During the year 1904-5, no less than 871 ships were met at the London Docks by representatives of the Jews Temporary Shelter, carrying 47,831 passengers. 6,771 of these immigrants stayed at the Jews Temporary Shelter in Whitechapel, which gave them somewhere to stay, officially for up to 14 days, with three meals per day. 2,785 of the immigrants stayed for over 14 days.
I have previously written about the Tenth Annual Report of the Poor Jews Temporary Shelter, printed in 1895. What distinguishes the Twentieth Report is the story of the large influx of Russian Military Refugees. Many Russian Jews had been conscripted and served in the Russian army. When the losses suffered by the Russians in the Japanese War compelled the Russians to recall the Reservists, the Jews from the Pale of Settlement were among the first to be enrolled. Many Reservists fled.
The Shelter had become an important philanthropic Anglo-Jewish institution, with the largest donations in 1904-5 being special donations for emigrating Russian reservists of 11,200 pounds from N. M. Rothschild and Sons.
The word “Poor” has been dropped from the title of the organization. The Jewish refugees are coming regardless of whether they are poor – they are escaping being conscripted into the Tsar’s army. The Shelter is helping many immigrants who are in transit – not settling in the United Kingdom, but going on to the United States or Africa. The story is told in the pages below.
Jewish Miscellanies 