The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-30
ii
\ Till,
AR[NB
BY w. p. kIrkwood.

RICH MINE OF INFORMATION
ABOUT ALL THINGS JEWISH.-The
eleventh and next to the last volume Of
The Jewish Encyclopedia is just out. Its
contents increase the amazement Of the
reader at the fund of information the
work in it's entirety holds.
Just now when the nations great
financiers are so much in the public eye,
one is interested to find in this encyclo-
pedia sketches Of the lives Of such men as
Jacob II. schiff. Isaac N. seligman and
Oscar s. Straus, the three men who dis
cussed with Count Witte at Portsmouth
last summer the condition Of the Jews In
Russia. The biographies Of these men
and many others prominent in their race
are given at considerable length in the
volume in hand.
Authoritative figures as to the numbers
of Jews in the world are given and Will
surprise many. Here are the figures
summarized: ~. f
EUROPE S,9lt,ool
ASA .................... ..!s...... S0z' 54U
AFRICA ...... .................... 5E,609
North America .............:....... 1,527 ,S3o
South America ....................... $4,000
AUSTRALASIA ................ 1o,SoO
From this it will be seen that the total
number Of Jews in the various continents
at present is II ,271 1865.
Volume XXI. contains the Hfe-stories, and
a careful exposition Of the theological
systems Of the principal apostles OF
~ Christianity, St. Paul and. St. Peter.
Not less careful is the treatment accord
ed to Superstition. The following de-
scription of Paul is preserved in the Acta
PAUL. ct Theclae: .-.-
A man Of moderate stature, with crisp scanty
hair crooked legs, blue eyes, large knit brows
and long nose, at times looking like q man,
at times like an angel.
Under the head OF superstlt1ons Is
found this report Of curious CUSTOMS:
Peculiar objection seems to be taken to being
the first person buried in cemetery. Small
communities sometimes hire an old man to join
them so that he may be the first to be buried
IN their cemetery It was recently the reported
munity Of Passaic, N. J.. for ten years. being
taken there in 1893, but not dying till 1908.
The part the Jew has played in history
receives extended attention under the
heads Servia, South America, South Afr.
ca, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. That
| portion relating to Spain is thrilling
| chapter in the worlds history. -. T. .,.
In the biography Of the volume also one
| finds the curious story of Shabbetha
Zebi, the false Messiah, the son OF poul'
| try dealer who prospered.
Legends given tell that the shoulder:
| Of Samson were sixty ellis broad; that III
| was lame in both feet. but when thu
spirit Of God came upon him he coult
step with one stride from Zoreah to Esh
| taol, while the hairs of his head arose
and clashed against one another so tina
they could be heard for like distance
He was, so strong that he could uplif
two mountains and rub. them togethe
like two clods of earth. God caused {
1 well Of water to spring from his teeth.
! If Samson was Hebrew Hercules
Sarah was a Hebrew. Helen, In beauty a
least, according to other. Jewish tradi
| lions. 40. ,,.. ss: & ~ . '| #@.e u ~.
Indeed, one can hardly turn to a pag
Of VOL XII of The Jewish Encyclopedia
without finding something quaint and Gu
I rious throwing light on this race tina
has so influenced civilization. And if on
cannot miss the quaint and curious
equally he cannot miss on any page be
tween the Volumes covers finding infor
nation that is important and valuable
It IS not surprising that Hebrew scholar
who have seen the work grow enthusias
tic and call It .magnifcent.'' - 80
4 s%-Funk. & waenalls COMPANY. New York =,