370 



JEWS. 



stitutions. She created on the same day a pension 

 fund of 2,000,000 francs for employees of the Ori- 

 ental railways who were in service before 1890. 

 when the connection of the late Baron de Hirsch 

 with the company ceased. 



Among the candidates returned to the Hunga- 

 rian Parliament were the following Israelites: Drs. 

 Moritz Mezey, A. Neuman, Nemenji, Ileltay, Vison- 

 tay, and Leo Lanczy. A large number of awards 

 were won by Jewish exhibitors at the Nijni Nov- 

 gorod fair, proving, first, that Jews take interest 

 in the industries and technical arts, and, second, 

 that the prejudice against, them can not be so over- 

 powering as is usually supposed. Two firms re- 

 ceived the highest prize (the Russian eagle), 13 the 

 gold medal, 68 the silver medal, and 42 diplomas of 

 merit. Diplomas of honor were awarded to the 

 Society for promoting Culture among the Jews, the 

 Jewish Deaf and Dumb School, the Jewish Tech- 

 nical School at Thirsk, and the Jewish schools at 

 Orscha and Olraha. 



Among the new Senators appointed by the King 

 of Italy in commemoration of the marriage of the 

 Prince of Naples were Giacomo Malvano and Ul- 

 derico Levi. 



The record of the year in the United States has 

 witnessed further efforts in the educational field 

 and increased interest on the part of the public. 

 The lectures under the auspices of the Gratz Trust 

 of Philadelphia spread information on Jewish stud- 

 ies, and introduced later in the year Joseph Jacobs, 

 of London, who gave a series of addresses in va- 

 rious cities on " The Philosophy of Jewish History." 

 Special appeals were made to strengthen the endow- 

 ments of the two Jewish seminaries, East and West. 

 The needs of the Sabbath schools are being met by 

 special courses of lectures in New York and by the 

 establishment of two papers, one in New York and 

 one in Philadelphia, while the Union of American 

 Hebrew Congregations has incorporated in itself the 

 Hebrew Sabbath-school Union. The Publication 

 Society has brought to American readers some 

 valuable works by English Jewish authors. The 

 Baron de Hirsch Trust maintains its agencies to 

 promote industrial, technical, and agricultural 

 training. At the Woodbine (X. .1.) Agricultural 

 Colony a new synagogue was built and dedicated 

 by the colonists, while the Rev. Dr. J. Krauskopfs 

 National Farm School for the immigrants has 

 made rapid strides. The twenty-third annual re- 

 port of the secretary of the Union of American 

 Hebrew Congregations, at the convention held in 

 Louisville, Ky., in December, showed that since the 

 opening of the Hebrew Union College, in 1875, a 

 total of $311,019 had been contributed for its sup- 

 port. The chief matters discussed at the conven- 

 tion were the proposal to raise a large endowment 

 fund for the college and a resolution against the 

 sectarianism in the President's Thanksgiving proc- 

 lamation. During the year the United Hebrew 

 Charities of New York had received $147,628 and 

 spent all but $1,350. The total number of appli- 

 cants was 34,294. In relief alone $110,918 was 

 expended. In the employment bureau work was 

 secured for 6,318. The immigration consisted only 

 of 23,802 persons, of whom 18,000 remained in New 

 York. The financial budget for the year of the 

 Montefiore Home for Chronic Invalids gives the 

 best insight into the character of the Jewish insti- 

 tutions of New York, although this home, like the 

 Mount Sinai Hospital, is open to others than Israel- 

 ites. The receipts amounted to $88,000, half of 

 which was contributed by subscriptions from differ- 

 ent classes of members. Of the expenditures, $51.- 

 000 went to the support of the home, while" the 



perpetual fund was increased by $45,000, last year's 

 balance being over $50,000. The Hebrew Orphan 

 Asylum of New York opened its new wings on 

 Thanksgiving Day, thus furnishing accommodation 

 to 1,200 orphans. A new edifice for the Hebrew 

 Technical Institute of New York was begun and is 

 now ready for occupancy, but the formal opening 

 is deferred. Cincinnati has organized a United 

 Hebrew Charities. Chicago's Jewish Training 

 School has made rapid advances. The Hebrew 

 Technical School, in Philadelphia, under the aus- 

 pices of the Order of Benai Berith, meets the expec- 

 tations of its founders. 



