News Items.

The royal assent to the resolution emancipating the Jews in the Rhenish Prussian Provinces (see Occident, vol. I. no. 7) has been refused for the present. We expected this result, and are therefore not disappointed, much as we regret the continuance of the spirit of exclusion in our native country.

Dr. Ludwig Phillipson, the editor of the Allgemeine Zeitung des Judenthums, author of the collection of sermons called Siloah, one of which we give in our present number, and of several other works, translator and commentator of the Bible, and Rabbi of the district of Magdeburg, in Prussian Saxony, has proposed an annual meeting of the Rabbis and preachers of Germany, to be held in some central place, for the purpose of deliberating upon matters of general interest to Judaism. We have Dr. P.'s journal only to the 18th of March, and one (No. 10) of the series moreover is wanting; but we learn enough from the papers on hand, to state that the following, some of them the most eminent men among our German brethren, have assented to the plan:—Dr. Herxheimer, Rabbi at Bernburg, Dr. Herzfeld, Rabbi of Brunswick, Dr. Holdheim, Rabbi at Schwerin, Dr. Geiger, Rabbi at Breslau, Rabbi Kohn, of Trier, Dr. Auerbach, Rabbi at Bonn, Dr. Klein, Rabbi at Stolp, Dr. S. Hirsch, Rabbi at Luxemburg, Dr. G. Salomon, and Dr. N. Frankfurther, preachers at the Hamburg temple, Rabbi Bodenheimer, of Hildesheim, Mr. Isaac Noa Mannheimer, preacher at Vienna, Dr. Z. Frankel, Rabbi at Dresden, Dr. D. Eichhorn, Rabbi at Birkenfeld, Rabbi B. Wechsler of Oldenburg, and Dr. M. Hess, Rabbi at Stadt Lengsfeld. We hope that much good may result from the assembly of so many eminent men, though we regret not to see among them the names of some of the older members of the rabbinical fraternity. Union is necessary, and we trust that henceforward the state of independent action of each public teacher will be at an end, and that whatever is proposed will come with the authoritative stamp of free discussion and candid judgment from those in whom the people have confidence.

Just in going to press we have received the Voice of Jacob, Nos. 73 and 74, from which we extract the following additional particulars of Dr. P.'s plan:

Annual Meeting of (German) Rabbis and Ministers. Dr. Philippson, the projector of these meetings, continues to explain his objects and expectations in his periodical. On his own behalf, it is his intention to submit the following three important propositions to the first meeting. (1) How is the establishment of a Jewish Theological faculty to be obtained? (2) Will the meeting take part in the foundation of a Jewish hospital and school, in Jerusalem? (3) How is unity to be ob­tained, in reference to the improvement of public worship?

Trades Among Jews. We gather with much satisfaction, from the Orient and the Jewish Gazette, that a considerable number of Jews are now engaged in learning mechanical trades, especially under the protection of the societies established in various large cities for the promotion of this object. During the past year the society at Frankfort on the Maine assisted the large number of 548, and of these but four quitted their employ, and but one of them on account of the bad conduct of the apprentice. This is truly a gratifying exhibition of the general good character of the humbler classes of our people of Frankfort and vicinity. A similar union exists at Strasburg, and we believe likewise at Breslau, as also in Westphalia, and doubtlessly in other places.

Jews in France. We learn that a new organization of the consistories of Jews in France has taken place, so that every district containing 2000 souls shall have a consistory, and where there are less, several districts, amounting to this number, are to have one in common. We know not enough of the power of these councils to state any thing with precision.—Mr. Cremieux, well known to the public, has been appointed president—he was formerly vice-president, of the central consistory, which holds its sessions at Paris.

Mr. Altaras has been appointed French consul at Bombay.

Conversions From Christianity. As an offset to the occasional apostacy of Jews to Christianity, which are so boastfully announced in even the political papers of the day, we extract the two following, one from a German, the other from an American paper:

“On the 30th of November, was celebrated at the Israelitish temple at Paris, the marriage of Mr. Moritz Godchaux, with Miss Magdalene Antoinette Staley, who had become a convert to Judaism.”

“Conversion to Islamism. The Augsburg Gazette, in a letter from Constantinople, of the 24th ult., states that a whole Prussian family, which has lately arrived at Constantinople, has declared its intention to adopt Islamism. It appears that one of the daughters of the family fell in love with a young Turkish officer, who was for some time in Berlin; that she and her family followed him to Constantinople, where the young lady is to be married to the object of her choice; and the consequence is, that not only she, but all her family, are to become Mahomedans. The Prussian minister has taken some steps to prevent the affair, but apparently without effect.”

The Russian Jews. A letter from Berlin, dated 26th March, in the Orient, says, “The recently threatened deportation of the Russo-Polish Jews, still occupies public attention, insomuch that the when and how of the rumoured repeal of the Ukase are uncertain. Thus much is clear, that the King of Prussia is by no means pleased with the policy of the Ukase, and intends to use his good offices with the Emperor (expected here in the summer) in favor of the oppressed.”—V. of J.

Hospital of Jerusalem. The establishment of a hospital for Israelites at Jerusalem, under Jewish patronage, continues to be agitated in Europe. Dr. Frankel (v. our vol. 1, p. 264) is actively engaged in the good work of assisting the sick in the Holy City; but the labour is too much for one man.

* We have received from Mr. Peynade, of Hackney, several pamphlets, for which we return him our acknowledgement, but our space prevents us from noticing them at length this month. Contributions from several correspondents have been unavoidably omitted. Some at least shall receive an early attention.