"Maggid Mishneh"; and one of Leo Hebrreus, as an introduction to "Wikkuah 'al ha-Ahabah," the Hebrew edition of the "Dialoghi di Amore." His "Narrative from the Borders," which was published in the "Jewish Chronicle" in 1881-82, affords a trustworthy account of the Russian persecutions of 1881.
Bibliography: The Times, London, June 7, 1886: Ha-Asif, 111. 114-115 ; Fuenn, Keneset Yisrael, p. 228, Warsaw, 1888. H. B. P. Wl.
GORDON, LORD GEORGE : English agitator and convert to Judaism; born in London on
Dec. 26, 1751 ; died in 1793 ; son of the third Duke
Lord George Gordon Alter Conversion to Judaism. (From a drawing by Polack.)
of Gordon. After serving as midshipman and lieutenant in the navy, he entered Parliament for Inverness in 1774. In 1778 Gordon at the head of a disorderly mob presented a bill for the repeal of the act by which the Catholic disabilities had been removed, and, a riot ensuing, Gordon was sent to the Tower, but was acquitted. In 1784 he came forward as the Protestant champion in the quarrel between the Dutch and the emperor Joseph. Meanwhile he was in correspondence with the English Jews, and made an application to Chief Rabbi Tebele Pavid) Schiff to be converted to Judaism, which application was refused. He was, however, re- ceived into the covenant in Birmingham, through the agency of Rabbi Jacob of that city, but without the sanction of the ecclesiastical authorities. The object of his conversion, it was thought at the time, was partly to gain adherents among the Jews to his financial schemes; and he trusted that they would combine to withhold loans for carrying on war.
In June, 1787, Gordon was convicted of a libel upon British justice; and, retiring to Birmingham, he lived quietly in the house of a Jew, wearing a long beard and adopting Jewish customs. In 1788 he was sentenced to five years' imprisonment and to pay a fine of £oOO and furnish two securities in £2,500 apiece. During his stay in Newgate he conformed strictly in all respects to the Jewish religion, eating kasher meat and wearing phylacteries. On the expiration of the five years he was unable to obtain the necessary securities, and had to stay in Newgate, where he caught the fever that caused his death. Dickens describes Gordon and the "No Popery" riots in "Barnaby Rudge," introducing a reference to his change of religion.
Bibliography: Trials of Lord O. Gordon, London, 1787; Jew. Clirnn. March 10, 1899 ; Eobert Watson, Life of Lord Oenrge Gordon, London, 1795; Picciotto, Sketches of Analo- Jewish History ; Diet. National Biography, s.v. J. G. L.
GORDON, LEON (JUDAH LÖB BEN ASHER) : Russian Hebrew writer and poet ; born at Wilna Dec. 7, 1831 ; died at St. Petersburg Sept. 16, 1892. He graduated in 1853 from the rabbinical seminary of Wilna, becoming teacher of Hebrew in the governmental schools, and was engaged in that capacity about twenty years. His efforts were highly praised by the inspectors of the government schools. During the time of Gordon's activity the struggle be- tween the younger generation, or the Maskilim, and the older, or the conservatives, took place. Gordon was accused of heresy by the latter, but was not alarmed, and satirized them in articles in different Hebrew and Russian periodicals. In 1873 he was invited to St. Petersburg as secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Culture among the Jews of Russia, and secretary of the Jewish community. There he had more scope for his literary activity, and he enriched Hebrew literature with his contri- butions. He was also active in communal work. During his secretaryship the Jews of St. Petersburg obtained permission to build a synagogue and to acquire a piece of ground for a new cem- etery, the old one hav- ing become too small. He also improved the regulations of the community, especially those of the hebra kaddisha. But this communal work caused him great trouble owing to a quarrel between the Hasidim and Mitnaggedim about the nomination of a rabbi, the Hasidim accusing Gordon of being the cause of the discord. They denounced him as a political criminal, and in
Accused of Treason.
1879, when an attempt was made against the life of Alexander II., Gordon was accused of having participated in the affair. He and his wife and children were therefore thrown into prison, April 4, 1879, where they remained forty days. Later they were exiled to a small town in the government of Olonetz. But the innocence of Gordon was quickly proved,
Leon Gordon.
