Ohio Jewish Chronicle, 1929-07-05, page 01 |
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..•-ffi.fa-:
•jr
-•"" vt-j.*.. '.jjT.ii.. J.- awg^s
Centra/ OAto's Only
Jewish Newspaper
Reaching Every Home
A WEEiCLY NEWSPAPER FOR THE JEWBH MCmE
Devoted to American
and
Jewish Ideah
Vol. XII —No; 26
COLUMBU'S, OHIO, JUI.V 5, ujk)
Per Year $3.00; Per Copy 10c
Thrqe Hundred and Fifty Reform Rabbis
of the U. S. Gather At Fortieth
Annual Convention In Detroit
Dr. Hyman G. Enelow, President of Central Conference of Ameri¬ can Rabbis, Says Demand for Religion Exists Despite Attacks-—Deplores the Tendency In Jewish Life Towards the Secularization of Judaism—De¬ clares That the Jewish Religion Is the Only Cord That Has Bound the Jew. to Judaism.
That the separation of the Jew from his religion \yould bring about his de¬ struction 35 a people, was the declara¬ tion made last Wednesday by, Dr. H. G. Enelpw, Rabbi of Temple Emaiiu-El, New York City, President of the Cen¬ tral Conference ot American Rabbi.';, in his nlcssage before the 50th annual con¬ vention ol that body in Detroit. Despite the many efforts to break down religion on the part of scientists,; liberals, and others, there still exists a demand for it, Dr. Enclpw contended. The Jews, how¬ ever, he pointed out, have only survived as a grolip because of their adherence to Judaism; otherwise, he asked, would there have beeii a single Jew in the world today?
Three hundred and fifty, Reform Rab¬ bis frpm various parts of the country are in attendance at the Convention. In addition to ¦ marking tlje 40th anniver¬ sary of the organization of the Central Conference pf American Rabbis, the meeting also celebrated its founding in , this city. It had its; beginning at a, meet¬ ing, caljed by the late Isaac M, Wise and which was hpld in this city on July 9, 188y. There are present at this confer¬ ence a number,of prominent Rabbis who took' part .in . its deliberations at that time. They are Dr., David Philipson, who presided at the initial meeting, Rab¬ bis David Davidson of New York, Sam¬ uel Sale of St Louis, Mo.; joseph;Stolz of Chicago, 111., William Rosenau of Baltimore, Md., William Friedman of Denver, Colo., and Isaac L. Rypins' of Jpplin, Mo,
Dr. Enelow's message covered a range of Jewish profcilema,i" It contained a de fense of Reform Judaism. It reviewed : its progress and cited its achievements. It set forth the attitude of the Reform Jew toward the establishment of Pales¬ tine as a homeland,; declaring that this group was interested in developing that country, merely, as a spiritual and Cul¬ tural center for the Jew. It also an¬ nounced that body's attitude toward the Jewish Agency, favoring the organiza¬ tion, of the Agency, with the understand¬ ing that it be free entirely from pditi- cal alliances. His message made a plea for the, development of a Jewish litera¬ ture and called for more rigid require¬ ments' in the training of Rabbis. *-
Dr. :Enelow announced that in 1890 there were in the United States 533 congregations, ,with a membership of -over 130,000. In 1926, there were 3118 congregations, with a Jewish population of over four million. , The Union of American Hebrew Congregations; an or¬ ganization of Reform temples, included at that time, 93 .congregations. Today it has 279. ¦
Dr. Enelow Deplor«s,SeculariBm Speaking on.the Jew and Judaism, and the.impossibility of dissociating the Jew ,from his religion. Dr. Enelow said:
"One of the unmistakable marks of Jewish life in recent years, has been the ¦attempt to dissociate the Jew from the Jewish religion and to secularize Juda¬ ism. By this I do not mean that some individual Jews have claimed the right for themselves to intcrjirtt' life in secular terms or to quit the Jewish religion; such things have happened always. What I' mean is that a disposition has arisen to represent the whole Jewish people as essentially a seciilar people, or as an ethnic qmalgam, or as a national group, .which as such is by no means , vitally related to the Jewish religion or to any other Religion, and in the exist¬ ence of which Judaism as. a religion must at: best be assigned a secondary, accidental position. Moreover, a scheme has been started to define Judaism itself., —seeing the word could not be taken from our mouths—in secular terms, as something representing a form of cul¬ ture, or a series of biologic phenomena, or a set of social customs and folk-way?, and similar fortuitous combinations. Re- ¦ ligion, from this point of view, is sup¬ posed to have fonhed just one of the minor mpvements in the millennial drama of Jewish history.
