"Vashington an di Amerikanishe Yiden 1790" / "To the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island" / "An di Yiddishe Geminde Fon Newport, Rhode Island. Printed placard, bilingual (English and Yiddish). New York: Julius Loeb, [late 19th century].

Bilingual placard in English and Yiddish, featuring a facsimile of the original letter (in English) from George Washington, first president of the United States of America, addressed to the Jewish community of Newport, Rhode Island, along with the translation of this letter into Yiddish. The text is printed over the background of an outline portrait of George Washington in bright yellow.

Washington’s letter was sent to Newport’s Jewish community following the president’s visit there in 1790. This was at the time when the Constitution of the United States of America was being ratified in Long Island, New York. In this letter, Washington reaffirms the centrality of the principles of religious freedom and tolerance, and delivers a greeting to members of the local Jewish community which borrows a biblical verse, from the Prophet Micah (4: 4): "May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while ‘every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig-tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid’ [sic]."

Newport’s Touro Synagogue is the oldest Jewish house of worship in North America. A public reading of George Washington’s letter takes place every year in this synagogue.

57.5X41 cm. Fair-good condition. Dry, brittle paper, with browning. Tears, some reinforced with old, acidic adhesive tape. Matted, mounted with old strips of adhesive tape, and framed.

Provenance: "The Wayte Raymond Public Auction Sale, Part 4, December 6-8, 1978, New York City, lot no. 26" (according to the label attached to the reverse side of the frame).