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The
royal assent to the resolution emancipating the Jews in the Rhenish
Prussian Provinces
(see
Occident, vol. I. no. 7) has been refused for the present. We
expected this result, and are therefore not disappointed, much as we
regret the continuance of the spirit of exclusion in our native country.
Dr.
Ludwig Phillipson, the editor of the Allgemeine Zeitung des
Judenthums, author of the collection of sermons called Siloah, one of
which we give in our present number, and of several other works,
translator and commentator of the Bible, and Rabbi of the district of
Magdeburg, in Prussian Saxony, has proposed an annual meeting of the
Rabbis and preachers of Germany, to be held in some central place, for
the purpose of deliberating upon matters of general interest to Judaism.
We have Dr. P.'s journal only to the 18th of March, and one (No. 10) of
the series moreover is wanting; but we learn enough from the papers on
hand, to state that the following, some of them the most eminent men
among our German brethren, have assented to the plan:—Dr. Herxheimer,
Rabbi at Bernburg, Dr. Herzfeld, Rabbi of Brunswick, Dr. Holdheim, Rabbi
at Schwerin, Dr. Geiger, Rabbi at Breslau, Rabbi Kohn, of Trier, Dr.
Auerbach, Rabbi at Bonn, Dr. Klein, Rabbi at Stolp, Dr. S. Hirsch, Rabbi
at Luxemburg, Dr. G. Salomon, and Dr. N. Frankfurther, preachers at the
Hamburg temple, Rabbi Bodenheimer, of Hildesheim, Mr. Isaac Noa
Mannheimer, preacher at Vienna, Dr. Z. Frankel, Rabbi at Dresden, Dr. D.
Eichhorn, Rabbi at Birkenfeld, Rabbi B. Wechsler of Oldenburg, and Dr.
M. Hess, Rabbi at Stadt Lengsfeld. We hope that much good may result
from the assembly of so many eminent men, though we regret not to see
among them the names of some of the older members of the rabbinical
fraternity. Union is necessary, and we trust that henceforward the state
of independent action of each public teacher will be at an end, and that
whatever is proposed will come with the authoritative stamp of free
discussion and candid judgment from those in whom the people have
confidence.
Just
in going to press we have received the Voice of Jacob, Nos. 73 and 74,
from which we extract the following additional particulars of Dr. P.'s
plan:
Annual
Meeting of (German) Rabbis
and Ministers. Dr. Philippson, the projector of these meetings,
continues to explain his objects and expectations in his periodical. On
his own behalf, it is his intention to submit the following three
important propositions to the first meeting. (1) How is the
establishment of a Jewish Theological faculty to be obtained? (2) Will
the meeting take part in the foundation of a Jewish hospital and school,
in Jerusalem? (3) How is unity to be obtained, in reference to the
improvement of public worship?
Trades
Among Jews. We gather with much satisfaction, from the Orient
and the Jewish Gazette, that a considerable number of Jews are now
engaged in learning mechanical trades, especially under the protection
of the societies established in various large cities for the promotion
of this object. During the past year the society at Frankfort
on the Maine assisted the large number of 548, and of these but four
quitted their employ, and but one of them on account of the bad conduct
of the apprentice. This is truly a gratifying exhibition of the general
good character of the humbler classes of our people of Frankfort and
vicinity. A similar union exists at Strasburg, and we believe likewise
at Breslau, as also in Westphalia, and doubtlessly in other places.
Jews
in France. We learn that a new organization of the consistories
of Jews in France has taken place, so that every district containing
2000 souls shall have a consistory, and where there are less, several
districts, amounting to this number, are to have one in common. We know
not enough of the power of these councils to state any thing with
precision.—Mr. Cremieux, well known to the public, has been appointed
president—he was formerly vice-president, of the central consistory,
which holds its sessions at Paris.
Mr.
Altaras has been appointed French consul at Bombay.
Conversions
From Christianity. As an offset to the occasional apostacy of
Jews to Christianity, which are so boastfully announced in even the
political papers of the day, we extract the two following, one from a
German, the other from an American paper:
“On
the 30th of November, was celebrated at the Israelitish temple at Paris,
the marriage of Mr. Moritz Godchaux, with Miss Magdalene Antoinette
Staley, who had become a convert to Judaism.”
“Conversion
to Islamism. The Augsburg Gazette, in a letter from Constantinople, of
the 24th ult., states that a whole Prussian family, which has lately
arrived at Constantinople, has declared its intention to adopt Islamism.
It appears that one of the daughters of the family fell in love with a
young Turkish officer, who was for some time in Berlin; that she and her
family followed him to Constantinople, where the young lady is to be
married to the object of her choice; and the consequence is, that not
only she, but all her family, are to become Mahomedans. The Prussian
minister has taken some steps to prevent the affair, but apparently
without effect.”
The
Russian Jews. A letter from Berlin, dated 26th March, in the
Orient, says, “The recently threatened deportation of the Russo-Polish
Jews, still occupies public attention, insomuch that the when and how of
the rumoured repeal of the Ukase are uncertain. Thus much is clear, that
the King of Prussia is by no means pleased with the policy of the Ukase,
and intends to use his good offices with the Emperor (expected here in
the summer) in favor of the oppressed.”—V. of J.
Hospital
of Jerusalem. The establishment of a hospital for Israelites at
Jerusalem, under Jewish patronage, continues to be agitated in Europe.
Dr. Frankel
(v.
our vol. 1, p. 264) is actively engaged in the good work of
assisting the sick in the Holy City; but the labour is too much for one
man.
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