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JEWS. 



East End of London. The first number of the 

 "Jewish Quarterly Review " was issued in Lon- 

 don. Among the more important new works 

 by Anglo-Jewish writers were : " Jewish Por- 

 traits," by Lady Magnus ; " Fables of Bidpai," 

 edited by Joseph Jacobs ; and " Anecdota Ox- 

 oniensis," by Dr. Neubauer. Among the note- 

 worthy books by Jewish authors on the Con- 

 tinent were : L. Kahn's " History of the Jews 

 of France"; Wogue's "Cours de Theologie 

 Juive: Principes Generaux"; "Reime und 

 Gedichte des Abraham Ibn Ezra," by Dr. D. 

 Rosin; "Life of Ludwig Borne," by Dr. M. 

 Holztnann ; translations of Graetz's "History 

 of the Jews" into French, Russsian, Hebrew, 

 and Judeo-Polish, together with a large num- 

 ber of brochures and essays on Jewish and 

 Oriental subjects, showing the interest mani- 

 fested by scholars in biblical and rabbinical 

 literature. 



Signor Maurogonato was re-elected Vice- 

 President of the Italian Parliament. Baron 

 Henry de Worms was appointed Under-Secre- 

 tary for the Colonies of Great Britain. M. Lis- 

 bonne was elected a member of the French 

 Senate. Isidore Gunzberg won the first prize 

 at the International Chess Tournament in 

 Bradford, England. Alderman Benjamin was 

 re-elected Mayor of Melbourne, Australia. 



The efforts to consolidate the various Rus- 

 sian and Polish synagogues in New York re- 

 sulted in the election of Rabbi Joseph, of Wilna, 

 as chief rabbi of a large number of congrega- 

 tions representing Russian orthodoxy. His 

 arrival in New York formed the subject of 

 much press comment, and his first series of 

 lectures, as they were printed in the dailypapers, 

 reflected favorably on his tact and ability. The 

 attempt to promote union among the tens of 

 thousands who have reached New York from 

 Russia of late years is fraught with difficulty, 

 and it is by no means certain that Rabbi Jo- 

 seph will succeed. He is without any influence 

 on the great mass of American and German- 

 American Jews. 



The charitable activity continued unabated. 

 The Jewish Hospital at Philadelphia laid the 

 corner-stone of a new edifice on October 9, 

 $75,000 being subscribed in a few weeks. The 

 Montefiore Home for Chronic Invalids was 

 dedicated in New York on December 18, and 

 $30,000 was given in a few days. In May the 

 Hebrew Technical Institute of Chicago was 

 reorganized, Leon Mandel, of New York, giv- 

 ing $20,000 for that purpose ; while the Touro 

 Infirmary of New Orleans received $10,000 

 from Michael Frank. The Purim ball in New 

 York, on February 28, netted $10,000 for the 

 Home for Aged and Infirm Hebrews. On 

 January 18 the corner-stone of the new Benai 

 Berith Orphan Asylum at Atlanta, Ga., was 

 laid. On January 8, the Montefiore Hebrew 

 Free School was dedicated in Chicago, and on 

 July 8, the new Benai Berith Orphan Asylum 

 was formally opened in Cleveland, Ohio. The 

 Home for Aged and Infirm Hebrews was dedi- 



cated in Boston, Mass., June 20. On March 

 3, the semi-centennial of the Hebrew Sunday- 

 School Society was celebrated in Philadelphia. 

 The first biennial convention, on March 11, in 

 New York, of the Jewish Theological Associa- 

 tion showed a hopeful exhibit. The Jewish 

 Ministers' Association of America held its 

 spring conference in Washington, D. C., on 

 May 23. The subject of a religious union 

 formed the topic of debate ; an essay by Rev. 

 Dr. Kohler, of New York, being read, fol- 

 lowed by general discussion. Rev. Dr. S. Men- 

 delssohn, of Wilmington, N. C., read a paper 

 on " Funeral Orations," Committees were 

 appointed to prepare a plan of action for reli- 

 gious union and uniform burial service. At 

 the public session Rev. Dr. Gottheil spoke 

 on the "Moral Education of the People," and 

 orations were made by Rev. Dr. Bettelheim, of 

 Baltimore, and Rev. Leon Harrison, of Brook- 

 lyn. At the winter conference in Philadelphia, 

 December 3, the religious condition of the 

 working- classes formed the subject of an earn- 

 est debate, and a series of resolutions, advocat- 

 ing special evening services and visitation was 

 proposed by the Rev. H. S. Jacobs, of New 

 York. Statistics as to Jewish prisoners in va- 

 rious penal institutions were presented, show- 

 ing that they were few and generally well be- 

 haved. It was resolved to supply literature 

 for Jewish convicts and take steps to secure 

 the services of a regular visitor. At the pub- 

 lic session the Rev. Dr. Kohler spoke on "The 

 Bible and Modern Research," pleading for a 

 broader estimate of its character and a rear- 

 rangement of its contents from " a higher point 

 of view than the narrow Jewish one." The 

 Rev. Dr. F. De Sola Meudes delivered an ad- 

 dress, advocating union among the opposing 

 parties in American Judaism. 



There have been erected new synagogues in 

 Portland, Me., Boston, Mass., New York city, 

 Chicago, St. Paul, Minn., Scranton, Pa., Albany, 

 N. Y., and elsewhere. 



After much discussion, the Jewish Publica- 

 tion Society of America was formally organ- 

 ized at Philadelphia on June 3, the meeting 

 being largely attended by delegates from the 

 country in general. Active measures to in- 

 sure a successful result were promptly taken, 

 and the movement appears to be making head- 

 way throughout-the United States. It is pro- 

 posed to establish a Heilpriu Endowment Fund 

 of $50,000 for the publication of original works 

 in Jewish literature, and $10,000 toward this 

 fund has already been subscribed by Messrs. 

 Jacob H. Schiff, of New York, and M. Guggen- 

 heim, of Baltimore. 



The necrology of the year embraces many 

 eminent names. Among those abroad who 

 have passed away may be mentioned Henry 

 Herz, composer, of Paris ; Ritter von Rosen- 

 berg, of Venice; Dr. Gustav Wertheim, physi- 

 cian and scientist, of Vienna; Prof. Dr. G. Levy, 

 of Parma; the journalists and novelists Mi- 

 chael Klapp and Dr. Marzroth, of Vienna, and 



