“The Jews and Masonry in the United States before 1810” is a book published in 1910. Most of it is uninteresting to the general reader, but could perhaps be of some use to genealogists. It contains biographical information about Jews who joined and served the Masonic Order in various capacities. The entries are by state and most are rather short. Thus, we learn that a certain Aaron Judah was Treasurer of the Washington Lodge in New York in 1802, while his co-religionist Naphtali Judah was Junior Warden. Mordecai Myers was a Master. And so on.
It's obvious from Oppenheim's account that Jews were, for the most part, welcome as full members of Masonic lodges. The state-level Masonic organizations of Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island and Louisiana at various points elected Jewish Grand Masters. Many of the Jewish Masons were prominent members of their communities, including “the patriotic banker” Haym Salomon (a friend of Madison and Jefferson) and the “patriotic merchant” Jacob Hart (a friend of Lafayette).
Occasionally, more interesting pieces of information surface.
Thus, we learn that Mordecai Noah, one of the most well known Jews in the United States during this period, was a Mason. Noah had served as the U.S. consul in Tunis, until Secretary of State James Monroe had removed him, citing Noah's Jewish faith as the reason. Later, Noah attempted to create a kind of proto-Zionist commonwealth or “state” at Niagara Falls. This “City of Refuge” came to naught, but it's interesting that the dedication ceremony in 1825 was heavily Masonic! Master Masons, Royal Arch Masons and Knights Templar, spouting full Masonic paraphernalia, openly attended the event.
Another prominent Jewish leader, Moses Seixas of Rhode Island, was also a Freemason. When George Washington made his famous visit to Rhode Island, Moses Seixas and other Jews hailed him as a fellow Masonic brother.
That Jews sometimes interpreted Masonry in “Jewish” terms is also shown by a ceremony in South Carolina in 1793, at the laying of the corner-stone of the Beth Elohim synagogue. The proceedings were “conducted by the rules and regulations of the ancient and honorable fraternity of Freemasons”.
More sensationally, perhaps, Oppenheim claims that the Scottish Rite was introduced to North America by a Jew, a certain Moses Michael Hays, who acted on the supposed authority of Frederick II of Prussia, who was Grand Master of Masons of Europe and held jurisdiction over North America. Hays was Deputy Inspector General of Masonry for North America, and his mission was to establish the Scottish Rite in the New World. Oppenheim also spends an entire section discussing the controversial claim that “English” Masonry was introduced to Rhode Island by Jewish settlers as early as 1658. Once again, it's interesting to note that this group both built a synagogue and “worked the degrees”.
One weakness with “The Jews and Masonry in the United States” is that it never explains the philosophical justification for allowing Jews to join a “Christian” body like the Masonic Order. Nor does it explain why Jews were particularly interested in Gentile Freemasonry, and often combined it with Judaism. I suppose the reason was the Masonic belief in religious tolerance, enlightenment and a “Deist” god, “The Great Architect of the Universe”. These ideas were presumably easy to square with reform movements within Judaism. One also wonders how many North American Jews supported the “Patriots”, and how many remained “Loyalists”.
As already indicated, most of this book feels like a rather dull directory. But then, it's probably mostly intended as a kind of primary source material.
Also available on the web.
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