histories of great institutions, like the biographies of great men, have one feature in common, that both exhibit in glaring colors the difficulties, obstacles, and impediments which had to be overcome, and the trials, struggles and sufferings to be endured, before the victory was gained and the triumph achieved. Judged by this standard, how untiring must have been the perseverance, how mature the experience, how wise the caution, how buoyant the hope of those under whose fostering care and direction the great Jewish Charities of America have become so pre-eminently successful. Half a century ago the noblest of these noble institutions sprung into existence, and, though at first but a tender shoot, it has developed into a towering tree, and has lived to be surrounded by others of almost equal magnificence, whose expanded branches have sheltered and protected the aged and the needy, the sick and the helpless, the widow and the orphan. Half a century ago! What wonderful revolutions, what stupendous changes, what grand events has the world witnessed since that date! With the generations which have passed from earth have also passed many of the thoughts, sentiments and theories which actuated them in life. In the social and religious no less than in the political and scientific world, old ideas have sunk into oblivion and new ideas have been born, which for the most part, have conferred the greatest blessings on the human family. These mighty influences have doubtless affected the Jews as they have the rest of mankind. Yet there is one sentiment, one great incentive to action in the Jewish heart which is to-day the same as it ever was, a sentiment as old as the hills, as indestructible as creation itself, as unaffected by change and revolution as the most enduring of nature's works, the sentiment of compassion, of sympathy, of benevolence, of heaven-born charity. was this innate feeling of commiseration for the woes of others which prompted the original founders of our great benevolent societies to undertake the holy work; it is this same feeling which has rendered them what they are to-day and which will in the future continue to insure their prosperity and increase their advantages. So great is the influence for good exercised by these institutions and so deep a hold have they on the affections of our people that we venture to hope that the sketches we shall publish in the pages of this magazine will prove not only interesting reading, but that they will even possess some historical value. We therefore, without further preliminary remarks, enter upon the subject of our first sketch.

It

I.

THE HEBREW BENEVOLENT AND ORPHAN ASYLUM SOCIETY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

Like most of the great Jewish Charities of America, this excellent institution had a very humble origin. Early in the year 1820, a Jew, who had been a veteran in the American War of Independence, was brought to the City Hospital in a dying condition. He had neither friends nor funds, but finding his end approaching, expressed a desire to see some of his co-religionists. Messrs. John J. Hart, Joseph Davies, and others, becoming acquainted with this fact, visited the soldier and collected money for his support. His death, however, which occurred shortly afterward, left some $300 in the hands of his kind visitors for disposal. Then arose the question in the minds of these gentlemen, whether it would not be an opportune moment for establishing a society to afford assistance to its own members, as well as to others, in time of need. It must be remembered that there was at that date but one Jewish Congregation in the City of New York, the number of Hebrews being at the utmost but a few hundreds, and no benevolent society at all, if we except a congregational society, if such it can be called, for visiting the sick, and attending funerals and houses of mourning. The desirability of establishing a benevolent society, was therefore readily acknowledged, and steps were at once taken for the formation of one. Many meetings were held and much deliberation ensued, until on the 8th day of April, 1822, Messrs. Daniel Jackson, Joseph Jackson, Joseph Davies, John J. Hart, Abraham Collins, Rowland Davies, Simon Meyers, Abraham Mitchell, Charles J. Hart, and Joseph Samuel met and associated themselves together with other gentlemen, and formed a charitable institution under the name and style of The Hebrew Benevolent Society of the City of New York. At this meeting the rules and regulations for the government of the society were formed, and the following gentlemen unanimously chosen as the first board of officers: Daniel Jackson, President; Joseph Jackson, Treasurer; John J. Hart, Abraham Collins, Rowland Davies, Abraham Mitchell, Moses Leon, and Joseph Samuel, Committee; and Charles John Hart, Secretary.

We must here acknowledge our indebtedness, for most of the early history of the society, to Mr. Meyer Stern's excellent address delivered on the occasion of the Semi-Centennial celebration, from which we learn that, "The first anniversary, held at David Barnett's Hotel

in the Bloomingdale Road, was noticeable for two reasons: first, because the supper was cooked by the members themselves, and secondly, the startling sum of $49 was the result of the evening's donation." In this unpretending way the society worked on, increased in membership, and enlarged its sphere of usefulness. Thus a decade of years passed, without any important event transpiring.

In 1832, the society applied to the Legislature of the State for an act of incorporation, which, through the assistance of Mordecai Meyers, Esq., a member of the Assembly from this city, was obtained. The act was passed February 2d, 1832; the following names appearing therein as the incorporators: Moses B. Seixas, Louis Levy, Daniel Jackson, Solomon Seixas, John J. Hart, Myer Levy, Mordecai M. Noah, Myer Moses, and Joseph Levy. From this date until 1841, no information regarding the transactions of the society can be obtained from the records, the minutes kept during that period having doubtless been lost. In the latter year, however, under the presidency of Mr. Elias L. Phillips, who seems to have succeeded Mr. Morland Mitchell, an anniversary dinner was given which resulted in great pecuniary gain.

