There is the wreck of Jewish life, the disorganized elements created by the storm of persecution. It aims to save all those Jewish possessions that lend themselves to communal rehabilitation. Without the Kehilla, each organization would go its own way, and in the competition of organizations many essential things would be forgotten. With a well-supported Kehilla, the Jews of Greater New York may be enabled to firmly establish a centralized, broad-minded institution, that can do much for the building of Jewish character and the preservation of phases of Jewish life that may be saved even in the goluth.
It is a matter of congratulation for Zionists to know that our comrades have had a large share in the organization and the maintenance of the Kehilla. It would have been a short-sighted policy tkat would have withheld from the movement the support of those who are the optimists of the Jewish race. That support should be continued, and the Zionist contingent in the coming Kekilla convention should give their efforts to the endorsement not alone of a liberal policy, but also of a democratic policy in the administration of the affairs of that organization.
JOSEPHINE LAZARUS.
MISS JOSEPHINE LAZARUS, sister of the late Emma Lazarus, the Jewish poet, died in New York on Friday, February 4th. Miss Lazarus was a woman of refinement and liberal ideas, who, having considered Jewish problems in conjunction with her lamented sister, arrived at Zionism as the only solution which could satisfy a sensitive, highly cultured Jewess, whose affection for her people had remained unabated, although she had gone beyond Jewish life for her ideals and her philosophy of life. Miss Lazarus was a writer with an uncommon grace of style and an exacting critic of general literature. When her older sister Emma blossomed forth as a poet of the Jewish people in the early
eighties, Miss Josephine aided and comforted her in her work, which was not at all to the liking of ker family. For years Miss Josephine acted as tke coad- jutor of Emma, and at her death, she published the biographical sketch of the lamented poetess’s life, which first appeared. in the Century magazine in 1888. Of special Jewish interest were half a dozen essays contributed by Miss Josephine to the Century, the American Hebrew, and the Jewish Messenger, which were published in book form in 1895, and entitled “The Spirit of Judaism.” Four articles on the Zionist movement appeared in the American Hebrew and THE MACCABAEAN, in which she expressed her allegiance to the fundamental philosophy of our movement. In 1899 she wrote a book entitled “Madame Drevfus”
DR. WISE'S SILENCE.
Ir is not out intention to “nag” Dr. Stephen S. Wise, as our friendly contemporary, the American Israelite, facetiously thinks, into a public declaration as to his present faith in Zionism. It was our duty to call upon Dr. Wise in order that his silence might not be misconstrued by Zionists. It is not our concern, however, if Dr. Wise finds it expedient to indulge in “self-muzzling”, and refuses to accept a frank and well-intentioned invitation to let Zionists know whether Zionism is & side issue or a practical issue with him. The general public will understand, without our comment, how to consider his silence. It is at liberty to draw its own conclusion. It will probably look over the list of supporters of tke Free Synagogue and note the absence of Zionists there. It will read the news that Dr. Wise now goes to England, where he is to address the Jewish Religious Union, of which Mr. Claude Montefiore is the Macenas, and will appreciate the motives that k&ep Dr. Wise enthralled in a policy of reticence. Dr. Wise sees before him a large and inviting career, and he will not mar it by