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REPORT OF THE THIRTEENTH YEAR OF THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMERICA IQOO-IQOI THE JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY OF AMEEICA OFFICERS PRESIDENT MORRIS NEWBURGER, Philadelphia VICE-PRESIDENT DE. HENRY M. LEIPZIGER, New York SECOND VICE-PKESIDENT HERMAN S. FRIEDMAN, Philadelphia TREASURER MORRIS DANNENBAUM, Philadelphia SECRETARY DR. LEWIS W. STEINBACH, Philadelphia ASSISTANT SECRETARY DR. CHARLES S. BERNHEIMER, Philadelphia TRUSTEES DR. CYRUS ADLER ' Washington, D. C. SOLOMON BLUMENTHAL 2 Philadelphia EDWIN A. FLEISHER 3 Philadelphia HERMAN S. FRIEDMAN 2 Philadelphia DANIEL GUGGENHEIM 3 New York DANIEL P. HAYS ' New York EPHRAIM LEDERER 3 Philadelphia DR. HENRY M. LEIPZIGEH ' New York DANIEL MERZ ' Philadelphia SIMON MILLER 3 Philadelphia MORRIS NEWBUROEB ' Philadelphia SELIGMAN J. STRAUSS 2 Wilkes-Barre, Pa. HON. MAYER SULZBERGER ' Philadelphia BENJAMIN F. TELLER ! Philadelphia HARRIS WEINSTOCK 3 Sacramento i Term expires in 1903. 2 Term expires in 1903. 3 Term expires in 1904. 13 194 AMERICAN JEWISH YEAR BOOK HONORARY VICE-PRESIDENTS ISAAC W. BERNHEIM^ Louisville MARCUS BEBNHEIMER ' St. Louis REV. HENRY COHEN ' Gal veston, Tex. DR. AARON FRIEDENWALD ' Baltimore JACOB HAAS 3 Atlanta Mns. JACOB H. HECHT 2 Boston REV. DK. MAX HELLISH 3 New Orleans HON. JOSEPH HIRSH 2 Vicksburg, Miss. Miss ELLA JACOBS 3 Philadelphia HON. SIMON W. ROSENDALE :' Albany, N. Y. ALFRED SEASONOOOD l Cincinnati MRS. HENRY SOLOMON 2 Chicago REV. DR. JOSEPH STOLZ a Chicago REV. DR. JACOB VOORSANGER ' San Francisco HON. SIMON WOLF 2 Washington, D. C. PUBLICATION COMMITTEE HON. MAYER SULZBERGER, Chairman Philadelphia DR. CYRUS ADLER Washington, D. C. DAVID W. AMRAM Philadelphia REV. DR. HENRY BERKOWITZ Philadelphia DM. S. SOLIS-COHEN Philadelphia REV. DR. B. FELSENTHAL Chicago DR. HERBERT FRIEDENWALD Philadelphia DR. CHARLES GROSS Cambridge, Mass. REV. DR. M. JASTROW Philadelphia REV. DR. MAX LANDSBERG Rochester, N. Y. DB. HENRY M. LEIPZIGER New York REV. DR. DAVID PHILIPSON Cincinnati REV. DR. SAMUEL SALE St. Louis SIMON A. STERN , . Philadelphia, HON. OSCAR S. STRAUS New York SECRETARY TO THE PUBLICATION COMMITTEE Miss HENRIETTA SZOLD Baltimore The Board of Trustees meets on the third Wednesday evening of January, March, June, and October. The Publication Committee meets on the first Sunday evening of January, February, March, October, November, and December. 1 Term expires in 1903. 2 Term expires in 1903. 3 Term expires in 1904. JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY 195 MEETING OF THE THIRTEENTH YEAR The Annual Meeting of the Jewish Publication Society of America was held on Sunday afternoon, May 19, 1901, in the Assembly Eoom of the Keneseth Israel Temple, Broad Street above Columbia Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. In the absence of the President, Mr. Morris Newburger, on account of ill health, the Vice-President, Dr. Henry M. Leip- ziger, of New York, called the meeting to order. The Kev. Dr. Joseph Silverman, of New York, offered prayer. PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS The presiding officer read the address of the President of the Society, as follows: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:—This is a red letter day in the history of our Society. It seems but a short time since it was called into being, and as but yesterday when we celebrated its tenth anniversary. To-day it is Bar Mizvah; it is thirteen years old. No longer can we claim for it exemption from the consequences of deeds committed and deeds omitted; it has become a responsible being, responsible for all its actions, and the world will so hold it accountable. On you, the members of this Society, who make up its existence, you who are its bone and sinew, its flesh and its blood, a great respon- sibility falls this day. The Society has undertaken great and noble tasks—the dissemination of the knowledge of Judaism, the creation of a 196 AMEEICAN JEWISH YEAR BOOK new Jewish-English literature, and the English translation of the Bible by Jewish savants. You are committed to these gigantic tasks, and on this im- portant day you make a sacred vow to conscientiously and courageously dedicate yourselves to their fulfilment. To ac- complish this purpose, you will make some sacrifices. Every one of you can, if you will, gain recruits for the Society; and to prove to you the urgency for such action, it is but necessary to tell you that though there are probably a million Jews in the United States, and that we have with the means at our command tried our best, the membership roll shows but five thousand, Avhen there ought to be fifty thousand members. The Society falls short of fulfilling its sacred mission until its publications shall be read in every Jewish household of this land. The price of membership has been made so very low in order that even