424 



JEWS. 



they are under the han of the law or of popu- 

 lar prejudice. The ready sympathy which the 

 people of the United States showed for the 

 Jews of Roumania when suffering from the 

 massacre and the inactivity of the Govern- 

 ment of that country in repressing the out- 

 rages against them, was mentioned with ap- 

 preciation. When Mr. Peixotto (a Jew) was 

 appointed consul of the United States at Bu- 

 charest, a fund was contributed by his co-re- 

 ligionists in the various cities of the Union for 

 his proper support in his position. 



The sum of $6,686.06 was collected in aid 

 of the emigrants from Western Russia, of 

 which $2,165.82 were expended in assisting 

 528 persons 90 families, consisting of 393 in- 

 dividuals, and 135 single persons. 



The war between Germany and France, and 

 the Communist disturbances at Paris, says the 

 report, seriously interrupted the operations of 

 the Universal Israelite Alliance, breaking its 

 communications with the district organizations 

 in France and throughout Europe, so that it 

 was feared that the body would have to be com- 

 pletely reorganized. But, after the conclu- 

 sion of the war, the secretary of the Alliance 

 at Paris issued a circular announcing that the 

 operations of the society had not been sus- 

 pended, although its resources had been greatly 

 impaired. The Agricultural School, at Jaffa, 

 Palestine, has continued to progress finely. 

 The Normal School, at Paris, held its sessions 

 regularly, notwithstanding the siege. 



The sum of $1,023.60 was contributed in aid 

 of the Hebrews at Rome who were sufferers 

 by the inundations of December, 1870. 



The subject of a higher Hebrew education, 

 says the report of the Board, has not yet been 

 satisfactorily settled. The number of students 

 at Maimonides College continues small, and the 

 congregations of the country evince very lit- 

 tle interest in the movement. The incorpora- 

 tion of the Board of Trustees under the laws 

 of the State of New York was recommended. 



The subject of the organization of a He- 

 brew Publication Society was considered at 

 the meeting of the Board, and a proposition 

 was approved to establish such a society as an 

 independent body. The object of the society 

 is the publication of approved standard works, 

 both translated (from the Hebrew and. the 

 German) and original, and generally to supply 

 in the English language information on Jew- 

 ish history and literature. The society was 

 organized at New York in October. Among 

 the works which it is proposed to publish first 

 are, the English Bible (a Jewish translation), 

 Graetz's "History of the Jews," and Geiger's 

 " Gabrial." 



The Jewish Rabbinical Conference (Re- 

 formed Jews) met in Cincinnati, on the 6th 

 of June. Dr. Hubsch, of New York, acted as 

 president, and Dr. Lilienthal, of Cincinnati, 

 as vice-president. Twenty-three congrega- 

 tions were represented. A committee re- 

 ported in favor of the establishment of a 



Rabbinical Seminary, and the recommenda- 

 tion was adopted, and the committee were 

 instructed to report a more detailed course of 

 study. A measure was adopted looking to 

 the establishment of a Union between the 

 Israelite congregations of America. It pro- 

 vides that the first synod shall be called when 

 twenty reformed congregations, with 2,000 

 members, shall have joined the Union. The 

 Conference decided upon the preparation of a 

 prayer-book, from which all allusions to the 

 return of the Jews to Palestine, and to the 

 ideas of sacrifices, and of a personal Messiah, 

 shall be omitted. Measures were adopted look- 

 ing to the making of a more complete Sab- 

 bath-school organization. 



A short time after the Rabbinical Con- 

 ference adjourned, a protest appeared, signed 

 by Dr. Adler and other persons of the ortho- 

 dox party, against taking its action as repre- 

 sentative of any branch of genuine Judaism. 

 The principal points objected to were the utter- 

 ance of the doctrine of an impersonal God in- 

 stead of a personal one ; the denial of the 

 fact that Judaism teaches divine grace and 

 mercy, and the pardon and forgiveness of re- 

 pentant sinners, which seemed implied in the 

 proceedings of the Conference : and the ap- 

 pointment, on the committee for the prepara- 

 tion of the prayer-book, of a person who has 

 expressed disbelief in the efficacy of prayer. 



The Jews conduct fifteen free public schools 

 in London for the humbler classes, where re- 

 ligious and secular instruction is given, besides 

 several boarding-schools for both sexes, and a 

 number of private schools. The Central Syn- 

 agogue (orthodox) in London has among its 

 members five members of Parliament* six bar- 

 ons, two baronets, one knight, two aldermen, 

 one member of the Royal Academy, and the 

 new Solicitor-General. 



The Rev. Dr. N. M. Adler, chief Rabbi, 

 making a pastoral tour through the provinces 

 during the year, extended his visit to Ireland, 

 where there are but three Jewish congrega- 

 tions at Cork, Belfast, and Dublin. His visit 

 created great enthusiasm. 



A Jewish theological faculty has been es- 

 tablished, with the consent of the Emperor 

 Francis Joseph, at the Austrian Imperial Uni- 

 versity. All are eligible as students in its 

 classes who wish either to prepare for the 

 office of rabbi, or who in general take an in- 

 terest in Jewish learning. Jews as well as 

 Christians are admitted to the lectures. The 

 professors of the faculty, to the number of 

 six, receive the title "Imperial Professors," 

 and are to teach Bible exegesis, Jewish his- 

 tory, the Talmud, its commentaries, and the 

 Semitic languages. The professors are appoint- 

 ed by the curators. The course of study is 

 calculated for six years. The salary of the 

 professors will be paid by the Government ; 

 the curators have to provide a library and to 

 secure annuities for poor students. The seat 

 of the faculty will be at Vienna, and it will 



