The collection contains material related to various activities of the Congregation, including the hand-drawn map of the Jewish burial ground on Spruce Street in Philadelphia, prepared by John Lukens, Surveyor General (1765); a manuscript copy of the dedication services for the new synagogue, which includes a prayer for "His Excellency" George Washington (1782); the hazan's manuscript copy of the same service indicating where he was supposed to take part; and an honor card for the seventh circuit for Jacob Mordecai during this service; the letter of resignation of Simon Nathan as parnass (1784); a plea for financial aid in which mention is made of the "year 1776 when the disturbances in the country [sic] began," addressed to the Jewish community in Surinam (1970); a manuscript copy of an act of the Pennsylvania legislature authorizing changes in a previous act which allowed the congregation to run a lottery (1810); an insurance policy (1822); a printed report of the committee of arrangements for the laying of the cornerstone and the address of the Rev. Sabato Morais, minister of the congregation (1859); a manuscript copy of the dedication services (1860); a printed copy of the constitution and by-laws (1884); a volume published for the dedication of the new synagogue (1909); extracts from the minutes, 1790-1791; printed copies of annual reports for 1906-1907, 1920-1923; and miscellaneous materials and bulletins.
