Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-03-09
HEBREW CHARITY FUND
(Chicago Record.Herald) }

Since Rabbi Meyer of Albany made
his attack upon the Alliance Israelite
before the Jewish Chautauqua at Alta
Tin City last summer, there has been
a great deal. OF inquiry and discussion
concerning the distribution Of charity
funds among the Hebrews OF the Holy
Land, and several exciting episodes
have occurred there. The American
Jews in Jerusalem charge that both
the Alliance Israelite and the central
committee invariably discriminate
against them, not only in the distribu
ton OF charity funds, but In giving
contracts and employing labor. Not
long ago DIR. Siman, who was sent
there from Germany, to make an in.
yestigation, invited the complalnants
to relate their grievances in the pres.
ence of dozen or more of the more
prominent rabbis, teachers and mer.
chants. and they responded with such
energy that the rabbls lost their TEN
per and the meeting broke up in a
row The representative of the cen
tral committee had to be taken home
by guard OF police. DIR. Siman re-
f'''"' W iSuiopt HdS
made report of his Investigations.
The representative OF the Alliance
israelite in Jerusalem, who reports di-
| rect to the central organization in
Paris. is Albert Anteby, a young man
32 years of age. born of native Jewish
parents in Damascus, educated in Par
Is, and married to the nieces of
Rabbi Iadok Kohen, one of the mana
gers of the alliance. Some time after
his marriage, through the influence of
DIR. kohen. he WAS appointed agent in
Jerusalem in place OF Nisam Behar,
who was transferred to New York.
| Mr.. Anteby has absolute control of the
funds and the affairs of the Alliance
israelite in Jerusalem, subject only to
the approval of a committee of four
Jewish residents, who are selected by
himself. He distributes all contribu.
| tons for charity according to his dis
cretlon, has the management of the
business of the Anglo-Jewish associa
ton and the. control of an Industrial
school at which the applied arts and
trades are taught to abOst four hun
dred Jewish young men and women
From Protestant sources of informa
ton, 1t appears that Mr. Anteby is
very unpopular. and it Is asserted that
his reports do not represent the actual
condition or adhere strictly to the
facts. The American Jews are partic
ularly bitter toward him.
The American Jews In Jerusalem
who number 600 persons, want theii
share Of the charitable funds given tc
them in bulk, to be distributed By
what is known as the "American Con
gregation." presided over by Mr.
Levi, who came from Jerusalem
twelve years ago from California
where he was a dry goods merchant
Every American jew who has lived in
Jerusalem for two years is entitled tc
lbs share of what is known as the
'hallucca," which amounts to 81 Il
month per capita for adults and 81 pei
capita for children. and when add
tional funds are sent the division is
made upon the same basis In De
cember last the American congrega
ton learned that n large sum OF
money had been received from the
| tHllfu ny lllt
tee and demanded their share. Al
first they were informed that II was q
mistake, but by cabling to New York
they learned that the funds had been
sent. and the New York committee
instructed Rabbi Salant president OF
the American congregation in Jerusa
lem, to give the American committee
I | thaiIt ahuFn 10. 1,mnrnI q
per capita. which was Indignantly re-
fused, and n meeting of the American
congregation was held January g. Mr.
Levi made an earnst speech. in which
he attacked the management of the
central committee and advocated an
| entire separation of the American
Jews from that organization. This
proposition was unanimously carried
and committee was appointed to
make known the reasons for the sep
aration to contributors in America.
A few days after this meeting Rabbi
| Salant of the central committee sent
$500 to the American congregation
which was declined; he then sent $500
which was also declined and was in
| formed that the Americans would not
be satisfied with anything less than
one-third of the entire receipts of the
central committee from American con-
| trlbutors. There the matter stands at
present The American congregation,
however, has taken out charter un-
| der the laws of New York. and pro-
| poses TO have its own synagogue, rab-
bis, schools and hospitals, and have
nothing more to do with the central
committee or with the Alliance Is
raellte.