The times., 1898-02-06
THE EMANUEL SISTERHOOD
First Religious Order Ever Founded
for Hebrew Women.
Rabbi GotthiePs Unique Work OF
Organization Sure to Find Imt-
tators All over America.

New York. Feb. 5.-A religious order
conducted on unique lines is the Eman-
uel Sisterhood of Personal Service.
1t is sisterhood without conventuaI
life or a distinctive garb, or clustered
meditation or lifelong vows-cbaracter-
istics of sisterhood, as generally known,
nor need one have a vocation" TO be-
come member, but none the less does
the Emanuel SisterhoOd spend itself in
assisting the unfortunate and Distress
cd, protecting the infirm and helpless
and nursing the sick
The order was founded by Rabbi
Gotthiel of Temple Emanuel. The fire.
quency with which appeals for aid
came to him and members of his con-
/ gregation caused the rabbi 20 devote
himself to evolving plan which would
TO greater extent than was otherwise
! possible benefit these poor people The
best way 10 solve the problem seemed
TO be in forming a sisterhood-sonle-
thing altogether unique among He
brews. The order seems destined to
! become one of the nOblest charities in
New York.
Starting with two or three ladies. the
order now numbers $50 members
unseIfsh women who have of their own
free will consented to devote part of
their time to works of charity, althoueh
the word charity, by the way, is not al
. lowed to be so much as once named.
Those assisted are made TO feel that
help comes from one who is a friend,
sister or guide.
The members live in their own homes,
many are ladies of wealth and position
whose names are well known in the So
5dl skatI L.. =
ed in respect 10 this worlds goods. but
all promise TO spend weekly at least
two hours in work for others, and this
constitutes one member of the Eman-
uel Sisterhood
Although many are unable to devote
more time to the work. the greater
number of the sisters devote at least
two days to the good cause, each week;
everything is so well organized and the
membership so large. that a vast
amount of benevo1ence is accomplished
and much distress relieved.
While the members of the siSterh0od
are all Hebrews, and the work is main
ly among people of their own faith, no
Christian applies in vain for assistance
at the home: temporary relief is given,
the case investigated and then referred
to the church or organization where it
properly belongs. The charity. how
ever. is wholly broad in it's application,
the chief aim being to help those in
need without regard to their religion
The members do not live in communi-
ty. as stated, but the home-a large.
comfortably furnished establishment in
the upper part of tOwn-is the head
quarters, where a few members reside
and where all the ladies meet together
at times
The house, while ii was large enough
at the beginning. is now too small. and
il is proposed 20 enlarge the quarters
as soon as possible. The house is we'll
supplied with everything in the way of
food and warm clothing, and whenever
a case of want is reported at the home
it is attended to Immediately, whether
it is II o'clock noon or II o'clock mid
night, the sisters in the home holding
themselves ready at any time OF the
day or night. In this way over 5000
cases were attended TO last year, not
including some of special nature.
The funds for carrying on the work
are all voluntary contributions. No
sister is required to pay any pecuniary
dues, nor does she incur any obligation
by becoming a sister. save that Of faith
ful work III the section to which she be
longs.
For better systematizing the work,
the order is subdivided into sections
known respectively as:
Section I-Sisters or friends Of the
sick and needy.
Section II-SisteTs of working girls.
Section III-Sisters' branch for relig~
ious and industrial training.
Section IV-Employment bureau
Section V-Day nursery.
Section VI-SeWing circle.
Section VII-Sabbath schools.
Section VIII-Cooking schools
The officers of the sisterhOod are q
Il N
Rabbi GotthieI being the honorary
president as founder of the order: first
vice presient, Mrs. Simon Borg: second
vice president. Mrs. Jacob Schiff: sec
retary, Miss Carrie Wise, and treas
urer, Mrs. Lewis May.
The head of each section is the
guide and other members of the sec
ton work under her direction. The
sister who becomes. a guide has first
spent her probation as member of a
section.
The very capable and efficient sister
or guide of section first is Miss Stiner.
and every Tuesday and Friday finds
her at her post at the home, where she
meets her associates-sisters who have
sought out the sick and needy and who
now report the case to the guide 10
confer with her regarding the proper
means of relief.
A poor man to be sent South for his
health: a sick woman, whose rent is
overdue are two cases among many to
be considered; in the meantime the re-
ception room has been filling with men,
women and children-each with a tale
of woe and each requiring assistance
The sister is kept very busy in listening
to the different appeals for help and
dispatches several of her associates in
different directions as they are needed
There are several clubs for working
girls. which meet for instruction and
entertainment at the home. They have
lately celebrated the festival of Han
Hanucka or feast lights, which cor
responds in the manner of celebration
to Christmas. There were two trees
and gifts for everyone. a supper and
pretty display of lights. Hanucka lasts
for eight days: one candle is Hgnted the
first evening. two the second, and thus
on TO the eighth day, when as many
candles burn brightly in honor of the
festival. 1t is to commemorate the
purification of the temple after the
Syrian persecution
Much more might be said of the good
deeds of the Emanuel Sisterhood if the
sisters were inclined to give details OF
their work.
Their motto is: II shall not pass this
way again: any good therefore that
can do let me do il now"
Rabbi Gottheil is now engaged on
plans looking to the formation OF an
Emanuel brotherhood, with its nead'ts
quarters in the slums.
The Humane Side of Life.
(Fron the Detroit Free Press.1
are that a new BIZ