Jewish Encyclopedia J A DESCRIPTIVE RECORD OF THE HISTORY, RELIGION, LITERATURE, AND CUS- TOMS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE PRESENT DAY Prepared by More than Four Hundred Scholars and Specialists UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE FOLLOWING EDITORIAL BOARD Cynus Apune, PuLD. (Departments of Post. Mancus Jastuow, Px.D. (Departmentof the Talwad). Biblical Antiquities; the Jeter 9p Aomori). Gormnaro Drorsex, Pu.D. (Department ‘of History from 1498 to 1902) Kaveman Kone, Pu.D. (Departments of Theology Lows Ginzneno, PuD. (Department of — ed Piilosophy). Rabbiniad Literature Farpeeick px Sota MENDES, PiuD. (Chiff of te Rican Gorriten., PHD. (Deparéments of "Bureau of Translation ; Revitng Editor) ‘Gsary from Esra to 14g) Hany 9 Hcry fram are fo 19 FF reroorn Sincen, PacD. (Departnent of Modern Biography rom 1730 0 1901)- JoserH JAcous, BA. (Departments of the "jes England aid Antivopolgy; Reve. ChavevoRD H. Tox, D.Dy LED. (Departments of Monnis Jas Row, JR. PHD. (Department ofthe Bible). Ging Editor). Hebrew Philology and Hellenistic Literature). ISAAC _K. FUNK, D.D., LLD. FRANK H, VIZETELLY (Chairman ofthe Board Seoreary ofthe Board ISIDORE SINGER, Ph.D. Projector and Managing Editor ASSISTED BY AMERICAN AND FOREIGN BOARDS OF CONSULTING EDITORS COMPLETE IN TWELVE VOLUMES EMBELLISHED WITH MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND ILLUSTRATIONS NEW YORK AND LONDON FUNK AND WAGNALLS COMPANY mMpccccr STADTBIBLIOTHER i on a FRANKFURT AM MAIN.STAD? YLIOTHES FRANKFURT AM MADTOPEN LETTER TO THE PATRON-SUBSCRIBERS OF THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA [FROM DR. ISIDORE SINGER, PROJECTOR AND MANAGING EDITOR] ‘At the beginning of the year 1898, when I proposed the publication of THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA to the FUNK & WAGNALIS ComPANY, the magnitude and originality of the enterprise appealed to them strongly; but when they realized the enormous difficulties such a pioneer work necessarily presented, they felt some measure of dismay. However, as they were loath to forego the honor of publishing so great a literary undertaking if it were at all feasible, they felt their way cautiously, and were soon convinced that the entire Jewish public of America and Great Britain looked upon the ENcycLoPEDTA not san ordinary, every-day publication, but as a great Judeo-national work, to further the distribution of which was felt to be a duty and a privilege. The leaders of Israel throughout the civilized world openly encouraged the publishers to make the venture. After the publication of the first prospectus, scores of prominent Jewish writers offered their services as propagandists for the work; the editors of the Jewish papers, and almost every one of the two hundred American rabbis from New York to San Francisco and from ‘Montreal to New Orleans, received the representatives of Tie Jewssi ENCYCLOPEDIA as missionaries of a cause that deserved their energetic support; and the FUNK & WaG- NALIS COMPANY accordingly resolved to make this undertaking another magnum opus of their publishing-house, In the first announcement, issued August, 1898, the expense of producing the entire work, to comprise twelve volumes in all, was estimated at $100,000. Moro than this amount has already been spent in the preliminary work and in the production of the first volume; and the FUNK & WAGNALIS Company believe that considerably more than $500,000 will be required to render this undertaking worthy of the great causes of Truth and Justice which I am convinced it is destined to serve. ‘An encyclopedia of this magnitude could be produced only as a subscription work on the instalment plan; and to bring it to a successful completion the publishers rely upon the continued cooperation of the Patron-subscribers, to whom they now extend their thanks for the interest and support so freely given. More than half of the Patrons are Jews of foreign origin, and have but recently arrived in America, When the representa- tives of the FuNK & WaGNALts Company, in order to avoid any misunderstanding, explained to these eager supporters of Jewish lore the legal aspects of the engagement into which they had entered, their answer was invariably to this effect: “Every Jew considers his word a solemn pledge; and twice solemn does he consider his pledge if it be given to a non-Jew, especially if, as in the present case, the non-Jew serves the cause of Israel. ‘Every Jewish subscriber would consider it as a chillul ha-Shem (profanation of the Holy Name] to place in the way of the Christian publishers of a Jewish work the slightest obstruction to the carrying out of the obligation signed by him.” T, as a Jew, know this to be the attitude of my coreligionists; but, having assumed the responsibility of inducing a firm of Christian publishers to enter a field of literature com- paratively new to them, and to venture upon such a costly enterprise, I felt bound to furnish them with the strongest: guaranties I could command, My expectations were more than realized, A great many of the Patron-subscribers of the work—bankers, merchants, and other business men—volunteered their services to advertise the work among their personal friends. One of the first subscribers, a rich manufacturer of Baltimore, wrote: “There are twenty thousand well-to-do Jews in the United States who can afford to buy your book and will do so if properly approached and by the right person. I deem it a duty