JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZA TIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. With the rapid increase in recent decades of the Jewish population, due chiefly to enforced emi gration from parts of Europe where anti Jewish legislation and unfavorable economic conditions have long prevailed, Jewish com munities have markedly developed in numbers and influence with the general growth of Amer ican cities, large and small. Hence the more urgent need of religious, educational and social organizations to cement more firmly scattered elements and create greater attachment to their traditions. Such societies, too, ensure efficiency in the education of the young, in the relief of the poor; and in any co-operation with similar foreign organizations in times of danger and distress. Their activity is not exceptional, but is no less true practically of all religious or racial elements. To mention concisely the char acter and work of the most important Jewish national organizations, the various fraternities are powerful factors in Jewish solidarity. The oldest and most influential, the I. 0. B. B., had its 10th quinquennial convention in 1915, with 40,083 members, 442 lodges (in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa), 11 districts, and three hospitals in Denver, New Orleans and Hot Springs, Ark.; orphans' homes in New Or leans, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Erie, Pa.; Home for Aged in Yonkers, N. Y.; six Sabbath and immigrant schools, a club at San Francisco, and employment bureaus at Chicago and Pittsburgh, with other agencies. The I. 0. Brith Abraham had its 32d annual convention in 1918; it has over 200,000 members and 760 lodges, The order Berith Abraham, founded in 1859, has 58,000 members and 365 lodges. The I. 0. Berith Sholom had its 14th annual convention in 1918; it has 54,000 members and 371 lodges. Other orders are the Free Sons of Israel, 8,000 mem bers, Free Sons of Judah, 25,000 members. In dependent Western Star Order, 22,000 members, the I. 0. of True Sisters, in its 68th year, about 6,000 members. The Jewish Chautauqua was formed in 1893, has 5,000 members, with correspondence school faculty and about 60 circles of students. Of imposing numbers are various labor organizations, all founded within recent years and extending over the entire country. The Jewish Socialist Federation has
over 5,000 members— its purpose is "socialist and political agitation and organization of the Jewish working class,' > with about 90 branches. The Poale Zion Socialist Labor Party is 12 years old, has 3,800 members and 77 branches. The Socialist Territorialist Labor Party is 12 years old, has 3,200 members and 45 branches. In the field of religion is the Union of Ameri can Hebrew Congregation, organized 1893, com posed in 1918 of over 200 congregations, the largest and most prominent in the country, with four departments, executive and financial, board of governors of the Hebrew Union College, board of delegates on civil rights, board of managers of synagogue and school extension. The Hebrew Union College has about 150 grad uates in office, with a full staff of professors and a large body of students. In the same field of religion are the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregation, founded in 1898, of lim ited numbers, the United Orthodox Rabbis, or ganized in 1907, 120 members, and the United Synagogue of America, founded in 1913, with a small but growing constituency. Zionistic in character are the Order Sons of Zion (1908), 4,000 members and 87 camps ; the Socialist Young Poale Zion (1915), 800 members and 19 branches; Young Judma (1908), nearly 350 circles, to popularize Jewish education and spread Zionism among Jewish youth; the Miz rahi of America (1912), 4 bureaus, 100 organ izations and 10,000 members, whose aim is ((the land of Israel, for the people of Israel, guided by the law of Israel" ; the Knights of Zion (1893), affiliated with the Federation of Ameri can Zionism. Hadassah is the women's Zionist society, founded 1912, nearly 30 chapters, affili ated with American Federation of Zionists. Its purpose in America is to foster Jewish ideals and make Zionist propaganda; in Palestine, to establish a system of district visiting nursing. The Federation of American Zionists, organized 1897, has 50,000 shekel payers and 156 societies, issues a magazine, leaflets, etc. The various Zionist Societies were merged in 1918 into one organization and a Jewish Congress was called in December to uphold Jewish rights abroad.