510 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



not depend on the rabbinical divorce law, but follow the civil laws of 

 the countries in which they live. From the few statistical data avail- 

 able it is seen that during the middle of last century divorce was less 

 frequent among the Jews in Bavaria than among the christian popula- 

 tion in that country. The same appears to be the case in Berlin, as 

 can be seen from the following figures: 



Although the rates are lower among the Jews than among the 

 christians, still there is to be noted a steady increase in the frequency 

 of divorces among them, from 2.67 in 1885 to 3.26 in 1896. Another 

 way to calculate the divorce rate is by taking the number of divorces 

 in any one year per 1,000 married couples found in a city. In Berlin, 

 during the five years, 1895 to 1899, the rates were 3.75 among the Jews 

 and 5.09 among the christians. 



In eastern Europe there are more divorces among the Jews in Hun- 

 gary and Eoumania than among the christians. In Hungary, from 

 1898 to 1901, the divorces among the Jews constituted 9.51 per cent, 

 of the total number of divorces granted in that country, although the 

 Jews only constituted 4.42 per cent, of the total population. In Eou- 

 mania 5.83 per cent, of the divorces granted during 1897 were granted 

 to Jews, while only 4.55 per cent, of the total population was Jewish. 



There are no statistics about divorces among the Jews in the United 

 States, but it can be stated, without fear of meeting serious contradic- 

 tion, that it is not uncommon. The divorce courts in New York City 

 are quite often asked by Jews to dissolve their marriage. I am in- 

 clined to believe that it is in New York as frequent among Jews as 

 among christians. On the east side of the city the immigrant popula- 

 tion very often take advantage of the rabbinical law, and easily obtain 

 divorces. But among the native Jews this never happens; they go to 

 the civil courts for the purpose. 



From a few scanty statistics about the causes of divorce among 

 Jews, it is evident that there is very little difference between Jews and 

 Christians in this respect. In Berlin, Buppin mentions that infelicity 

 on the part of the husband is more frequently a cause among Jews 

 than among christians, while infelicity on the part of the wife is more 

 frequent among christians. Wife desertion is also more frequent 

 among Jews than among christians in Berlin. 



