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Lincoln and the Jews Opens at New-York Historical Society

Now open at the New-York Historical Society is Lincoln and the Jews, a brand new exhibit inspired by the coffee-table book Lincoln and the Jews: A History, written by Jonathan D. Sarna and Benjamin Shapell. The exhibit also marks the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln's assassination.

A must for American history buffs, this compelling exhibit offers an extensive collection of authentic letters written by Lincoln, artifacts and more.

“Things I learned while working on this book-Lincoln had over 120 friends that were Jewish, no previous president came close,” says Sarna, who co-authored the book. During his administration, “The Jewish community ballooned from 3,000 to 150,000. He embraced newcomers.” He also appointed the first Jewish person-a New Yorker-C.M. Levy, to be a captain in the military, during the Civil War, Sarna added (see letter above.)

The exhibit traces the events in Lincoln's life through the lens of his Jewish friends, such as fellow lawyer and politician Abraham Jonas; his podiatrist and confidant Issachar Zacharie, as well as Lincoln's profound interest in and connection to the Old Testament. Jewish engraver Viktor David Brenner, was also responsible for placing Lincoln’s profile in 1909 on the penny.

“Three ways [Lincoln has an affinity] with Jewish people- he grew up alienated-he suffered [from] the death of his mother….He was a man of words. He used words to sway a nation, the way Moses used words to shape souls...and three, there’s a deep streak of darkness,” says Rabbi David Wolpe, who spoke at the exhibit’s opening.

A passage that resonates strongly with the Jewish people, and the public in general, is demonstrated in Lincoln’s eloquent character. A quote from the end of his second inaugural address: “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

Lincoln and the Jews is on display through June 7. For more information, visit nyhistory.org.

About the Author

Linda Sheridan is the Managing Editor for City Guide. She is a lifelong New Yorker, has written for the New York Daily News, and loves travel, writing, music, and space.

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