Rabbi Tobias Goodman was a pioneer. He was a Rav in London early in the nineteenth century who was famous for being the first Rabbi to give sermons in English in the synagogue. He was Chazan (“Reader”) at the Western Synagogue which was then in Denmark Court. He gave English sermons in Liverpool, and London. He spoke on the occasions of the death of Queen Charlotte on Wednesday, November 17th, 1817. This was the first sermon given in English in an Ashkenazi synagogue in London. He spoke on the death of King George the Third in 1820. He was known for his lengthy sermons, which is why, the Western Synagogue in 1828 resolved that ‘Rabbi Tuvia’ be permitted to deliver a discourse in the synagogue on Rosh Hashana, not to exceed half an hour.
On May 2nd, 1819 he gave a sermon at the Jews Synagogue in Seel Street, Liverpool, called “The Faith of Israel”, subsequently published as a pamphlet. This was subsequently expanded into this book. Faith of Israel, was the first of its kind. This is the first and only edition.
It was privately published by the author on the money donated to Rabbi Goodman by Moses Montefiore, to whom a letter of thanks is printed in the front of the book.
Faith of Israel is a philosophical book, written in English both to teach Judaism, and in defense of Judaism, to protect it from Christians and Reformists.
My copy has names written in it of previous owners, “Michael S. Mosely” and “R. Levison 1865”, but I do not know who they were.
He also wrote a book in 1806 which was a translation of Bechinat Olam, and titled by him, “An Investigation of Causes Arising from the Organization of the World.” He dedicated this book (which I do not have) to the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Solomon Hirschell.
Here is a selection from The Faith of Israel:
Jewish Miscellanies 