New-York tribune., 1902-01-06


Isidore Singer. Ph. D. Protector and Managing
Eoltor- In twelve volumes. Illustrated. Vol /
Quarto. PIP. XxXviii. 635. Funk Wagnalls
Company
first instalment is distinctly Jewish enterprise
1t is the product essentially of Jewish scholar
ship and the expression Of Jewish tradition and
feelings. 1t is designed TO be, within the nta-
tions OF encyclopedia, a complete statement
Of what modern enlightened Jews know and feel
with regard 20 the records and achievements of
their AS such. 1t will have, of course.
peculiar value for them; but it will also be of
great service TO all Christian scholars For the
former, such a statement of their history as
they understand it must be cause of great sat
isfaction and pardonable pride; for the latter, IT
will be source of more accurate knowledge
and. it is TO be hoped. Of more equitable views.
1t may not be that. as Mr. Zangwill says,
the story of Jewish life and thought has been
neglected; but it is true that it has been mis-
understood and most often by students of
Christian thought. who should possess the most
accurate knowledge Of it. That much of this
misunderstanding will be cleared away by this
encyclopedia may be expected from the high
scholarly reputation of its editors and contrib
utors and from the character of the material in
the present volume.
According to its protector and managing edi-
tor, DR.. Isidore Singer, the encyclopedia (Which
will be comprised in twelve volumes agEregating
eight thousand pages, and including two thou
sand illustrations) will collect sft and analyze
the vast material accumulated by more than
forty generations of Jewish and Christian schol-
ars- In IT the whole range of human knowledge
accessible to at the present hour will be ex-
plotted in order TO throw full light on the past
and to enable eventually to foretell somewhat
of the future of the Jewish race" He believes
also, that lit is destined to inaugurate. the
one hand, epoch of revival within Jewish lit
erature itself. and, the other to advance in
great measure the literature of the world in so
far as the knowledge Of Jewish matters is con-
cerned-" In particular, he hopes that it will
become effective agent in securing justice
and sympathy for his race. This programme
ambitious as it is. is well supported by the pref
ace, which is signed by the editors-a list in
Guiding the names Of a dozen we'll known schol-
ars. Their plan is TO cover with the utmost COM
pleteness and accuracy Jewish history, biog-
raphy. sociology, literature. theology and phil
osophy. In the historical matter they propose
TO include accounts of all communities of any
Importance with general sketches of each coun-
try, and also Of many matters such as the
'Papacy, the Crusades the 1nQuisition, etc.
which have special relations to the Jews. They
point out the fact that there is no country that
possesses adequate history Of its Jews,
though of late years consderabl BILE activity has
tories" In particular. the entire field Of the
history sociology, economics and statistics of
the Jews in America has hitherto been left al
most uncultvated. There has, for example.
been no attempt TO present comprehensive
count concerning the foundations of the earliest
Jewish communities either in North or South
America the West Indies. The developmental
stages through which Judaism has passed in
America, although of extreme interest not only
IN
the shaping of Judaism all the world have
received but little attention" Much Of the same
may be said Of our knowledge of the Jews in
Russia; and If the editors promise TO treat this
historical material adequately is fulfilled that
fact alone will justify the existence of the book.
In Jewish biography there is an even greater
gap TO be filled. Every who has had occasion
TO turn TO existing works of reference for in
formation Of this kind fully appreciates this
fact From most of the greater general bio
graphical dictionaries Jews are almost entirely
excluded There are exceptions to this rule-for
example, the Dictionary of National Biography;
but the editors speak within bounds when they
say that If were to take all national local
and professional biographical dictionaries of the
world together would find in them but a
very small proportion Of the Jewish biographies
that appear in the Jewish Encyclopaedia To
have covered this field so conscientiously is also
a service of the first rank, even though-as ap-
pears from examination of the first volume
the desire for completeness may have led to the
inclusion of some names of only very trifing
value Excess in such matters is. however a
much more venial fault than deficiency. One
curious result of the adverse social conditions
under which the Jews have labored is noted by
the editors. In writing of these biographies they
say: 1T is often difficult in the case OF writer's
artists and others 10 determine positively
whether they belong TO the Jewish race. owing
TO the fact that social conditions may have
compelled them TO conceal their origin. To
settle such delicate questions it has frequently
been necessary to consult all manner of records,
public and private and even to ask for informa-
ton from the people themselves" Perhaps when
this encyclopedia. with its remarkable record
of noble achievement and upright living under
the most adverse circumstances, is completed,
cases OF this kind will become less frequent.
The editors have wisely decided 10 include also
the names of men and women Of note who have
openly abandoned the Jewish community,
are Jewish only side of their parentage.
It would be odd, indeed. II could not find in
q Jewish encyclopedia the of Heine Ben
fey Beeconsaeld and Emiu
Jewish literature in all its aspects is founded
upon the Old Testament, and Biblical subjects
are Of course, among the most important of the
topics with which the editors have had to deal.
1t is evident that Biblical research in all it's
phases has received careful attention from them,
but they disclaim the intention Of competing
with the excellent Bible dictionaries which have
recently appeared. On the other hand, they pro-
pose TO supplement the best works of this class
In certain very important directions. especially
IN that OF the rabbncal developments of Bible
exegesis-a feature Of the book which will be of
very great value 20 all Biblical students They