Seixas, Gershom Mendes

Seixas, Gershom Mendes (1746–1816) rabbi; born in New York City. The son of Isaac Mendes Seixas, who emigrated to America from Portugal in 1730, Gershom Seixas was minister of Congregation Shearith Israel in New York for almost 50 years (1768–1816). When British forces took over the city, he removed the synagogue's religious objects from the city. In 1780 he helped found the first synagogue in Philadelphia. He was one of 13 ministers at George Washington's first inauguration. He was a trustee of Columbia College (1787–1815). He urged Jews to enter the mainstream of American society and to this end was the first rabbi to preach sermons in English in an American synagogue.