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7. Changing of the Guard: 1875–1914
- Brandeis University Press
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c h a p t e r 7 Changing of the Guard 1875–1914 saturday last was observed by those of the Israelitish persuasion , as a close holy-day, it being Kipur, or Fast-day. The Congregation in this place attended at the Synagogue the usual services ; there were many present, but the recent departure of many families has reduced it greatly, and their vacant places produced a feeling of sorrow. We trust that the fasting and the prayers of the Congregation may be received, and their day of expiation be answered with Providential Blessings. —St. Thomas Herald, September 27, 1882 With its days of booming trade and relentless growth over, the island of St. Thomas began to lose its gleam as a colonial jewel of the Danish crown. Throttled by the catastrophes of 1867, theatened by new shipping and communications technologies, and troubled by labor issues left unresolved since the emancipation of slavery, the island found itself receding into the background of the Caribbean theater. Once a source of cultural and economic pride for Denmark, the Virgin Islands began to run at increasing deficits starting in the 1870s, causing a taxing strain on the Danish treasury.1 The once-ideal protected harbor of Charlotte Amalie began to show its obsolescence, now too shallow for the new, larger cargo ships that raised the stakes in international trade. The floating dock constructed earlier to temper the situation had been resurrected, but could serve only one large vessel at a time, and its frequent and embarrasing mechanical problems 142 often brought it more ridicule than respect. Smaller ships, meanwhile, became increasingly rare in the St. Thomas port as well. Powered by more efficient steam engines, they could travel all the way from Europe to the American continent in one trip, without having to refuel at St. Thomas. The island could only watch as its once burgeoning business withered, helpless in the face of such developments. Overlooking the less-crowded St. Thomas harbor, the synagogue continued to open its doors for Jewish worship every week without fail. Lay-reader David Cardoze, Jr., alternated between his store duties at the waterfront and his ecclesiastical duties on Synagogue Hill. An emerging fixture on the island, Cardoze developed into a patient and passionate acting minister. In many ways, he had a difficult job providing spiritual comfort to the population: The generations of Jews who moved to the island for a better life in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries no longer found St. Thomas the inviting , bright trade center it once was. Older and more prominent merchants remained dedicated to their businesses, but new enterprise was difficult to sustain. Younger members of the community hoping to start businesses departed in step with their non-Jewish compatriots for more lucrative markets such as Panama and Costa Rica. Although these younger merchants retained ties with their older relatives, they rarely returned for any appreciable period of time. David Cardoze, Jr., could only watch from the pulpit as he administered to what seemed the last generation on a fading island. A census taken in 1870 had revealed a population of 375 Jews in Charlotte Amalie. Though substantially fewer than the estimated high of over six hundred during the mid-1860s, the number still represented a relatively vibrant portrait of the community. The vast majority were native to St. Thomas, though the significant migrations of the past century still showed clearly. Nearly ten percent came from Curaçao, close to five percent were emigrants born in Venezuela, and just under two percent came from parts of France. Even historically distant St. Eustatius still had a five-person representation, four of whom were over the age of sixty. Large, young families abounded, keeping the average age of the community under twenty-six and providing the synagogue some reason to take stock in the future.2 Applications to the government for business permits from the Jewish community were at lower levels than before, though they still saw steady approval at around three per year.3 The community, though shrinking, still had some semblance of health. But the next decade saw much change. On the final day of 1874, David M. Piza closed up his storefront for the last time, and likely left the island soon afterward with his wife and three young children.4 Sylvain Levy, the former Changing of the Guard: 1875–1914 | 143 [54.175.5.131] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 14:25 GMT...