Professor Richard Gottheil delivered a lecture on Zionism, Thursday evening, April 3rd, at Harvard University, by invitation of the American Oriental Society.
The monthly meeting of the Sisters of Zion was held at 90-96 Clinton Street and was well attended. Mr. Harris delivered a very interesting address on Dr. Herzl. Zionists songs were sung by Miss Sady Geduld and Mr. Morgenstein. Recitations were given by Mr. Goldberg and Mr. Aronson.
At the last election of the Benoth Zion Circle Hadassah, the following were elected : President, Mrs. Richard Gottheil ; Vice-President, Miss R Wilner ; Secretary, Miss Fanny Sterling ; Treasurer, Mrs. A. Spark ; Trustees, Mrs. Starr. Miss E. Loew, Miss P. Weintraub. The Benoth Zion
Circle Hadassa has organized among its members a "Helping Hand," whose aim is to give such information to Immigrants on the East Side that will benefit them in seeking employment, mode of living, education of their children, etc. The society will also visit the downtown women's societies, so as to be on a more intimate footing with societies and to co-operate whenever necessary.
During the month of March, before the Circle Hadassah on the first Thursday of the month, a lecture was delivered by Rev. Dr. M. H. Harris, whose subject was “Manasseh ben Israel ;” on the third Thursday of the month a paper was read by Miss J. Bluestone on current Jewish topics. The Circle meets every first and third Thursday of the month at the Hawthorne Building, 151 West 125th Street. Visitors are always welcome.
Book Reviews
The Religion of Israel. By Julius H. Greenstone. Philadelphia, Sabbath School Publishing Company.
This book is a careful rendition of the orthodox version of the Jewish religion. It is well written and well arranged. It presents the authoritative religion without argument for purposes of Sabbath school instruction. As such it fulfils its purpose admirably. It seems to be a decided improvement on Dr. Kohler's book in clearness and arrangement. Many customs clustering about the holidays are given. The introduction of some which have an obvious origin in Russian and Polish Judaism gives it additional interest.
In many ways this little book is creditable. Its author or compiler is an ardent Zionist, which fact is shown in the tendency of the book to a clearer definition of the religion of Israel.
Mrs. Ruskay's booklet, published by the Jewish Publication Society of America, is reviewed on Page 204.
Dr. Jacob Gerzon's "Die Juedisch-Deutsche Sprache" is published by Kauffmann of Frankfort on the Main. It is primarily a grammatical work.
David Fraenkel of Husiatyn, Galicia, a learned book-seller and one fully acquainted with Hebrew literature, has written and edited two volumes. The first is the Responsa of the Ribasb,
edited from a unique manuscript now in Leyden. The second is Tosafoth to the Aboda Sara, by Rabbi Elchanan ben Isak of Dampierre. These Tosafoth were written in 1182. The copy from which David Fraenkel has compiled h s work is one which belonged to the late Samuel Schoenblum.
Karpeles's "History of Jewish Literature" has been translated into French by MM. Isaac Bloch and Emile Levy.
The first part of Dr. I. Friedlaender's, "Der Sprachgebrauch des Maimonides," was published during the month by Kauffmann of Frankfort. Dr. Friedlaender discusses the language used by the great philosopher. A future volume will deal with the grammatical material of his works.
Among the works of interest, published during the month, may be mentioned : G. A. Barton's "A Sketch of Semitic Origins, Social and Religion," (Macmillans) ; "Biblical and Semitic Studies," published for Yale University ; Gruenau's, "Exil, Drama aus dem Juedischen Leben" (Pierson, Dresden) ; M. Schreiner's, "Die juengsten Urteile ueber das Judentum" (Cronbach, Berlin) ; A. Wolf's, "Etwas ueber juedische Kunst und aeltere juedische Kuenstler," (Hamburg) ; Julius Greenstone's, "Religion of Israel," (Philadelphia) ; Esther J. Ruskay's, "Hearth and Home Essays," (Philadelphia, Jewish Publication Society.)