In 1842, the Hon. M. M. Noah was elected President, which office he held until the time of his death, in the early part of 1851. He was succeeded by Mr. Harris Aaronson who served the society with much ability until 1857, when, declining a re-election, Mr. P. J. Joachimsen was called to the Presidential chair. In 1844 Mr. Henry Goldsmith became Secretary, and for seven years proved himself a faithful and zealous officer. In 1851 he was succeeded by Mr. Alfred Lazarus, who retained the position until 1857, when Mr. Goldsmith again assumed his former duties, and to this day continues to discharge them with credit to himself and honor to the Institute. In 1854 the society became the recipient of $5,000, a bequest by the late Judah Touro, the philanthropist. This amount raised the funds to $11,377.99; the amount disbursed exceeded $4,000 during the year. In December 1857, a large sum of money was realized by a grand operatic entertainment given by the Directors at the Academy of Music, "II Trovatore" and the accomplished Mr. Thalberg being the attractions.

With events such as those, and occasional changes in the management, the society continued to prosper and progress, increasing in membership and doing all the good that came in its way until the Spring of 1859, when a most important action was taken by which its prosperity was materially enhanced and its sphere of usefulness con

siderably increased. To render this action perfectly intelligible to our readers, it is necessary that we now go back for a few years and chronicle the facts connected with the history of another benevolent society, which up to the year 1859 existed as a separate and independent organization.

We have said that in 1820, the number of Jews in the city of New York was so limited that one congregation was deemed sufficient. By degrees however, as emigration from Germany and central Europe increased, the Jewish element was greatly strengthened, so much so that in 1845 there were in existence besides the original Portuguese congregation, three congregations following the German Minhag and two the Polish Minhag. The Temple Emanu-El was also then about being organized as a reform congregation. The number of societies. for benevolent, educational and other purposes had increased to fourteen, the latest addition being the one to which we have to direct our attention.

In January, 1845, it having been deemed necessary to organize another society "to assist the needy, succor the helpless, and protect the weak," the German Hebrew Benevolent Society was formed by the following gentlemen: Henry Keyser, I. D. Walter, Isaac Dittenhofer, L. Haas, J. Stettheimer, Chas. Sander, E. Speyer, H. Bernheimer, S. Kohnshaw, Gustav Bernhard, Wm. Renau, E. S. Ballin, L. Lederer, H. Hildburghausen, H. Hyneman, Mayer Schutz, Philip Pike, N. Asyl, M. Cooper, Jos. Ochs, Henry Jones, Drs. Bruckman and Mitchel, and others. The Act of Incorporation from the Legislature was obtained by the Hon. Charles Stewart; the proceedings and minutes of the new society were transacted and kept in the German language, and so great was the favor it received from the public that during the first year over two hundred names were enrolled on its list of members.

In September, 1847, the Jewish population of the city, and consequently the number of the poor had so increased that a proper house of refuge for the destitute sick became an actual necessity. The German Benevolent Society perceiving and feeling this want, proposed to the Benevolent Society and to the several congregations, that they should unite together for the erection of a Hospital, and in order to show its sincerity in the proposal voted the sum of $1,500 out of its general fund, and a certain portion of its yearly receipts. The Benevolent Society promptly joined in the proposal and a meeting of deputies was convened, the Hon. Judge M. M. Noah presiding.

The project, however, failed of its intended result, several of the larger congregations refusing their co-operation. The German Hebrew Benevolent Society nevertheless continued to keep apart the sum voted for the object and steadily augmented it.

In 1859, the Jewish charitable institutions were so numerous that the opinion became general that a union between the two societies, of which we are treating, would serve the cause of charity better and effect a greater amount of good. Accordingly negotiations were entered into for this purpose. "The German Hebrew Benevolent Society having by a unanimous and final vote of its members declared: 'THE HOSPITAL FUND now belonging to the German Hebrew Benevolent Society, shall be appropriated for the establishment of an Orphan Asylum and Home for aged and indigent Jews;" and settled by conferences all minor matters relating to a union, the respective societies met in the month of April, 1859, when their consolidation was completed. The two societies united under the name of the Hebrew Benevolent Society of the City of New York.'" The following composed the first board of officers of the new society: P. J. Joachimsen, President; M. Cooper, Vice-President; Isaac Horter, Treasurer. The united funds amounted to nearly $25,000.

We now quote largely from Mr. Stern's speech already alluded to. "The principal fact which had incited prominent members of each society to arrange a complete union, was the necessity of providing at once a suitable home for Jewish orphan children, who then were scattered in various parts, some even in the city institutions. The call was general for a relief of this kind, and offers of assistance unanimous if only the first steps were to be taken. Accordingly, the announcement of the consolidation was hailed with delight, and immediately a call was made on the new Board of Directors to establish measures at once for the relief of the orphans. To their credit be it said, as soon as the necessary arrangements had been effected for the ordinary workings of a charitable society, they at once took the matter into careful consideration. They issued an appeal to the Jewish public, which was promptly and handsomely answered. An enlarged charter was obtained from the Legislature, which empowered the Directors of the society to buy and hold real estate, and to have the management of orphans as in other institutions. Further, the Common Council were authorized to appropriate such land for the building of the Asylum as they deemed proper, so that nothing was now left but to open at once a home for the reception of children."