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The English language title page is present here, but the Hebrew title page is a laid in facsimile. English title page has the signature of Rachel Haya Myers with the date March 1839. Attached to the book is a photocopy of the page in American Jewish Genealogy by Stern that shows her family tree. Ex library with deaccession letter from the JTSA confirming it was sold off at auction by the Seminary library, while this library briefly held the name the Boesky Library. New binding. Singerman 0630 (1837-38). Sidur Siftey Tzadikim, Leeser's comprehensive Sephardic prayer book, was the first American prayer book, published in America, containing the liturgy for the entire year. It contains the original Hebrew text and an English translation, with each Hebrew page facing the page of its English translation. Leeser marketed his prayer book both to audiences in American and the British colonies in the Caribbean, and he therefore included prayers on behalf of a Monarch and a Republican government. Reprinted a number of times throughout the 19th & 20th Centuries, it became the standard prayer book for Sephardic Jews in North America. Leeser founded the first Jewish Publication Society of America and "brought many important works to the attention of the American Jewish community. He published the first Hebrew primer for children (1838), the first complete English translation of the Sephardi prayer book (1848) [sic 1837-8, presented here], and numerous textbooks for children. He founded the first Hebrew high school (1849), the first Jewish representative and defense organization in 1859 (the Board of Delegates of American Israelites), Maimonides College, and the first American Jewish rabbinical school in 1867. His major literary achievement was the first American translation of the Bible, published in 1845. This became the standard American Jewish translation of the Bible until the new Jewish Publication Society translation of 1917. Leeser was a traditionalist who did much to stem the tide of Reform. Although he was identified with the Sephardi community his influence affected the entire community and he laid the foundations for many of the key institutions of present-day Jewish life. His contributions to every area of Jewish culture and religion made him a major builder of American Judaism. "(Jack Reimer, EJ) Contents of a complete set: v. 1 Daily prayers; v. 2 New-year service; v. 3 Day of atonement service ; v. 4 Tabernacle service; v. 5 Passover and Pentecost service; v. 6 Fast day service. The first edition is rare, with only 10 institutions listed in OCLC with sets. Leeser, and many others believed that this edition was superior to the one published by Leeser's competitor, the London hazzan, David Aaron de Sola. Leeser ordered new Hebrew types from abroad for this work and taught his typesetters, Benjamin George Smith and Jacob Washington Fletcher, Hebrew so they could perform their tasks properly. In 1851 Leeser announced that the '500 copies became gradually exhausted in 14 years.'" This is a clear indication that the first two printings were, indeed, of a very limited run. When one considers these prayer books saw constant use, and the resulting wear, it is no wonder that they are very rare. A Complete LATER 1857 2nd-3rd edition (Mixed) with a set of Leeser's 5 volume 1845 bible recently sold at auction for over $82,000.00 Pages: 172 leaves, One of Them in Facsimile. Seller Inventory # 004586
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