FAIR,  1895.
 

69
 

piled, from which certain orthodox prayers
were omitted. This has just been replaced by
the new Union Prayer Book.

As early as 1875 an agitation in favor of
Sunday services took place, but the same were
not instituted till 1888, since when they have
supplemented the regular Saturday and holi¬
day service. In the agitation which arose in
1855, when Rev. Dr. I, M, Wise and others
attempted to reimpose the binding authority
of the Talmud upon American Judaism, Tem¬
ple Emanu-El took a definite position against
this claim, and it has ever since thrown its
great influence in favor of the various reform
movements which, after deliberation, have com¬
mended themselves to the sound judgment of
the congregation. The congregation has main¬
tained an efficient Sabbath School since many
years, has directly founded numerous adjunct
charitable and religious institutions, and its
members have always been'among the leaders
and the most liberal supporters of all our Jew¬
ish charitable institutions. Its officers at pres¬
ent are: Rev, Drs. G. Gotlheil and Joseph
Silverman, Ministers ; Rev. Wm. Sparger, Can¬
tor ; Lewis May, President (who has been un¬
tiring in his labors in its behalf in this position
ever since 1865); James Seligman, Vice-Pres¬
ident (one of its founders); Samuel M. Schafer,
Treasurer ; Myer Stern, Secretary ; Trustees—
Isaac Eppinger, James H, Hoffman, Moses H.
Moses, Charles L. Bernheim, Louis Stern and
Emanuel Lehman.

The Emanu-Eiv Sisterhood oe Personai,
Service was organized in 1889 by its present
President, the Rev. Dr. G. Gottheil. Its pur¬
poses are to enlist, organize and direct the per¬
sonal efforts of its members and others for the
benefit of the needy, the distressed and the sick,
and to lend assistance to such by suppl3ing
them with material means for the training and
teaching of children and adults, and for pro¬
tecting the infirm and helpless, and by nursing
the sick, and by all other means to assist those
borne down by misfortune. There are no pay
members. Active members are under obliga¬
tion to give regular personal service to the
Sisterhood—that is, to devote one morning,
afternoon, or evening of the week to the asso¬
ciation. Such organized communal work was
a new and novel step among our women, de¬
 

manding, as it did, personal service among the
unfortunate from all its members instead of
money contributions; yet its history shows
how successful its beneficent labors in this
direction have been, to say nothing of the
testimony of the hundreds whom it has re¬
lieved each year. Its work is done by five
sections, each in charge of a Guide and asso¬
ciate workers:

ist. Friends of the Sick and Needy—Miss
Stiner, Guide—Has in its care the district be¬
tween Seventy-sixth and Ninety-sixth streets,
and during the last fiscal year investigated and
attended to 994 cases.

2d. The Teachers' Branch for Religious and
Industrial Training—Miss Kayton, Guide—
A down-town branch, is under Mrs. R. Levy's
supervision.

3d. Friends of the Working Girls—Mrs. B,
L. Friedman, Guide—A Working Girls' Club
called the '' Friendly Club,'' having a mem¬
bership of 115, self-governed, and with classes
in Dress-cutting, Millinery, Sewing, Book¬
keeping, English, Bible, Calisthenics and Sing¬
ing, and encouraging social features.

4th. The Day Nursery—Mrs, S. H. Levy,
Guide—Harbors 58 children, under the control
of an experienced Kindergaertnerin.

5th. Employment Bureau — Mrs. Wm.
Einstein, Guide—Found positions for 684 ap¬
plicants during the last year, enabled a few to
establish themselves in business, and fills a
long-felt want in the district.

Besides these sections, a Mission School is
conducted under the supervision of Miss Julia
demons, instructing no children; a Sewing
Class in charge of a Committee, of which Mrs,
Lewis May is Chairman and Mrs, S.
Lavanburg, Secretary, which prepares gar¬
ments for Section i ; and also a Sisterhood
Sunbeam Society, composed of graduates of
the Sunday School, who provide amusements
for children under the Sisterhood's charge.
All the sections and branches work harmo¬
niously together, the work centering around
the society's home. No. 223 East Seventy-
ninth street. Its executive officers include :
Rev. Dr, G. Gottheil, President; Mrs. M H.
Moses, First Vice-President; Mrs. S. Borg,
Second Vice-President; Mrs. L- May, Treas¬
urer ; Miss Carrie Wise,. Secretary,