over four hundred years old is in a good state of preservation. The seript is clear Ind legible. [Rabbi Lewis, p. 286]
The scroll is current displayed in a case to the left of the Ark. Stiles was writing in 1763; if he is correct as to the age of the scroll, it would now be over 650 years old.
The Synagogue is perhaps fourty foot long & 30 wide, of Brick in a Foundation of free Stone: it was begun about two years ago & is now finished except the Porch & the capitals of the Pillars. The Front representation of the holy of holies, or the Partition Veil, consists only of wainscotted Breast work on the east end, in the lower part of which four long Doors cover and upgright Square Closet the depth of which is about a foot or the thickness of the wall, & in this Apartment (vulgarly called the Ark) were deposited three Copies & Rolls of the Pentateuch written on Vellum, or rather tanned Calf Skin: one of these Rolls I was told by Dr. Touro was presented from Amsterdam & is Two Hundred years Old; the Letters have the Rabbinical flourishes.
A gallery for the Women runs round the whole Inside, except the east end, supported by Columns of Ionic order, over which are placed correspondent Columns of the Corinthian order supporting the Ceiling of the Roof. The depth of the Corinthian Pedestal is the height of the Balustrade which runs about the Gallery. The Pulpit for Reading the Law, is a raised Pew with an extended front table; this placed about the center of the Synagogue or nearer the West End, being a Square Embalustraded Comporting with the Length of the intented Chancel before & at the Foot of the Ark.
On the middle of the North Side & affixed to the Wall is a raised Seat for the Parnas or Ruler, & for the Elders: the Brest and Back interlaid with Chinese Mosaic work. A Wainscotted Seat runs round three Sides of the Synagogue below, & another in the gallery. There are no other Seats or pews. There may be Eighty Souls of Jews or 15 families now in Town. The Synagogue has already cost Fifteen Hundred Pounds Sterling. There are five Lamps pendant from a lofty ceiling.
[Stiles, Ezra. Literary Diary of Ezra Stiles, Vol. 1, 6]
The Reverend Mr. Andrew Burnaby, writing in 1759 or 1760, commented on the building:This building was designed, indeed were several others, by a Mr. Harrison, an ingenious English gentleman who lives here. It will be extremely elegant within when completed: but the outside is totally spoint by a school, which the Jews insisted on having annexed to it for the education of their children.
[Burnaby, Andrew. Travels Through the Middle Settlements in North America in the Years 1759 and 1760 (London, 1775), pg. 68]
]]>Dedicated on the first day of Channukah in 1763, completed in 1768, this building is an exquisite example of 18-century Palladian architecture designed by Peter Harrison, America's first architect. The Reverend Ezra Stiles (November 29, 1727 – May 12, 1795) attended the dedication service and described the building in his diary on December 2, 1763.
The Synagogue is perhaps fourty foot long & 30 wide, of Brick in a Foundation of free Stone: it was begun about two years ago & is now finished except the Porch & the capitals of the Pillars. The Front representation of the holy of holies, or the Partition Veil, consists only of wainscotted Breast work on the east end, in the lower part of which four long Doors cover and upgright Square Closet the depth of which is about a foot or the thickness of the wall, & in this Apartment (vulgarly called the Ark) were deposited three Copies & Rolls of the Pentateuch written on Vellum, or rather tanned Calf Skin: one of these Rolls I was told by Dr. Touro was presented from Amsterdam & is Two Hundred years Old; the Letters have the Rabbinical flourishes.
A gallery for the Women runs round the whole Inside, except the east end, supported by Columns of Ionic order, over which are placed correspondent Columns of the Corinthian order supporting the Ceiling of the Roof. The depth of the Corinthian Pedestal is the height of the Balustrade which runs about the Gallery. The Pulpit for Reading the Law, is a raised Pew with an extended front table; this placed about the center of the Synagogue or nearer the West End, being a Square Embalustraded Comporting with the Length of the intented Chancel before & at the Foot of the Ark.
On the middle of the North Side & affixed to the Wall is a raised Seat for the Parnas or Ruler, & for the Elders: the Brest and Back interlaid with Chinese Mosaic work. A Wainscotted Seat runs round three Sides of the Synagogue below, & another in the gallery. There are no other Seats or pews. There may be Eighty Souls of Jews or 15 families now in Town. The Synagogue has already cost Fifteen Hundred Pounds Sterling. There are five Lamps pendant from a lofty ceiling.
[Stiles, Ezra. Literary Diary of Ezra Stiles, Vol. 1, 6]
The Reverend Mr. Andrew Burnaby, writing in 1759 or 1760, commented on the building:This building was designed, indeed were several others, by a Mr. Harrison, an ingenious English gentleman who lives here. It will be extremely elegant within when completed: but the outside is totally spoint by a school, which the Jews insisted on having annexed to it for the education of their children.
[Burnaby, Andrew. Travels Through the Middle Settlements in North America in the Years 1759 and 1760 (London, 1775), pg. 68]