Year: 1878




The increase of the Hebrew popula-
ton of the United States did not be-
come sufficiently rapid to be marked
until after 1850, so that the phenome-
non of their immigration into the
country is an affair of but quarter of
century. Basing present estimates
of their numbers on the census of 1870,
they are now reckoned to be not less
than 80, 900 strong in the whole coun-
try. In 1850 there were but 5,000 of
them. Considering that the depres-
sion of business and the depreciation
in all kinds of property have involved
commerce and trade more than anV
other interests, and remembering that
the Jews are welded by long habit to
trade above every other interest or vO-
cation, it will he at once understood
why immigration from this source has
fallen away as it has for the last three
or four years. The life of the Jews In
the United States, wholly separate as
il is from the common life in one sense,
is fact of sufficiently singular to pro-
woke a study of its own: and in a re-
cent issue of the North Ancrtcdn Re
CicW we note the first of series of
articles on this most interesting sub
iect written by distinguished member
of the race, Gustav Gottheill, in which
are to he met numerous timely illus
tratiOns of their life and character so far
as both are modified circumstances.
The sketch of the Radical Jewish char
acter Is as clean-cut as cameo profile,
and helps one to understand the Sc
cret of the success of this peculiar peo-
pie in the face of unrelieved adVer-
sity.


The preliminary tribute paid by the
writer to his race is subduedly eloquent
in its temper and style. He admits
THAT their more recent settlement in
this country affords probably the most
instructive phase in the modern de-
velopment of Jewish history" The
Hebrew in this country finds larger
measure of individual liberty than he
ever enjoyed anywhere before. Their
congregations number 400, and their
institutions and societies I57, making
in all 557 organizations. The member
ship il estimated to be about 5000
and the value of the property held by
them not far from 5000, 600. There
are fourteen public institutions under
the exclusive control of Jews, none of
them being. unsectarian in their BEN
efits- These institutions are not con-
nected with the congregation. But
there are other hospitals supported by
them besides those included in the
above enumeration. There are numer-
Gus societies devoted to the care of the
sick all over the land, the principle on
which they are based being that ofmu-
tual helpfulness. There is not a place
in the Union says this writer, where
even handful of Israelites dwell that
has not its charitable society. The
united Hebrew charities of New York
expend $4,000 annually for the sup
port of the poor. Mayor Ely recently
made the statement that while the
Jews form ten per cent. of the popu-
lation of that city, they contribute less
than one per cent. to the criminal
classes. Out of 5000 persons in the
varions public institutions, only 33 are
Jews. There is q common opinion
that the jew possesses the magic art
of securing wealth, but it will be found
that the only secret of his prosperity
consists in his genius for patience,
courage, diligence, economy and con-
sccration of earnings to the comfort
and elevation of his family" 1t is a
secret with which it would be well for
the rest of us to become more famil-
lar.