Philadelphia.—Our last report but little of interest has occurred in this city which has come to our knowledge; we learn, however, that the congregation Kenesseth Israel, of the German Minhag, are actively engaged to procure funds for the erection of a suitable place of worship, the room they at present occupy being found entirely too confined and unsuitable for their purpose. Wishing them all success in their laudable efforts, we shall be happy to be made the medium of conveying to the proper persons any donation which may be intrusted to us, to assist our brethren to accomplish their design.

The School of the Hebrew Education progressed prosperously since our last; as we have learned. A collection which was made towards its funds, has resulted satisfactorily to its projection, since it resulted more liberally than those who this opposed sustaining the school predicted. For our part, we should have been more gratified had a course of lectures been resolved on; as by this means not alone the treasury might have been replenished, but some information imparted at the same time, to those who night have been disposed to attend: We hope that in future, should the Society require any aid in carrying out their useful designs, some more independent than taking up donations will be resorted to. Perhaps, the unpopularity of lectures in general, and in particular of the person who offered his services without any charge, may have deterred the Board of the Society from risking the experiment which might have resulted in a complete failure. We learn also that the sum collected amounts to nearly four hundred dollars, enough to make up more than <<42>> the deficiency arising from the regular income of the Society during the first year of our operations. If we understand correctly the deficit would have amounted to no more than about two hundred dollars, for which it would have been requisite to call on the permanent fund, a portion of which had been pledged to carry on the operations of the school, if it had been found necessary. Enough, however, has been shown that the institution established here after so many years of doubt and misgiving, can readily sustain itself, if those who hive children would avail themselves of the advantages it offers, to give their charges a good elementary education in Hebrew and English. The other branches can readily be added, if, the number of scholars would warrant the necessary outlay. We hope that the attendance in the coming year will far exceed that of the past. We have no hesitation in saying that the moral improvement of the pupils of the Society’s school will bear a comparison with any other in the city or elsewhere, whether it be a private enterprise or endowed from the public funds. We have also to state, that at the last meeting of the Board of Managers, before our return, the teachers, four in number, were re-elected for one year; they have all accepted their term. We may also mention that a remarkable unanimity has prevailed between the Directors and the members of the Board ever since our commencement.

An unusual mortality has prevailed during past winter among persons attached to the Portuguese congregation; not less than nine interments having taken place in the course of three months. Three of these were members of Kahal. Among those who departed this life was Mr. Abraham E. Israel, for about twenty-eight years Shammas of the Synagogue. He died as one falls asleep, on Wednesday, the 18th of February, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. Mr. Israel was emphatically an honest man, and a sincere observer of the duties of his religion. For upward of twenty-five years we stood in constant official relations with him, and we can say, in sincerity, that where the faith was concerned Mr. Israel’s heart was always right. It will be a long time before a more worthy man will be found to supply his. place. Mr. Israel was buried on Friday, and we learn that the Board of the congregation displayed proper respect to the remains of the deceased, and gave him a public funeral, an honour which no man ever more deserved than Mr. I. On Sunday following Mr. A. Finzi was, as we hear from report, elected Shamas by the Board, who have this power by the constitution.

The Jewish Publication Society works, we regret to state, were nearly all consumed on the night of the 27th December last, during the conflagration which laid waste Mr. A. Hart’s large builsing, at the corner of Chestnut and Sixth streets, Philadelphia, where they were principally stored,—Mr. Hart being the President of the Society. There was no insurance on this valuable collection of books, wherefore except the few copies which were elsewhere, the means of the Society of supplying useful reading are, for the present, annihilated. The institution had no funds on hand, and always depended on the subscribers, and the limited sales which the works enjoyed, to enable the Committee of Publication to issue the fourteen numbers of the Miscellany, which have been for some time before the public. We are not prepared to say whether there is any immediate probability of a revival of the Society, which has of late been dormant, owing to various causes; but this much is certain, that it is an institution which might be made eminently useful, if only the proper persons were at hand in emery city, to urge it forward. Those who have become acquainted with the works already published, can judge just as well as we can of their merits; and we suggest merely the propriety of opening a correspondence with the friends of Jewish literature throughout the land, for, the sake of calling again into life a Society, which is so capable of doing good. We shall be happy to be made the medium of communication with the public.