the poorest of our coreligionists may be enabled to obtain the benefits of its work. The new memberships during the year have been obtained chiefly in Philadelphia and in New York City, where our field-agent, Mrs. Scherman, has been at work. She is still continuing her canvass in the latter place, and we are hopeful from the large Jewish population that centres there, that we shall obtain many hundreds of members. It is gratifying to note that among the new members there are many of the Eussian Jewish population; and we have strong grounds for believing that this element of our com- munity will continue to add to the Society's membership everywhere. With its growth in material prosperity, its love of learning will lead it to support an institution such as ours. The report of the Board of Directors gives you the details of the year's work. I shall simply refer to a few salient features. JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY 197 You have before you a proposed amendment to the by-laws, which will permit the publication of a magazine independent of the regular publications to be sent to members. This puts the matter which has so frequently been discussed into prac- tical shape for action, for it is impossible to provide for a magazine from the regular subscription funds, under present conditions. I hope that the siibject will be thoroughly dis- cussed in all its aspects at this meeting, so that the Board of Directors and the Publication Committee may be guided by the thoughts expressed and the plans suggested. A prime consideration is, of course, the financial one, and any action that will make possible a separate magazine fund, will be the surest means toward the early publication of a magazine. True, there are many details which have to be worked out, but these may be left to the Board of Directors and the Publication Committee, though I am sure they will be glad to receive opinions and suggestions. Deliberate, therefore, as to a plan of action that will enable the Society to publish a Jewish magazine, which will be representative of Jewish culture and learning, and will be a valuable supplement to our regular publications in the spread of Jewish knowledge. A magazine takes into consideration the current of events and of thought, and quickly places them before its readers. There is much in the world about us to be described from the Jewish point of view. There are Jewish problems, for the discussion of which an American-Jewish magazine is the proper vehicle. A first-class Jewish monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly periodical is assuredly a great desideratum for American Jews; and I sincerely hope the Jewish Publication Society may be made the medram of its establishment. One of the disappointments which I have experienced, with 198 AMERICAN JEWISH YEAR BOOK many of our readers, is our inability to secure and publish high class Jewish fiction from year to year. Zangwill has declared fiction to be the highest form of truth, but it must perforce be artistic. This most talented writer has taught us some great truths in his magnificent description of the " Children of the Ghetto." But there are other stories waiting to be told, and we are waiting to publish them. We shall be satisfied with lesser Zangwills. We should particu- larly like to publish stories which would make our own coun- try their scenes or background, or which would bring in features of Jewish life as developed under American con- ditions. We are still looking for writers from our midst, and there are indications that we are not looking altogether in vain. I feel hopeful that this Society will publish the works of some young writers who are giving evidence of talent. We may, at the same time, continue to draw upon the work of English and Continental writers. I have been impressed with some of the German works of Jewish fiction, and should be glad to see this Society publish the productions of some of their authors. I have been led to dwell on this subject, because I under- stand how much more good fiction appeals to the reader than any other sort of literature. But having expressed myself thus, I feel bound to ask the members to try to appreciate the value of the other kind of literature we are sending them. The last Year Book, thanks to Doctor Cyrus Adler, was one of the most valuable compilations of facts concerning the Jews in this country that has ever been published. It shows a large development along educational, charitable, and re- ligious lines. If some of the members who ask, " What shall JEWISH PUBLICATION SOCIETY 199 I do with it? " would take a little time to study its contents; they might learn a little of the activity of their brethren; they might understand that the progress of the Jewish people depends on communal efforts, as well as on the efforts of the individuals in their locations.

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