Statistical Data of the Jewish Religious Schools, Book

The Gratz College of Philadelphia, in furtherance of its general purpose of preparing teachers for Jewish religious schools and stimulating religious instruction, published, in 1907, statistical data of the Jewish Religious Schools of Philadelphia. Believing that progress in the direction of Jewish education, as well as in any other undertaking, depends largely upon a knowledge of existing conditions, it was decided to extend this inquiry to the neighboring city of Baltimore and to the second largest city in the State of Pennsylvania, Pittsburg, and the results of the inquiry are here presented. It is hoped that similar investigations will soon be made as to the status of Jewish elementary education in other centres of Jewish life in this country.

The editor desires to make grateful acknowledgment to all who have aided in bringing this material together, and especially in Baltimore to Mr. B. H. Hartogensis and Mr. Morris A. Rome, and in Pittsburg to Rev. Dr. Rudolph I. Coffee, who have given much time and labor to this work in their respective cities.

It is estimated that there are 50,000 Jews in Baltimore City, of whom the largest number lives in the congested district East of Jones’ Falls. To provide for these there are 34 schools, in which a total enrollment of 2,845 is given by the official figures submitted herewith. It is obvious that not sufficient provision is made for those whose attendance at schools or Chedorim may be expected. Geographically considered, it appears that there are large numbers of boys and girls of the school age in the North- western residential section, in the Southern district and in the Western suburbs near Pulaski Street unprovided for.

There is no Sunday School Society in Baltimore and there are no Sunday Schools, saving the Frank Free Sabbath School, although the Council of Jewish Women does maintain Bible Classes and Study Circles; the Daughters in Israel conduct services every Sabbath afternoon, except in the summer, for some 400 children, while the Hebrew Education Society, at its building on Sabbath morning and holidays, has services for about 200 more; the Talmud Torah Free School Society is inaugurating model Sabbath services under its newly installed superintendent, Rabbi E. N. Rabinowitz, in its amply large and attractive hall; yet it is said there is room for more such services, while none are provided outside of the congested districts on the East side.

The Talmud Torah has a new well-equipped building, a capable superintendent in Rabbi Rabinowitz, a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary, and an adequate corps of teachers. The Hebrew Education Society, with its fifty years of prestige, is likewise fortunate in quarters and ten teachers. Dr. S. Benderly, the superintendent, has achieved national distinction for conducting at this building a model school in which, beginning with the children at tender ages, Hebrew is taught as a living language, much after the Yellin method. The Sabbath Schools conducted by the congregations, to which Rabbis Rosenau, Guttmacher and Rubinstein respectively minister, are well equipped, have a corps of competent teachers and get good results, though instruction is limited to but once a week.

The Hebrew Education Society conducts a training school for intending teachers, but provides no course for regular teachers. B. H. H.