New York.—On our return we found a card of invitation to attend the “first annual ball in aid of the fund of the Jews’ Hospital in the city of New York.” Our absence, of course, prevented us from attend­ing. The festival took place on the evening of Wednesday, the 4th of February. We have not heard officially how much was realised, though we understood, in conversation; that it was above one thousand dollars. The officers named in the circular are : Sampson Simpson, President; John I. Hart, Vice President; Henry Hendricks, Treasurer ; Benjamin Nathan, Hon. Secretary; Rev. S. M. Isaacs, Theo. J. Seixas, Isaac Phillips, John D. Phillips, and John M. Davies, Dirrectors. The ball committee, consisted of B. Benrimo, Chairman; S. A. Lewis, Treasurer; L. H. Simpson, Jr., Hon: Secretary; George Henriques, Rowland Davies, Benjamin S. Hart, George King, Adolphus S. Solomons, L. Bierhoff, Max. Bachmann, N. Content, and Henry Honig. The majority of the above gentlemen are personally known to us, and we may say freely of them, that if they apply their talents and energies, the work cannot fail of succeeding. But we would hoped fully suggest to them the propriety of uniting some already es<<44>>tablished existing institution, for the purpose of establishing a ward exclusively for Israelites, instead of erecting an independent building, since the cost of the erection of such a structure, and furnishing it with physicians, nurses, servants, medicines, and provisions, would, in all likelihood, exceed any income which the Hospital Society could, by any possibility, raise in many years to come. Such a Jews’ ward is in operation in the London Hospital, and has answered all the purposes expected from it. In it all the patients could be as private as in a separate building, and every access of intermeddlers or missionaries could be readily prevented; the food for the patients also could be prepared after the strictest manner; whilst, at the same, time, one steward and one set of medical attendants, with the necessary dispensary, could answer for the whole. Will those of our readers who are members of the Board reflect this proposition? for if it is at all feasible, the benefits resulting from it could be realised at once, at least much earlier than if they would have to wait for a fund to enable them to build a large and well-appointed house of their own. Some may think that the best economy is to expend all that is required, as by this means no useless outlays are incurred; but a general hospital is so expensive an undertaking, that really if its aid is really needed, many will have to dispense with its benefits before it can possibly go into operation; wherefore, any temporary measure for granting the required relief should not be thought unworthy of the efforts of those whose aim it is to assist their fellow-Israelites in the season of sickness and suffering. Should either a permanent or temporary hospital be the result of the movement, we hope that proper efforts will be made to afford the patients also the benefit of religious consolation, which can be, perhaps, better secured through pious nurses than the occasional visits, of the various ministers of the congregations, whose time must be frequently entirely occupied by the demands which the duties of their offices make on them. A small library of Jewish works should also not be wanting in such an establishment, to serve as a rational mode of recreation during the period of convalescence.

Boston, Massachusetts.—Whilst preparing this for the press we have received a printed invitation to witness the consecration of the new Synagogue, Ohabé Shalom, at Boston, on Fridays, the 26th of March. The building is situated in Warren Street, between Elliot and Tremont Streets. We regret that we could not be present. Our time might, perhaps, have permitted it; but we have made it a rule not to accept in future any invitation to such a ceremony merely as a visitor, <<45>> unless in the place of our residence. We state this once for all, having lately had to decline several times on the same grounds. We shall, however, feel indebted to the officers of the congregation, should they favour us, with the details of the ceremony, and other particulars, relative to the condition of Israelites in Boston and vicinity.