A Visitor from the Holy Land – Shavuot Sermon, 1733

The first Jewish sermon preached and published in North America was delivered at Newport’s synagogue by an emissary from the Holy Land, Haim Isaac Karigal. The sermon was delivered on May 28, 1773, to celebrate Shavuot. According to Dr. Jacob Rader Marcus, in The American Jew, “He [Karigal] spoke in an Iberian patois that at least 90 percent of his Jewish and Christian audience could not understand, but they certainly admired his Oriental garb – his fur hat, scarlet robe, green silk damask vest, chintz undervest, and Turkish girdle.” The sermon was translated into English by Abraham Lopez.

Haim Isaac Karigal – A Sermon preached at the Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island called the “Salvation of Israel.” (Newport, R.I.), 1773. American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.