Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-09-04
JEwESSES IN THE HAREM,
Women Who Follow Moses and Mahomc,
at the same Time.


The New York Journal says From
year to year the number of Jewish girls in
the Orient is increasing. ;Dau ghters of
pious parents. they leave their home and
creed and are converted to Islam to spend
their lives in the harem Of some Pasha
or Governor as chambermaid, companion,
favorite of lawful wife, or in some other
quality as the different ranks in the harem
are designated According to the official
report of the Chacham Bashi, Rabbi jacob
Kovo of Salonica. eight Jewish girls were
converted in that city, in Smyrna nine, in
Diarbekir and Jasgat three, in Aleppo
two, etc. In Tunis conversions are report
ed to take place almost every week.
The reason of this state of affairs is of a
twofold nature FIRST, the easy manner in
which conversion from Judaism to Islam
is performed as also the easy change from
the Oriental family life to that of the
Mahometans; and, second, the pleasant
and permanent career which the harem
provides.
If Jewess wishes to be converted te
Islam she need not take lessons in the
Koran four weeks ahead or learn by heart
incomprehensib dogmas. but she simply
visits a minister or preacher of the town,
who then sends for the rabbi and parents.
In their presence she declares that she
will leave Judaism by her own will. Then
she raises her right hand and repeats the
formula, 'Eshded on lie Allah lila elahi
wa Muhama6 rassul Allah Il confess that
there is no God but God alone, and
Mahomet is his messenger, and by this
dec laration she becomes Mahometan
By her new co-religionists she is not
despised as Converted Jewess," but as
an erring grandchild of Chalil (Abraham)
who has not entered the right path Every
Mahometan woman knows that Amena, the
mother of the Prophet, was IL Jewess, the
niece of the Cadi (Dayan) of Mecca Chac-
ham Wareka, and died as a Jewess. The
Prophet also had two Jewish wives
one of them was his favorite, whom he
would not leave even at the hour of pray
er.
But her former co-religionist also do not
despise ne ophyte. She has not denied
the one GCd, nor Moses, nor the Bible.
She has publicly confessed that Mahomet
also was a messenger of God, and such a
fact even an orthodox rabbi does not deny.
Mahoment was the messenger of God to
the nations of the East, to whom he com
municated the revelations of Moses in
smaller portions.
Many of these Jewish ladies of the harem
are renowned for their charitable acts.
Some years ago the present ,:Emir, or Sui
tan, of Khive, said Mahomet Khan,
brought Jewish girl from Russia, who is
at present his favorite wife. She distribu.
ed aims in the palace every Friday, the
Sabbath of the Mahometans. Sultan
Baber Kean, the renowned Grand MoguI
of India, who resided at Cabul, Afghanis-
tan and Nadir Shah, the most renowned
ruler of Persia (died l74S), had Jewish
wives, and of the first it is related in Asia
that after the death of her husband she
resided at Balky, where she lived as a
| Jewess.
Several members of the ruling dynasty
of Notwithstanding boast of havin Q
descended from King Saul-have Jewish
wives, and are panty of Jewish descent.
Islam and Judaism approach much more
nearly than Judaism and Christianity, and
hence the professors of those two creeds
assimilate better