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Neighbours: Early Beginnings in Australasian Jewry AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum, Sydney

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As the first Jewish Museum in Australia, the AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum at The Great Synagogue in Sydney holds an outstanding collection of images and objects relating to early Judaism in Australia, reflecting the many individuals who were instrumental in establishing Jewish communities in the new found colonies of Australia and New Zealand. In this new exhibition developed for the JoM, AM Rosenblum's Curator Brittany Freelander uses images from their collection to explore how the unlucky fate bestowed upon one Jewish individual late in the 19th century, was to the great advantage of our two nations.

It is no surprise that in early colonial days Jews living in the islands of Australia and New Zealand often travelled between the two for business, family, pleasure and to reap the benefits of a new start. The Nathan and Joseph families were no exception. Their involvement in both communities was so prevalent and influential that they became a family of many “firsts” both within the Jewish community and for the entire colony.

The gradual migration of these two families to the new colonies of Australia and New Zealand might not have occurred if it weren’t for Moses Joseph (1803-1889) who was transported to New South Wales for stealing jewellery and robbing a pedlar, arriving via the Albion on 14 February 1827. The fate of Moses greatly influenced that of his family. As it is noted by Rabbi John Levi in his seminal text These are the Names, the arrival of Moses Joseph in Australia resulted in the migration of many other people who would ultimately shape early Jewish life in both Australia and New Zealand . Moses was followed by several members of his family including his brothers Jacob and Israel, sister Rachel, mother and father as well as several cousins from the Nathan family.   

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Portrait of Rosetta Joseph (nee Nathan)

Portrait of Rosetta Joseph (nee Nathan), AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum, The Great Synagogue, S1997.62.1

Before leaving for Australia, Moses Joseph was betrothed to his first cousin, Rosetta Nathan, who was the daughter of Nathan Lyon Nathan and the sister of David Nathan (one of the most important figures in early Jewish life in New Zealand see “As Old as Auckland”). Rosetta eventually migrated to Australia arriving via the Margaret, determined to share the fate of her betrothed even though their petition to marry had not yet been approved by Governor Darling (petition send on 24 January 1832).

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Portrait of Moses Joseph

Portrait of Moses Joseph, AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum, The Great Synagogue, S1997.63.1

The couple were married on 30 January 1832 by Phillip Joseph Cohen who was given authority to marry Jewish couples in Australia by the Chief Rabbi of London, Rev Solomon Herschell. This union was the first officially recorded Jewish marriage in Australia and marks the beginning of The Great Synagogue’s records on official chuppahs conducted. Below you can see their union as the first entry, signed by PJ Cohen.  

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First page from the Australian Jewish marriage register with the wedding of Moses and Rosetta as the first entry

First page from the Australian Jewish marriage register with the wedding of Moses and Rosetta as the first entry. AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum, The Great Synagogue,M2007.1.1

Where Moses and Rosetta were the first couple to have their chuppah officially sanctioned in Australia, David Nathan and Rosetta Nathan (nee Aarons) were married in the first chuppah held in New Zealand on 31 October 1841. The service was officiated by Israel Joseph, brother to Moses and business partner to the groom David.

Interestingly enough, Laurence David (19 September 1846), first son of Rosetta and David Nathan, was transported with Rosetta to Sydney on the barque Maukin in 1847 in order to have the child circumcised. The circumcision was performed by Samuel Moses who was David Nathan’s cousin and the partner of Louis Nathan in Hobart.

Unlike his brother, Israel Joseph arrived in Australia a free man. Before creating business ties with New Zealand, Israel worked as an auctioneer and opened a general store in Maitland, named “Israel Joseph’s Sydney Store”, in July 1836. After a brief trip back to London, he ventured back south in 1843/44 arriving in Port Nicholas, Auckland. He later opened a store in Kororareka and in Auckland where he sold tents. Israel Joseph was one of the first partners in LD Nathan but later sold his stake in the company after two years. Israel returned to Sydney in 1847, after another brief stint in England, in order to engage in a new business with Moses.

