The sun., 1903-06-21

Hebrew of the future will not be distn-
euishable in physiognomy from his gentle
neighbor.
The Jew who lives in Russia will have
the face Of the Russian. The French jew
will look like typical Frenchman The
German Jew will have the typical Teutonic
features, and the American and English
Jews will bear faces Of Anglo-SaSon charac-
teristics. s4a
Within a few generations the Hebrew
will lose his facial identity altogether, and
his religion will be the only CHARACTERISTIC
that will divide him from his Christian
neipbbors. The influence that this change
NAV have upon the removal Of ant-Semit-
ism is a question that forcibly suggests
itself
The faces of many of New Yorks proml-
nent Hebrews are of comparatively nom
Jewish tyne, and there are thousands OF
Jews to-day, born of Jewish parents on both
sides, whose Hebraic extraction is not dis
cernible by the ordinary observer. The
number Of these is increasing every day.
and they are the forerunners of the entire
race as it will he in the future.
All the above statements and conclusions
are based upon the theory of an anthropo-
logical authority, DR.. Maurice Fishberg
OF this city. He said the other day when
questioned on this subject:
Scientific invest igation of the causes
which contribute to the physiognomy OF
races has convinced me that in course OF
time the Jews in various parts Of the world
will resemble in facial characteristics the
GENTLE races with which they assimilate
Fermentation and facial features are racial
characteristics which are known to be in
fluenced by environment. and particularly
by social selection. as has been so ably
shown by Ripley.
II will even go 40 far as to say that the
really characteristic Jewish face has al
ready disappeared.
"Most people think they could point out
a Jew instantly among thousand gem
tiles am satisfied that those who have
seriously attempted to test this claim do
not continue to hold this view.
This may sound like preposterous
statement, but 1t is made conservatively,
after a thorough series of experiments,
which to my mind leave no room for
doubt"
DR.. Fishberg is perhaps as we'll qualified
as any authority in the scientific world
to speak upon this subject. He is the
medical examiner of the United Hebrew
Charities, and in the course Of his work
has come across thousands OF individual
cases upon which to base his investigations.
He is one of the most eminent students OF
anthropology In this country and has
written number of works on this subject.
-What most people believe to be the
characteristic Hebrew face" says DR..
Fishberg. ais in reality the Ghetto face.
1t is physiognomy significant OF the sutter-
inRs and vicissitudes which the Chosen
People have undergone in the past and in
many parts Of the world are forced to
undergo to-day. 1t is the face OF perse-
cuted human being.
you see it in the Ghetto and on the streets
and fancy it is a strongly racial character
istic. But few generations OF living out
side the Ghetto's environment produce
marked change, and in time the aspect
disappears altogether and gives way TO
the normal features produced by freedom
and the absence of persecution.
"There is as much difference between
the Russian immigrant of the East Side
and the American Hebrew prominent in
public life as there is between the Hiber-
nian and the Teuton. The forebe ars OF the
sembled the Jew Of the Fast Side whom
you now take as type. This proves the
tendency of the Hebrew physiognomy to
yield to environment.
.The nose Of the jew has been considered
characteristic. 1t Is generally supposed
that every Jew possesses long hooked
nose, but any one who will carefully observe
Jews will soon be convinced that this notion
Ia erroneous.
my own investigation Of over 5000 Jews
in New York city reveals the fact that there
are only per cent of hooked noses among
Hebrews. Straight noses are 6s per cent.
broad noses, IL per cent; and retrousse.
These figures, which are absolutely
authentic, will, l suppose, be hard for the
general public to swallow. They show
that among the Jews there isn't larger
percentage Of hooked noses than among
the gentiles'
In addition to the Ghetto look, which
he considers the most important dis
tinguishing feature. Or. Fishberg gives
another reason why the Jew is often pointed
out at sight by his gentle neighbors.
"In eastern Europe, he says, "the Israel
lite may be detected by his peculiar dress
and the orthodox sidelooks of the man
and the hideous smooth-combed wig
which every Jewish married woman is
commanded by her religion to wear. In
western Europe and the United States
the jew is recognized by presenting a
physiognomy that does not correspond
to the Anglo-saxon and Teuton. but cor
responds to the type met with in the various
European countries.
Thus. il you pick out Jewish face
that you consider undeniably characteristic
Of the race, could, by searching among
the different parts of Europe, pick out
another face that resembles it almost ex-
actly, the owner Of which has not drop
Of Jewish blood in his veins.
"The foreign look is often taken for the
Jewish look, and combined with the Ghetto
face. above spoken of. certainly does pre-
sent a physiognomy that may easily be
mistaken for racial type.
sThere is one part of the Jewish face
that is undeniably characteristic, and
that is the eye. The next time you come
Rcross 1t observe it carefully.
The eyebrows, exceedingly thick be-
cause OF their darkness, appear closer to-
g"tner than usual, arching smoothly up
g. the lines Of the nose. The lids are rather
full, the eye large. dark and brilliant A