The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-02-25
THE AMERICAN JEWESS,
A She Has Keen Portrayed for Hel
London Co. Religidnists.

London CO. Religidnists.
The editress of the American Jewess.
Rosa SonneSchein, was requested by the
Jewish World Of Londontto prepare an
article on the phase of the American
woman, in which the readers of Wowan-
kind are doubtless most interested as
they themselves are representatives of
this type.
SIN order to fully understand her pres
emit position, it is essential that we first
pay our attention to her grandmother"
states the article '"rhe grandmother is
spoken Of as being in many cases unfa-
miliar with the English tongue, as under
rating or unable to comprehend American
modes, as lacking the necessary elemehts
of culture, and as aiding her husband in
the task of accommodating wealth.
Then the mother is taken under con-
sideratioh, and she is represented as re-
belling against teachings which made her
thing apart from Others The reform
movement. Invaded America ut this time,
and the pulpit pointed out to the Jewess'
mind rs religious" contradiction almost
everything upon which her mother looked
with reverence.
Next we come to the Jewess of today,
and we are told that instead of being re-
ligiously instructed by her mother, the
young American .Iewess reversed the or
deE of things, and became the teacher of
her parent. She is placed, by an admir:l
able combination Of circumstances, on il
par with American womanhood MAY
we ask if the loss of the reverence that
yo"th should show to aye is one of these
admirable crcumstanccs?)
The article goes on to explain that the
American ,lewess prefers to be part and
parcel OF humanity rather than a chatte
OF her religion. Nevertheless she is Iowa.
to her faith and race, and is not favor,
ably disposed to intermarriage.
Charitable work is dwelt upon with EN-,
phaSls. This is her real realm says the
authoresS. "her- scepter and her crown
All her symla thies are with the poor: she
eXcelS in benevolence.'
The council is not represented to the
London public in the most glowing terms
Apart from organizing, they have as vet
accomplished little or nothing worthy OF
mention. In its first general session held
in November. 1886, the National council
declared for the reinstallation of the
Seventh Day Sabbath i'll its pristine puri
ty, but during the past year not even the
first step was officially taken to bring
about that result. The local sections arc
divided into Bible classes, and their main
| work is in the field of charity. The conn.
Gil has done good work in bringing into
prominence Jewish women who have new
| err before been heard of either in literary
or social capacity
In dealing of family life the article
states that the American Jewess is by ne
means Il home-hody. She is in universal
evidence. i'll the streets, in the shops. nj
the restaurants. and in the parks. Mar.
rlage is the foremost aim of the American
Jewess, as it was of her grandmother.
The subject of dress is touched upon
by explaining that the rich Jewess is moi
always the refined IeweSS. and that she
docs. not endeavor to adopt the quiet gen
tie manner of her American sisters. We
| are told that in appearance the American
.lewCSSes are beginning to closely resembl,
ether wcnlen> Only Il person accustomed
to observe can recognize that they arc
of Jewish lineage.
In tht> busy world Of American woman
hood the .]ewess is spoken of as being
mere cipher, but as commencing t.
show some signs of intellectual activity
since we hear now and then that Il Jew
ess has become Il doctor, lawyer. writer
artist of poet. '.American society," saw,
Rosa SonneSchein. as though in excuse
for this state of affairs, has as vet given
the Jewess but few opportunities to dis.
play her abilities as leader if indeed
then comes the parting hing-"she has
any"
Perhaps the New York rabbi is right
remarks the authoress. who, in re-
cent article stated that the .Iewess was
never meant for Il society lady. nor for Il
devotee of the literary and poetical
arts.