The schism between the two classes of Jews prevail all over the world, though the rational Jews treat the distinction as absurd.
The German Dutch Jews, who may amount to from twelve to fifteen thousand have Six Synagogues, the principal of which are in _Duke's Place, Leadenhall Street_, and _Church Row, Fenchurch Street_. They observe the particular ritual of the German Synagogue, and also include the _Polish_, _Russian_, and _Turkish Jews_, established in London.--With the exception of three or four wealthy Individuals, and as many Families who are in trade on the Royal Exchange, they are in general a very indigent class of people, through whose medium crimes are generated to a considerable extent.--Their Community is too poor to afford them adequate relief, whence they have resorted to the expedient of lending them small sums of money at interest to trade upon, which is required to be repaid monthly or weekly, as the case may be. Otherwise they forfeit all claim to this aid.--The reproach arising from their evil practices and idleness, is said to have engaged the attention of the respectable part of both Synagogues with a view to a remedy, but all their attempts have been heretofore unsuccessful.]
The habits they thus acquire are the most mischievous and noxious to the Community that can be conceived.--Having connexions wherever the Dock-yards are situated, as well as in several other large trading towns in the Kingdom, they become in many respects the medium through which stolen goods are conveyed to and from the Metropolis; and as their existence depends on this nefarious traffick, they keep alive a System of Fraud and Depredation which, perhaps, is generated in a greater degree by their peculiar situation in respect to Society, than by any actual disposition on their parts to pursue these nefarious practices.
Even the system of supporting the poor of this Community, by lending them small sums of money by which they may support themselves by a species of petty traffick, contributes in no small degree to the commission of crimes; since in order to render it productive to an extent equal to the wants of families who do not acquire any material aid by manual labour, they are induced to resort to unlawful means by dealing in stolen goods and in counterfeit money, by which they become public nuisances in the Countries where they receive an asylum.