Moses Joseph was a great business man, setting up a prosperous clothing business in 1834 and was greatly involved in trade between the colonies owning at one point 14 ships which were involved in trade with California. One of the most important of his career achievements was his collaboration with his brother Israel which resulted in the first food processing factory in Australia (specialising in meat, soups and milk[i]). Israel travelled back to England and worked in a processing plant, paying a large amount of money to do so, in order to learn how to manufacture preserved foods. Israel returned in 1847 with the necessary skills and equipment and the brothers opened a factory in Camperdown thanks to funds provided by Moses. According to the Encyclopaedia of Australian Science, the plant could produce half a tonne of canned meat a day.

Moses received an absolute pardon in 1848 after several years of petitioning.

A prolific land owner with properties in both countries, Moses donated the land where the York Street Synagogue was to reside and became its first President, also donating the first Ark Curtain.

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Facade of the York Street Synagogue, Lithograph

Facade of the York Street Synagogue, Lithograph, AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum, The Great Synagogue, M1985.6.1

 

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York Street Synagogue Art Curtain

York Street Ark Curtain donated by Moses Joseph, AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum, The Great Synagogue, M1982.1.1

Significantly, Moses Joseph also participated in the first land sale in Auckland (19 April 1941) and was the only Jew to have bought land[iii]. Of this he acquired 38 ½ thousand acres which later became known as the suburb of Ponsonby[iv].

Jacob Joseph, the eldest of the Joseph brothers, was an early settler in Wellington, New Zealand. Jacob Joseph’s first marriage was to Catherine Nathan and second to Rose Joseph. He opened a hardware store (the first building made of brick in Wellington) in Lambton Quay which was quite remarkable as he was completely blind. According to family stories, this was the result of play fighting between the boys when they were younger, flicking their towels at one another and catching Jacob in the face. His other business was to also conduct trade in Wellington and as a result he built a great relationship with the Maoris. They eventually allowed Jacob to buy land from them.

Jacob, along with his brother in law Joseph Edward Nathan, worked towards creating services for the growing Wellington Jewish community (population of less than 50 in 1886). Services were conducted first at Joseph’s house and later in Jacobs Joseph’s drawing room until 1886 when land was purchased for building a synagogue[v]. Jacob was also one of the contributing members who assisted in the building of a synagogue in Hobart, Australia.

Jacob Joseph was also buried in the Devonshire Street Cemetery in Sydney (and features in the plans from 1844) on 23 January 1837 along with his father, Joseph Joseph[vi].

 

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Plans for the Devonshire Street Cemetery

Plans for the Devonshire Street Cemetery. The graves were relocated to make room for Central Station. AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum, The Great Synagogue, S2007.6.1

 

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Sketch depicting the facade of the Hobart Hebrew Congregation

Sketch depicting the facade of the Hobart Hebrew Congregation drawn by Cedric Emanuel. AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum, The Great Synagogue, S2007.6.1

Louis Nathan (cousin of David Nathan and Rosetta Joseph) was the first president of the Hobart Hebrew Congregation, elected in 1842 and serving in the position for eleven years .  He was a very generous supporter of his brothers and sisters and facilitated their trading network in Australia. Before he died as the result of an accident, he worked as the owner of whaling brigs in Hobart and eventually moved back to England with his wife Harriette. Louis is also attributed as a founder of the Hobart Hebrew Congregation.

The great support provided between members of the Joseph and Nathan clan created a fruitful relationship which contributed to the prospering of their respective Jewish communities, most importantly the early development of the Jewish community in New Zealand.

There are many more aspects to the commercial and personal ties of the Joseph and Nathan families, beyond those mentioned above. As the family married within the community other ties were made, some of these include the following:

Joseph Edward Nathan, brother-in-law to the Joseph brothers, was married to Kate, one of the sisters of the Joseph brothers, and went to live in New Zealand. 

