Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/680

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The Jewish Women of America
639


under sixteen years of age committed for various mis-demeanors. Compared with the entire Jewish population of New York City this number is insignificant, and the ratio will probably be found to be considerably lower than in the general population. Furthermore, the records of the department of charities in the city of New York showed that out of the Jewish population approximating seven hundred thousand in greater New York, in the almshouse in Blackwell's Island there were only twenty-six pauper Jews, of whom the majority were blind, idiotic, or possessed of some peculiar defect, which prevented admission to existing Jewish charitable institutions.

And there is no indiscriminate alms-giving among Jewish charity workers. The work of the United Hebrew Charities of New York is typical of similar Jewish organizations throughout the United States, and it is organized and run as accurately and scrupulously as any large business house. It is in their auxiliaries to these organizations that the Jewish women have accomplished a work which richly deserves mention in an account of what women are doing for America's welfare. The sisterhoods in various districts co-operate with the United Hebrew Charities. They give material relief, have developed day nurseries, kindergartens, clubs and classes of various kinds, employment bureaus, mothers' meetings and in fact have become social centers for the poor of their neighborhoods. Since a large percentage of the distress which is met with is occasioned by illness, medical relief of all kinds has been organized, each district as a rule, having its physician and its nurse.

The Home for Aged and Infirm at Yonkers, New York, is managed by well-known philanthropists but all the kitchen utensils, linen and all household articles are provided by a Ladies' Auxiliary Society composed of twelve hundred members.

Of all the problems which confront the average charity