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Monday, September 20, 2021

More descriptions of Sukkot in British newspapers of the 18th century

The Derby Mercury in 1755 described how Jews were buying lots of flowers and greenery for the holiday:


The same newspaper in 1756 reported of a windstorm in Amsterdam, which caused lots of damage - including destroying many of the sukkot of the Jews.


Jackson's Oxford Journal in 1765 gives a brief description of Sukkot, but a longer description of a 102-year old rabbi who was visiting town ahead of the holiday and made quite an impression.




The Derby Mercury, again, in 1790, gives a description of a community sukkah, beautifully decorated but quite small:


The (London) Morning Post in 1802 tells a story of how forgiving one's fellow on Yom Kippur seemed to lead to a reconciliation between two feuding Jewish families - and a possible shidduch:


Both of the families seem to have been quite well known and wealthy, and it seems like Solomon and Goldsmid had worked together several years before before a falling out. Unfortunately, I could not find any news of a marriage between the two younger members; Miss Goldsmid may have married a cousin of hers with the same surname several years later.