Another great contribution to Australia - Rachel Joseph (sister to Jacob, Moses and Israel) married Asher Hymen Hart (1813-1871) in February 1840, one month after his arrival, at the Bridge Street Synagogue in Sydney. After moving to Melbourne, Hart became president of the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in 1844 and was a great leader of the community there. He applied for land in order to create a cemetery and not long after he successfully acquired one acre of land, his brother Lewis passed away. Lewis was the first to be buried in the cemetery. The Sydney Synagogue and Hobart Building Appeal also received funds contributed by Hart. In 1845 Hart challenged an election for public office in Melbourne, Australia, and he is noted as the first Jew in Australia to do so. He unfortunately lost his bid.

 

Image Header (above): Detail, York Street Ark Curtain donated by Moses Joseph, AM Rosenblum Jewish Museum, The Great Synagogue, M1982.1.1

 

 

 

  1. [1] Rabbi John Levy, “Joseph, Moses”, These are the Names, second edition, the Miegunyah Press, Melbourne University Publishing, 2013, p.395 [1] Keith Farrar, “Chapter 4: Meat Processing”, To Feed a Nation, History of Australian Food Science and Technology, CSIRO Publishing, Australia, 2005, p.33 [1] http://www.eoas.info/biogs/P003669b.htm [1] Lazarus Morris Goldman, “The Beginning of the Auckland Community”, The History of Jews in New Zealand, Reed Publishing NZ Ltd, University of Wellington, 1958, p.55 [1] Dudley David Davis, The Other Side of the Label, A Family Monograph Part II, “The Joseph Label: The Mahratta Josephs, Moses & Rosetta, Arthur & Hyam Morton Joseph & Jacob Joseph”, D.D. Davis, Auckland, 1977, p.5 [1] Dudley David Davis, The Other Side of the Label, A Family Monograph Part II, “The Joseph Label: The Mahratta Josephs, Moses & Rosetta, Arthur & Hyam Morton Joseph & Jacob Joseph”, D.D. Davis, Auckland, 1977, p.6 [1] Lazarus Morris Goldman, “The Beginning of the Auckland Community”, The History of Jews in New Zealand, Reed Publishing NZ Ltd, University of Wellington, 1958, p.51 [i] Keith Farrar, “Chapter 4: Meat Processing”, To Feed a Nation, History of Australian Food Science and Technology, CSIRO Publishing, Australia, 2005, p.33 [ii] http://www.eoas.info/biogs/P003669b.htm [iii] Lazarus Morris Goldman, “The Beginning of the Auckland Community”, The History of Jews in New Zealand, Reed Publishing NZ Ltd, University of Wellington, 1958, p.55 [iv] Dudley David Davis, The Other Side of the Label, A Family Monograph Part II, “The Joseph Label: The Mahratta Josephs, Moses & Rosetta, Arthur & Hyam Morton Joseph & Jacob Joseph”, D.D. Davis, Auckland, 1977, p.5 [v] Dudley David Davis, The Other Side of the Label, A Family Monograph Part II, “The Joseph Label: The Mahratta Josephs, Moses & Rosetta, Arthur & Hyam Morton Joseph & Jacob Joseph”, D.D. Davis, Auckland, 1977, p.6 [vi] Lazarus Morris Goldman, “The Beginning of the Auckland Community”, The History of Jews in New Zealand, Reed Publishing NZ Ltd, University of Wellington, 1958, p.51 [i] Keith Farrar, “Chapter 4: Meat Processing”, To Feed a Nation, History of Australian Food Science and Technology, CSIRO Publishing, Australia, 2005, p.33 [i] Rabbi John Levy, “Joseph, Moses”, These are the Names, second edition, the Miegunyah Press, Melbourne University Publishing, 2013, p.395

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