B'nai Israel Minute Book, vol. 1: 1857-1879

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Sacramento, November 22nd, 1857

The Congregation met at the synagogue & opened by calling Mr. Alexander Meyer to the chair and S. Hoffman to act as Secretary.

The minutes of last meeting were read and approved.

The Committee, who was appointed at the last meeting for the purpose of drawing up a suitable form of rules & regulations as to the duties for the next Chazzan, Shochat, & Teacher submitted the following report which was on motion received, adopted & ordered to be spread on record.

To the Hebrew Congregation

Mr. President!

Your Committee appointed to define the duties Chazzan of this Congr. beg leave to submit the following Report: 1.) At the time & in the manner as prescribed by the Constitution & bylaws of this congregation there shall be held the election of a qualified person as Chazzan, Shochat, Teacher & Collector who so far as the first two offices is concerned shall be learned in & fully conversant with the laws & requirements of the Hebrew religion & shall perform all duties & service usually connected therewith & appertaining thereto. 2.) The said election shall be decided by a majority of all the votes cast. 3) Said officer shall also be qualified for tuition in the Hebrew language and in the principles of the Hebrew religion & history 4.) He shall teach all the children of this comunity belonging to the Jewish faith on the subjects mentioned in the proceeding section at least for 4 hours daily alternate. 5) Said officer shall not be allowed to absent himself from this city without

permission from the President of the Congr. and this permission shall not be extended over three days in a month. During his absence, he as shochat shall provide & pay for a competent assistant shochat in order to keep up the necessary supply of kosher meat. 6) The usual rates heretofore charged to butchers for slaughtering Kosher cattle, also the dues & other payments of the members shall be weekly collected by this officer [??] paid over to the sec'y of the Congregation. 7) The salary for the performance of all duties herein prescribed shall be fixed at ($75.00) seventy-five dollars pr. month, payable monthly after the elapse or on the last day of each month upon the order of the President & sec'y. 8.) Neglect of his duties or unbecoming & undignified conduct of the incumbent of said offices shall subject him to be discharged by two-thirds majority at a regular meeting. An opportunity shall be given to him to be heard on the charge preferred against him. -- Discharge shall deprive him of his salary for the time being of his office. 9.) He shall also attend to all funerals and during Sabbath morning & evening to read prayers.

All of which is respectfully submitted for the Committee. G. Aronson, chmn [chairman]

The same committee submitted to the Congr. for its consideration an indenture of a contract to be entered with M. Goldsticker for killing kosher cattle which on motion was laid on the table.

It was moved and seconded that the meeting go into nomination & election of officers for the remainder of the term until the next regular annual meeting. Carried.

[Margin Note: For President] Mssrs. Hamburger, Aronson & Lyons were nominated and the ballot showed the following results: Hamburger received 18 & Lyons 4 votes & Mr. Hamburger having received the majority of all the votes cast was declared duly elected.

[Margin note: For Vice President] Mr. M. Newman received 22 votes & blank Mr. Newman was declared duly elected.

[Margin note: For Sec'y.] Messrs. D. Kohn & N. Hefter were nominated & balloted for with the following results Hefter received 18 & Kohn 5 votes, whereupon Hefter was declared duly elected.

[Margin note: For Treasurer] Mr. H. Ahpel was nominated & on motion the rules were suspended & Mr. Ahpel elected by acclamation.

[Margin note: Trustees] Messrs. J. Davis, J. Lyons & D. Kohn were nominated & elected by acclamation.

[Margin note: Chazzan] Mr. Z. Newstadt was unaminously elected as chazzan, shochat & teacher, for a term of three months from date with a salary of $75.00 seventy five dollars pr month.

A recommendation of the committee that those members of this Congr. who send children to the Hebrew school shall pay $2.00 per month for this was on motion laid on the table.

On motion the trustees were instructed to call on the sec'y & treas. of both congregations & obtain from them all monies, books, papers, etc & deliver the same to the new sec'y.