The real interest of the year centered in the 

 work of the Jewish Council of Women, which had 

 its first session in New York, Nov. 15-20. Among 

 the speakers were Mrs. Mary Lowe Dickinson, 

 President of the National Council of Women, and 

 Mrs. Henrotin, President of the General Federa- 

 tion of Women's Clubs. The Council reported a 

 membership of 4,000 members, included in 51 sec- 

 tions. Its work was thus summarized: 87 circles, 

 with 1,500 members, study Jewish history and liter- 

 ature. Libraries of Judaism were formed in 5 

 cities. Fourteen mission schools have been opened 

 and maintained. While no stress has been laid on 

 active philanthropic work, the sympathy of the 

 members for those less fortunate than themselves 

 has expressed itself in 13 sewing schools, 2 girls' 

 clubs, 1 night school, 2 kindergartens, 1 employ- 

 ment bureau, 3 free baths, 1 boys' summer manual- 

 training school, 1 circle of friendly visitors, 2 home 

 libraries, 2 summer sewing schools, and 2 vacation 

 societies caring for about 800 children. The papers 

 read before the Council were by Mrs. Nellie L. 

 Miller, of Memphis, Tenn. ; Mrs. Rachel H. Sulz- 

 berger, of New York ; Miss Etta L. Nussbaum, of 

 Marion, Tnd. ; Miss Julia Telsenthal, of Chicago ; 

 Miss Julia Richman, of New York; Miss Carrie S. 

 'Benjamin, of Denver, Col. ; Miss Rose Sommer- 

 field, of Baltimore ; Mrs. Sophie C. Axman, of 

 Kansas City ; Miss Lilian Wald, of New York ; Miss 

 Elizabeth Hirschfeld, of Buffalo ; Mrs. Henrietta 

 Frank, of Chicago ; Mrs. Henry Hahn, of Philadel- 

 phia; and Miss Clara Block, of Cincinnati. The 

 subjects embraced such topics as Sabbath schools, 

 Bible study, charity organization, children's train- 

 ing. New York's crowded districts, circle study, 

 and mission schools. A good idea of the spirit that 

 pervaded the Council can be gathered from these 

 words in the president's address : " Let us hope for 

 a, time when the pure robe of religion will no more 

 be trailed in the dust to cover national sins, greed, 

 and ambition. A true Jewish womanhood, a Jew- 

 ish life and home true to our spiritual inheritance, 

 true to the flag under which we live, faith in God's 

 providence these are the ties that bind us this 

 the Jewish thought that shall belt the globe, bring- 

 ing its message of higher life, of spiritual aims and 

 purposes, practicing justice, loving mercy, and 

 walking in modesty and humility before God in 

 his light. For this have we come together." 



The election resulted as follows: President. Mrs. 

 Hannah G. Solomon, of Chicago; Vice- Presidents. 

 Mrs. Sophie Beer, of New York, and Mrs.'Emanuel 

 Mandel, of Chicago ; Treasurer, Miss Carrie Wolf, 

 of Chicago ; Secretaries, Miss Sadie American, of 

 Chicago, and Miss Gertrude Berg, of Philadelphia. 



Among the books of the year were Miss Emma 

 Wolfs "The Joy of Life." the seventh part of Dr. 

 Jastrow's " Talmudic Dictionary." "Sermons of 

 American Rabbis," David W. Am rain's il The Jew- 

 ish Law of Divorce," Hecht's ''Compendium of 

 Jewish History," in addition to the English re- 

 prints furnished by the Publication Society. 



