In Egypt, according to the census of 1907, the Jewish population numbers 38,635, of whom half are natives, half strangers. The condi tion of the Jews has been greatly improved of late decades owing to the work of the Alliance Israelite Universelle (q.v.), which established many schools. Cairo has 10' synagoguesin all, with 10,000 Jewish inhabitants. Morocco had in the 80's of the last century about 40,000 Jews, although widely varying estimates are given. They are of two classes: the descendants of the early settlers, who are found mostly in the Atlas and hilly section; and of those who sought shelter in Morocco from Spain and Portugal. The former, speaking the Berber, are antagonistic to modern ideas; the latter form a progressive settlement, many speaking Spanish. In the ports they are fair linguists, are active in business, particularly in Mogador; and are employed by the foreign consulates. With the exception of a few under foreign pro tection all suffer from. Moorish injustice, and are confined in the Mellah, or Ghetto, of each town. Such treatment has not been without its effect in making a spiritless people, who live in poverty, largely due to early child marriages, while superstitions abound. The Jews of Tripoli number about 20,000 and share the superstitions of their environment They have 18 synagogues, small and large, and are engaged in commerce and trade. Nearly 5,000 live in neighboring towns. Tunis, a dependency of France since 1881, grants equal privileges to Mohammedans and Jews — the latter num ber about 50,000 in the whole district —30,000 of whom are in the city of Tunis. They are divided into two classes: the Tunsi, descendants of the first settlers; the Grana, descendants of the exiles from Spain and Portugal, and of Jews of Leghorn (Gorneyim). There are 27 synagogues, and while a few of the people are financiers and professional men, the great ma jority are petty traders. The other 12 towns in the regency contain about 1Z000 Jews. Dur ing the European War (1914-48) a Zion mule transport corps was formed at Alexandria com posed entirely of Palestinian refugees.
• Asia.—The Jewish population approximately is thus divided: Asiatic Turkey, 200,000; Asiatic Russia, 115,000; British possessions, 20,000; Persia, China, etc., 30000; total, about 365,000. They vary in their political status according to the political complexion of the countries which hold sway—Turkey, Russia or Great Britain. Their status has gradually improved—Turkey since 1876 has instituted a close approach to civil and religious freedom, and has frequently made Jews public officials. In Yemen, Kur distan and Persia their condition continues less favorable. In Asia Minor, half of whose Jew ish population reside in the vilayet of Smyrna, they are active petty traders and handicrafts men; schools, including an agricultural one, and workshops, are making the outlook bright for the future. In Asiatic Russia, the Caucasus, some of the Jews (who •numbered about 78,000 in 1918) have become Mohammedans and Christians, and present strange types to the ethnologist. The Mountain and Georgian Jews
present widely different traits. A curious sect are the Sabbatarians, who use Russian, not Hebrew, in their prayers, but conform to many Jewish customs. Siberia had 58,730 Jews, according to census of 1918. They have had to endure many exactions and their posi tion is very anomalous; yet they are welcomed because of their energetic business methods. In Bokkara are about 5,000 Jews who wear a special badge and dwell in an enforced Ghetto. The cotton trade is largely in the hands of the In the British possessions Aden has 2,500 ews, who have almost monopolized the trade m ostrich feathers. At least 25,000 reside in British India, the greatest number in Bombay, where the Sassoons have done so much to edu cate and uplift the poor. In this city, too, can be found the Beni-Israel, a sect of black Jews of whom about 5,000 live in Bombay and 2,000 elsewhere in the Bombay Presidency and about 2,500 in Calcutta. They speak the Mahrati and were originally oil men or oil pressers, as their native name implies. Many are educated men and have entered the professions. They have several synagogues, some very handsome. In Calcutta the Jews number many prominent men in trade. Although the vernacular of the rich Jews is Arabic their habits and dress are European. Afgfianistan has fully 40,000 Jews in the chief cities. They pay a war-tax, which exempts them from military service. They live in specialquarters in the larger towns. Persia treats its with continued exactions that have broken the spirit of the people, who en perforce in the lowliest avocations. Teheran has 5,500; Ispahan, where their con dition is a little better, about 3,700. China has flourishing communities of foreign Jews at Shanghai and Hongkong, who deal largely in opium and cotton. A native body of Jews re duced to 100 in number by the census of 1900 exists in Kai-Fung-Foo, in the province of Ronan. Since 1870 their synagogue has been in ruins, and poverty has compelled them to sell their possessions, sacred and otherwise. Their origin is obscure. They are probably from Persia and have interesting traditions. In 1916 Palestine had probably 75,000 Jews, of whom 15,000 are in rural settlements, with Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed and Tiberias favored places of residence. The agricultural colonies show fair progress. Five hundred thousand boxes of oranges came from Jewish plantations at latest estimate. The wine trade is flourish ing. The general credit and the schools, date much to the Hirsch organization, are similar helpful agenties. There are in efficient work ing order reforestration colonies, an industrial colony of Yemenites, an agricultural experi ment station and a system of plant exchanges between Palestine and America. Despite an occasional locust plague and the disadvan tageous results of the European War, the status of the Jews in Palestine is hopeful. The successive appointments of Messrs. Mor ganthau and Elkus as ambassadors to Turkey have been a distinct benefit. Recent develop ments are discussed under PALESTINE AND ZIONISM.