Rebecca Gratz Correspondence

The Rebecca Gratz Collection digitally reunites the correspondence of Rebecca Gratz, one of the leading female philanthropists in nineteenth century Philadelphia, from five different institutions.  

Rebecca Gratz (1781–1869) was a pioneering Jewish educator, avid reader, and thoughtful writer. This collection features more than 800 letters covering eight decades of her life. During this time, Rebecca witnessed major events in the history of the early United States, from the War of 1812 to the Civil War. As one of twelve children, she frequently corresponded with other Gratzes’, especially her brother Benjamin’s family in Lexington, KY, [see the family tree feature below]. She also frequently wrote to friends, both Jewish and Christian, giving us rare insight into the political thoughts and literary favorites of women in this period. Major themes of Rebecca’s letters include: the health and well-being of friends and family, discussions of child-rearing, and chiding each other for not writing sooner. 

Rebecca founded and helped lead many charitable organizations in Philadelphia. Most notably, Rebecca is responsible for the development of American Jewish education through the Hebrew Sunday School Society (est. 1838). Her Sunday School model spread throughout the United States. In addition to educating young Jews, the Sunday Schools helped create jobs in Jewish education for women, giving them an important foothold in the American Jewish landscape. 

This digital collection was created alongside, and later, in memory of Dr. Dianne Ashton, professor of World Religions at Rowan University, a pioneering scholar of American Jewish women and the leading biographer of Rebecca Gratz. Click for more on the Biography of Rebecca Gratz, Further Reading, and the Transcription Methodology for this project.