Rebecca Gratz (b. March 4, 1781, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; d. Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. August 27, 1869, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was a preeminent Jewish American educator and philanthropist. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Year 1869 ( MDCCCLXIX) is a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə American Jews, or Jewish Americans Philanthropy is the act of donating money goods services time and/or effort to support a socially beneficial cause with a defined objective and with no financial or material
Gratz was the seventh of twelve children born to Miriam Simon and Michael Gratz. Her mother was the daughter of Joseph Simon (1712-1804), a preeminent Jewish merchant of Lancaster, while her father was descended from a long line of respected rabbis. Joseph Simon (1712-1804 was the leader of the Jewish community in Lancaster Pennsylvania, in the eighteenth century having arrived there around 1740 Miriam and Michael were observant Jews and active members of Philadelphia’s first synagogue, Mikveh Israel. Congregation Mikveh Israel, Mikveh Israel synagogue, officially called Kahal Kadosh Mikveh Israel ( Hebrew: קהל קדוש מקוה ישראל
Gratz was the first Jewish female college student in the United States, attending Franklin College (now Franklin and Marshall College) in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Franklin & Marshall College (abbreviated as " F&M " is a four-year private co-educational liberal arts college in Lancaster Pennsylvania. Lancaster is a city in the South Central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is the County seat of Lancaster County. In 1801, at the age of 20, she helped establish the Female Association for the Relief of Women and Children in Reduced Circumstances, which helped women whose families were suffering after the Revolutionary War. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" [1] In 1815, after seeing the need for an institution for orphans in Philadelphia, she was among those instrumental in founding the Philadelphia Orphan Asylum. Four years later, she was elected secretary to its Board. She continued to hold this office for forty years. Under Gratz' auspices, a "Hebrew Sunday School" was started in 1938. Gratz became both its superintendent and president, and assisted in developing its curriculum,[1] resigning in 1864. In formal education a curriculum (plural curricula) is the set of courses and their content offered at a School or University.
Gratz was also one of the founding members of the Female Hebrew Benevolent Society, around November 1819. In 1850, she advocated in The Occident, over the signature A Daughter of Israel, for the foundation of a Jewish foster home. Her advocacy was largely instrumental in the establishment of such a home in 1855. [1] Other organizations that came about due to her efforts were the Fuel Society and the Sewing Society.
Gratz is said to have been the model of Rebecca, the heroine of the novel Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. Ivanhoe is a Novel by Sir Walter Scott. It was written in 1819 and set in 12th century England, an example of Historical fiction Sir Walter Scott 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 &ndash 21 September 1832 was a prolific Scottish Historical novelist and Poet popular throughout Scott's attention had been drawn to Gratz's character by Washington Irving, who was a close friend of the Gratz family. Washington Irving (April 3 1783 – November 28 1859 was an American Author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th The claim has been disputed, but it has also been well sustained in an article entitled "The Original of Rebecca in Ivanhoe", which appeared in The Century Magazine, 1882, pp. 679-682.
Though Gratz was considered to be among the most beautiful and educated women in her community, she never married. Among the marriage offers she received was one from a Gentile whom she loved, but ultimately chose not to marry, on the account of her faith.
Gratz is buried at Mikveh Israel Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mikveh Israel Cemetery is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, although the oldest in the United States is the Second Cemetery of the Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern
Notes
References
External links
- Women of Valor exhibit on Rebecca Gratz at the Jewish Women's Archive
- Biography of Rebecca Gratz at the Jewish Virtual Library
- Portrait
- Rebecca Gratz Letters
- Rebecca Gratz at Find A Grave
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