Lyons, Jacques J. (Jacques Judah), 1813-1877

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Jacques Judah Lyons (1813-1877)

Jacques Judah Lyons, hazan, rabbi, and community leader, was born in Surinam, Dutch Guiana on Menahem 25, 5573 (August 25, 1813). His parents, Judah Eleazar and Mary Asser Lyons, had emigrated to Surinam from Philadelphia in the early 1800s. Jacques education was limited to the institutions the Dutch colony could afford; however, he spoke several languages in addition to Dutch, including Hebrew, English, German, and French and possessed a strong understanding of Spanish.

Jacques began his career as a hazan in Surinam in Congregation Nevie Shalom, a synagogue founded by Spanish-Portuguese Jews. In 1836 he left for Philadelphia, his parents' home state, and was hired within a few months by Congregation Beth Shalome of Richmond, Virginia. He served Beth Shalome for two years, winning the high esteem of the congregation. In 1839, following the death of Rev. Isaac B. Mendez Seixas, he was elected Seixas' successor as minister of Congregation Shearith Israel of New York City. He married Grace Nathan, daughter of Seixas Nathan and Sarah Mendes Seixas in 1842. Jacques and Grace were blessed with three children: Julius J., Sarah, and Alfred.

During his thirty-eight years of ministry, he became highly active in Jewish welfare and advocating Orthodox Judaism. He served as superintendent of the Shearith Israel's school, Polonies Talmud Torah; president of its benevolent society, Hebra Hased va-Emet; director of the Sampson Simson Jewish Seminary and Scientific Institute; and one of the founders of Jews Hospital, later renamed The Mount Sinai Hospital.

Jacques possessed a deep interest in Jewish history. In 1854, Jacques and Rabbi Abraham de Sola of Montreal collaborated in writing A Jewish Calendar for Fifty Years, a book that contained a comprehensive Jewish calendar, an essay on the Jewish calendar system, as well as historical information concerning Jewish communities in the United States, Canada, and the West Indies. Prior to 1861, and continuing to the end of his life, Jacques painstakingly gathered sources and information on United States Jewish history in the hopes of publishing his findings. He made copies of some of the documents he found, and also obtained papers from old families, such as Naphtali Phillips, Isaac Phillips, Joshua Phillips, Horatio Gomez, Joseph Nones, the Pesoa, and Judah Families. His family later destroyed a portion of his papers; one cannot but think of the treasures that may have been contained therein.

Jacques died at the age of sixty-three on Elul 4, 5638, shortly before Rosh Hashanah (August 15, 1877). His funeral services were held on August 15, 1877 in Shearith Israel, and were conducted by his successor Rev. Dr. Henry Pereira Mendes, Rev. Dr. Abraham De Sola of Montreal, Rev. Samuel M. Isaacs of Congregations Shaarai Tefilla of New York, and Rev. Sabato Morais of Congregation Mikve Israel of Philadelphia. His niece through marriage, Emma Lazarus, wrote the poem "Rosh Hashanah, 5638" in his memory. He is buried in the congregation's cemetery in Long Island.

References: De Sola Pool, David and Tamar. An Old Faith in the New World: Portrait of Shearith Israel 1654-1954 . New York: Columbia University Press, 1955, 178-182. Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society (PAJHS), vol. 21 (1913), xxiii-xxviii; and vol. 27 (1920), 144-9. Encyclopaedia Judaica . Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House, 1972. vol. 11, 626.

From the guide to the Jacques Judah Lyons papers, undated, 1705-1885, 1908, 1911-1914, 1917-1919, 1933, 1950, (American Jewish Historical Society)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Jacques Judah Lyons papers 1705-1950 1705-1885. Université d’Ottawa, University of Ottawa
referencedIn Fierman, Floyd S. Papers, ca. 1847-[19--]. The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives
referencedIn Papers of Seixas Family, undated, 1746-1911, 1926, 1939 American Jewish Historical Society
referencedIn Papers, 1804-1920. Congregation Shearith Israel (New York, N.Y.)
referencedIn Congregation Shearith Israel, Records, undated, 1755-1996 American Jewish Historical Society
creatorOf Jacques Judah Lyons papers, undated, 1705-1885, 1908, 1911-1914, 1917-1919, 1933, 1950 American Jewish Historical Society
creatorOf Lyons, Jacques Judah, 1813-1877. 880-99 <>. National Library of Israel, Jewish National Library
referencedIn Contracts with clergy, 1831-1938. Congregation Shearith Israel (New York, N.Y.)
referencedIn Congregation Shearith Israel, Records, undated, 1755-1996 American Jewish Historical Society
referencedIn Uriah P. Levy Collection, undated, 1787-1948, 1959, 1961, 1985, 2005 American Jewish Historical Society
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Adam Matthew Digital (Firm) corporateBody
associatedWith Adam Matthew Education (Firm) corporateBody
associatedWith American Jewish Historical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Congregation Shearith Israel corporateBody
associatedWith Congregation Shearith Israel (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Fierman, Floyd S. person
associatedWith Levy, Uriah, 1792-1862 person
associatedWith Lyons family. family
associatedWith Newport. Touro Synagogue. corporateBody
associatedWith New York. Congress. corporateBody
associatedWith Salomon, Haym, 1740-1785. person
associatedWith Seixas family family
associatedWith Touro Synagogue (Newport, R.I.) corporateBody
associatedWith Washington, George, 1732-1799. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York (State)--New York
Philadelphia (Pa.)
West Indies.
United States
New York (N.Y.)
Surinam.
West Indies
Newport (R.I.)
Subject
United States
United States
Civic leaders
Jewish scholars
Jews
Jews
Judaism
Liturgy and ritual
Rabbis
Rites and ceremonies
Sermons
Soldiers, Jews
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1813

Death 1877

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