The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-15

Remarkable Studies OF the Ghetto.

We have frequently wondered, in read
Ing about New York. where the native cle-
ment comes in. Perhaps thos" who have
not been at any particular pains To read
about il, and who hav" merely been here,
looking about with their eyes and listening
with their ears, have likewise wondered
We used to read that New York was the
greatest Irish city in the world, with 800 900
Irish inhabitants. Then We read that il
was the third largest German city in the
world with 100000 German Inhabitants,
For some time we have not doubted that IL
was a very large Italian city, with 800, 600
Italian inhabitants. and now in 9Th" Spirit
Of the Ghetto; Studies of the Jewish Quarter
In New York. by IIu'chins Hapyood
Funk 4 Wagnalls Company, We read
that the Russian and Galician Jews in
New York form the largest Jewish city in
the world. We are inclined to believe it
all. and If somebody would tell us that it
II the largest American city in the world
We should be- still happier.
This book is a curious and very inter
esting piece of work. II should interest
any New York citizen who is capable of
taking any interest AT all in the life about
him. Over and above the text, there is a
singular fascination in III" numerous draw
ings from life provided 10y Mr.. Jacob Ep-
stein. We have no wish to resist the temp
tation to say that We are under definite
and very great obligations To MIR Epstein.
These pictures are entirely recognizable.
They are speaking pictures, full of the
color and the es~cuC" Of their subjects.
Let anybody look az the fronti-picce picture
Of the gallery of a Jewish theatre here. or
at the picture of the Submerged SChoi-
ars," or at the picture of the "Chader."
or at the picture called the Friday Nigh
Prayer" and say whether they are not
conscientious and good Look AT TN" pict-
ure of Moses Reichersou, Man of WISDOM ="
schoolteacher in the Harlem Ghetto,
probably the finest Hebrew grammarian
I'm New York. and one of the finest in the
world age 49, salary s. a week" Look
at the picture Of the R"v. II. Rosenberg
who runs a printing office in Canal street
basement, where h" sits IN the damp all
day long waiting for an opportunity to
publish his magnum opus, cycloppdia of
Biblical literature. containing an historical
and geographical description Of the persons
places and objects mentioned in IN" Bible
There is no very great respect in the New
1O1h 'fltllO, II F'flllN1 lbl lllt' fltb'tW
language and literature The old-time
scholars suffer in the GOODNESS that sur
rounds them. B. b Schwart Zberg ono
of the submerged scholars" finds bitter
things to say of this neglect He feels
himself the apostle of lost cause the
regeneration in New York Of the old Hebrew
language and literature His great enter
prise in life has failed. He has now given
1t up. and the natural vyidnesS and in
tensity of his nature get satisfaction in
the strenuous abuse of the jews of the
Ghetto His monthly magazine. the
Western Light, into which ~he put his best
efforts. his best thoughts about ethical
truths and literature. to which the poet
Dolitzki contributed in purc~t Hebrew
verse" failed Of support, persisted in a
single year, and the scholar and editor,
since its demise, has peddlcd for living
He poured out his feelings in a pamphlet
which is famous in the Ghetto. ii i.
terrible" he wrote Not on" Hrbrew