The Blessing on the Sun, Birkat HaChama, is recited according to Rabbinic Law every 28 years, at the very time at which the sun will be in the same place, and at the same time of day on the same day of the week, as when it was first "hung" by the Creator. This solar cycle has been observed in Jewish tradition for thousands of years.

Many Jewish congregations will gather in public places throughout the world early Wednesday morning, April 8, 2009 to recite the blessing together for the 206th time since the sun's creation. But 112 years ago, a similar gathering in New York City was slightly marred by the lack of prior preparation on the part of the New York Police Department: one non-English speaking rabbi was arrested, while another one simply picked up and ran.

The dry New York Times report at the time is presented here almost in full:

"Orthodox Hebrews in every part of the world celebrated yesterday what is familiarly known among them as 'the new sun.' ... The celebration in New York was spoiled for some hundreds of people by the interference of two park policemen with a gathering in Tompkins Square, the arrest there of Rabbi Wechsler, and the flight of Rabbi Klein.

"The ceremony is a very old one. It is required by the Talmud Beroches... [Here appears a brief descripton of the ceremony.]

"Rabbi Wechsler and Rabbi Klein, who are the heads of large east side congregations, decided to call their people to meet in Tompkins Square. Nobody was in charge of the services, and nobody thought of obtaining a permit for holding a public meeting, as required by city ordinance. The Hebrews gathered by hundreds. ... By 8 o'clock the square and the sidewalks around it were crowded. Rabbi Wechsler arrived about that time, and was astonished to see Rabbi Klein running away at full speed. This last phenomenon was explained a moment later by the appearance of Park Policeman Foley, puzzled and excited.

"The celebration is rather a complicated matter to explain to anybody. Rabbi Klein's knowledge of English is slight, while Foley's faculties of comprehension of matters outside of police and park regulations and local events are not acute.

"The attempt of a foreign citizen to explain to an American Irishman an astronomical situation and a tradition of the Talmud was a dismal failure.

Click here to see NY Times clipping Part 1

Click to here to see NY Times clipping Part 2

"Both became excited, and the people who clustered around them increased the confusion. When Foley was told in broken English about a 'new sun,' he was doubtful whether it was an attempt to guy him, or whether some new infection of lunacy had broken out on the east side. His demonstrations became so threatening that Rabbi Klein understood that he was in danger of being arrested and clubbed, and chose the easiest and fastest plan of escape.

"Rabbi Wechsler's English is better than Rabbi Klein's, but he could not convey the significance and purpose of the assemblage to Foley. The one fact which that official's perceptions grasped was that there was no permit. After some parley, he seized the rabbi by the neck and took him to Essex Market Police Court.

"After being kept among the prisoners in the police court for nearly an hour, the rabbi was arraigned before Magistrate Cornell, who dismissed him because he had evidently not intended to do wrong, admonishing him, however, not to make trouble for Foley.

"The people who were left in the square conducted their simple service of prayer without a rabbi. Similar services were held in other parts of the city. One or two east side congregations gathered on the East River water front and were not disturbed.

"Rabbi Wechsler was good natured in his comments on the affair when seen by a reporter for THE NEW YORK TIMES last night. He said he felt no resentment against the policeman... The course of Magistrate Cornell, however, he thought would tend to encourage similar violence in the future..."