The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-01-04
THR RARoNs OF xsxAEr.
n neck that II CreatsNs . aensatisa In Faris
sassrs.snG T1aEsA Hebrews

n BsSk that II Creatsag = 1ensatisu In Faris
satsrsssns T1shsa Mehrewa
PARIS, Dec. 25.-The barons of Israel arc
one OF the great topics OF discussion in many
Partisan salons. Within the past six or seven
years Israel has achieved position in Partisan
society such as It never before held in any
society since the days whom Titus destroyed
the Temple. Their luxury. their pretensions.
their f6tes. I'LL the columns OF tho easy news
papers. Thoy cited the Hne flower of
fashion and Parisianism. Their sumptuous
hotels are reputed to be models Of artistic
taste. In fashion. in charity. in the patronage
OF art. In splendor OF life. com placent 1azet-
teers quote tho Mon.morencies of Judea as
examples for the Montmorencles OF tho Eau
bourg st. Germain.
Tho question Of the bnrons OF Israel has
been started by n recent novel by NJ. dc Bon
ni6res. called Lee Monach." which gives US
the history of a Frankfort Jew. who after fail
ing in the krach OF Vionna. comes to Paris and
mikes fortune In the speculations OF the
Union G6n6rale. having in the mean time pur-
chased u title. The Baron Monach in 1881
nnds himself once more rich and proceeds
systematically to conquer Paris. He begins by
changing his religious habits. much to tho
horror OF his pious Old mother and trying to
initiate the manners OF the skeptical Partisan
Israelitcs. His daughter is sent to q fashion
able professor. and is ordered by hor father to
cultivate the ACQUAINTANCE of her class ates
The mother pushes her way into society chiefly
by participating In charitable works. which are
tesses, Of the TnuDourg St. German Who. after
e3n fa l wi'h worldly nri.s see nc rE
through the door OF charity tile baroness
by SsF hs whose nss Ss sas,y
% % and md nhsks . to
tocrais to whom he opsns his purse and who
hsa inS
sn i t ns CO int
ma mansion in the FanbonrE ~, G.rmnin buys
wife the f tes i and h' his
P Pears Of di a ysny nf ~.
Ghetto OF frankI"r fun Of WI;
con1ncring a place in u society whore there is
Fo Pase fer s the society Of the
M NJ dc 1onniSres; WIG is by nature a subtle
come member Of tue Freneh n' Aca h my has has
f sss Sfs IN h sG nave Hnd hs
t haroP M1nach as the sGnuuest Of
is that hitherto the French israeii,es nave ".
to a certain extent: in the 0rieahist. society.
partist salons: and hopes % Penetrate into Ger
ss.n Of s spGn he could not lay ne
s9 e b, w,lh1a, burning his ships. TnersioTs
mist society Fars 10 any ono Who Is s al all
Mhere the n"s il nss tH ae
the OF real hS I" h s
a Tact which accounts for the Stir the book has
NJ. lie BonniHres's observation. with this ro-
deed Tie Farsi srscites nSfHae m
the Cahens d'Anyers. tho Ephrussis, the BAN
families which have inspired LIS Monach.ss
,qiyinl the selves OUT to continue the trad-
These DESCENDANTS OF the Shyiocks and Cob
or Amsiaraa or Kept yedk" eoEners in the
villages OF Poland and Russia. buy themselves
inGs, have coronsts engraved on their table
aie ana seek to at the Ideas the
ot the Crusaders. 1t is Goth" and dolso,ha
,hs Is 81 and
honor and bsrty in ths world 1"S a.n IS
more respestabs thaa the poshl,on which their
Iuire. On the other hand. nothing can be
nr J.mis mrd viii aaa
Gsrm"n s asSsn1 nn'ns the managers S OF
Product Of many generation. OF ,ture trnii-
s,ntisnS a"ias ehiyar Hs %hia a are
essentially hostile 70 the institutions and ira
NOR. sqrd thsn an Ephrassi or a Alrsafh
s5ssa h Sns's OF an" the sss o e
epn'sas hs from 4 sss
ped the 1ssSs XIV s%d
Henri ", stag hunts and boar hunts ac-
% AZ h2 ana Sy Gs s
GSSX sd T FL the hees of a Of ore
leans, whose ancestors we're kings. and who
eo@n.Symen mas inasss IN spo Eo somp ana
sPlendor without a, sh,oeki1g anybody and sin,
aping Louis NV. an Ephrussi whose father
sold vodka and lcnt money to Polish peasants.
Cahen dAnvers-whose origin and whose
fortune VIII not bear looking into. Bam-
berger. a Stern, pretendi ing to give the tone To
modern Parisinn society! 1t is too rid TEDIOUS.
And in all this queer masquerade. in this
contact with the Gentiles and worshippn9 OF
their idols. what has become of tho synagogue.
the law OF Moses and it's severe prescriptions?
The Partisan Jews OF the category of which We
are now speaking. are very generally ire
liRions. especially the men. The young men
ap. the French 09i"me'tr, and lead inst as fast
II life. They are skeptics in matters of religion.
but yet too superstttious or too practical to re;
nounce IT and IL they ever think about it ut all
they are apt. like some Of their minor rabbins.
or citdzdn. to reason out their skepticiSm. The
Jewish religion then comes TO hs regarded as n
bond OF race rather than II religious bond They
admit that for cultivated minds their religion
can scarcely be supported by reason that other
wise IT accommodates itself readiiyto modern
materials SIN and that in any ease 1t is Il moral
and physical hysienic system above all things.
ana an interesting tradition worth keeping up.
But even whom the Inrisian lsraeiite takes the
trouble to reason out his skeptcism. you never
know how lar he convinces himself. There il
u story told about one OF ths dudaic kings OF
Partisan finance that at Il critical moment of
his life no made a vow. and when he got out OF
his difficulties he Deliberately changed his
name from Ephraim to jacob. in order to es-
cape the accomplish ment OF his and to
throw Jehovah Off the scont! TIL. C.