May 28, 1773
Rabbi Carigal Preaches in Newport
Historical context
On this day, May 28, 1773, Rabbi Raphael Hayyim Isaac Carigal preached a Shavuot sermon in Newport that became the first published American Jewish sermon.
Archive record
Read the event, then follow its documented sources and archive threads.
- Date
- May 28, 1773
- Verified sources
- 1
- Archive threads
- 5
On this day, Rabbi Raphael Hayyim Isaac Carigal of Hebron preached a Shavuot sermon at Yeshuat Israel, the Newport synagogue, on 6 Sivan 5533. Born in Hebron in 1733, he had been sent as a shaliach of that community from 1754 and had already traveled to Constantinople, Curaçao, London, and Jamaica before this North American stay.
The sermon was delivered in Spanish with Hebrew and later printed in English translation by Abraham Lopez at Newport. It is the first published American Jewish sermon. Ezra Stiles attended and recorded the occasion.
Research trail
Sources and further reading
- A sermon preached at the synagogue, in Newport, Rhode-Island, called “The salvation of Israel” · Haijm Isaac Karigal; translated by Abraham Lopez · S. Southwick, Newport (1773-01-01) View source
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