The Jews A Religioua People "As far as 1 am concerned, we have no task more important than the com¬ bating of this view, which not only mis¬ represents Jewish history^ but must also serve to confuse the Jewish mind to vulgarize Jewish life, and to undermine the Jewish future. What does history tell ua abont the Jew and Judaism of the past? One thing above all else;
EXPLAINS THE ATTITUDE OP REFORM JUDAISM TO¬ WARDS PALESTINE AND CALLS ATTENTION TO THE 60th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF REBECCA GRATZ
namely, that from the dawn of Jewish history to the present moment, Judaism has been the religion of the Jewish peo¬ ple, has been the vehicle and the guard^ ian of the Jewish religion. Would there ever have been a single Jew in the world but for the Jewish religion—for God's revelation ;to the Jew and Jew's accept¬ ance of that revelation? What con¬ ception have the spokesmen of Judaism ever possessed or bequeathed to the world except that of a divine religion .cherished by the Jewish people? Per. haps some historian of the future will find 3: difTereiit answer to these ques¬ tions; but thus far thei-e js but one unanimous voice in all the documents of the Jewish past. The chief purpose of. the fathers of the Jewish people, we are reminded by Moses Maimonides, was to bring into existence a people which .woiild know God and serve Him, and the secret of all their efforts was. to publish' the unity of God in the world and to direct human beings toward His love. , Tiiat is, says Maimonides, ¦ what endowed them with the degree of their distinction; and, it applies to all Israel. Religion the Only Binding Power "The Jewish religion is the only cord that has bound.the Jew to'Judaism, and, what is more, it is the only thing that is likely to perpetuate the Jew of the future and to justify.,the continuance of his separate existence. What other rea¬ son is there for the Jtiw to want to maintain himself in !the world as a being apart, in spite of the diverse objections and oppositions of the world? And what other, force is there to ensure his endurance for any length of time? An individual Jew, may ¦¦grow indifferent to the Jewish religion and yet continue a kind of reminiscent existence as a Jew or maintain a sort of benevolent or so¬ cial contact with the Jewish community, though he has become spiritually what the Great Midrash calls 'the man from whom the Divine Presence is hidden, a casual person. But take religion, the Jewish religion, Judaisiri' out of the life of the Jewish people, or treat Jt as a matter of minor consequence, and you not only have removed what hitherto has formed the soul of the Jew and t^ supreme safeguard of his continuity, but ' (Continued on page G)
DON'T FAIL TO COME OUT TO THE JOINT PICNIC TOMORROW
Mrs. A. Goldberg, Gi7 Lin¬ wood Avciiuc, and Mrs. Robert WasRerman, 7!i5 Bryden road, are the co-chairmen for the joint picnic of the Ivreeyoh and Ezras Noshim Societies which will take place on Sunday, July .7th, at Hcimandale Grove. Co¬ operating with them are the following: Mra. .Samuel Brief, Mrs. Sam ShilT, Mrs. J. Minkin, Mra, Earl Rccd, and MrB. Bam J. Schlonsky.^
If yon are going by traction, you will be met at the end of the car line by our bus which will take you to the Grove. ,
In addition to the above- named Indies, the following men will asaist: .Messrs- Josephs SoIoVe, M; Mathless, M. Horo¬ witz, and j. Haas.
Don't forget the time and place. A good time is assiired to all.
Thousands Mourn the Passing of Dr. Boris D: Bogen
International Secretary of the
Independent Order of B'nai
B'rith Met lEnd In
California
FAMOUS SOCIAL SERVICE
WORKER WAS BORN
IN RUSSIA
CINCINNATI.—Dr. Boris D. Bogen, GO, international secretary of the Inde¬ pendent Order of B'nai B'rith, is dead after nearly three,decades of work with Jewish charities and B'nai B'rith.
Many Are Looking Forward
to Annual B'Nai B'Rith
Picnic, July 28th
Justin L. Sillman Is Chairman of The Arrangements Com¬ mittee for iBigr Affair At Oak Park
Justin L. Sillman and his committee take this nieans of extending a most cor¬ dial invitation to all members of Zion Lodge, No. 02, I. O. B. B., their families, and their friends to attend the. big annual picnic at Oak Park, Stinday, July 28, l92i); From all indications, a record- breaking crowd will turn out.
No stone is being left unturned .by the committee to make this year's outing the most pleasant and successful one in the annals of the local B'Nai B'Rith Lodge
There will be dancing, games of all kinds, and contests of all descriptions in which young and old, male and female, will, participate. .
The following are asMsting in putting over the affair: President Louis. Rosen¬ thal, Vice-President Justin L. Sillman, Ben Z. Neustadt, Aaron M. I*^eustadt, Robert L. M'elhnan, Harry Schwartz,. Jacob B. Wolstein, Walter Katz, and I. W. Garek.
If you arc a member of Zion Lodge, No. C2, I.e. B. B., or have friends who are members, you are most cordially in-' vited to spend the day at Oak Park, Sun¬ day, July 28, VJ->9, as tiie guest of the Lodge. '
Come out early and stay as long as you like.
' ^-U^-^^fe-.v
DR. BORIS D. BOGEN
Sixty-Second Annual Meeting of J. O.
H. Directors Will Take Place On
Sunday, July Mth
Removal of the Present Wards to Their New Cottage Type Home
Will Be Undertaken The Following Week^TIie New Buildings
Including ten Cottages, a Chapel, A Recreation Building,
An Administration Building, and A Hospital Were
Recently Completed at a Cost of $1,500,000.00
CLEVELAND.—Thc sixty-second.an¬ nual meeting of the directors of the Jewish Orphan Home in this city on Sunday, July 14th, will constitute the final .scsRibn of the board in the buildings tbat have sheltered more than 4,000 de¬ pendent children since the Home was es- InblKsliedby the B'nai B'rith to care for Civil War orphans in 1868. Removal of the present ward , to their new cottage type Home in the suburbs of Cleveland win be undertaken the foHPwing week. The new buildings including ten' cot¬ tages, a chapel, a recreation building, an administration" building and a hospital, were completed recently at, a cost of $l,-il)0,O0O for thie buildings, equipment and grounds. The , building fund was made possible by popular subscription through sixteen states of the . middle west comprising Districts N03. 2 and G, Independent Order B'nai B'rith. ,
To permit the adjustment of .the chil-' dren in the Orphan Home to their new surroundings and to afford an oppor¬ tunity for the completion of the land¬ scaping of the thirty acre plot on which the new buildings are situated, the for¬ mal dedication of the " Home ' will be postponed until fall, it is announced by Fred Lazarus,' Jr., of .Columbus, Ohio, and president of the institution.
Graduates of the Orphan Home have arranged an elaborate program for their annual meeting to be held simultaneously with,the meeting, of the bo^rd. This occasion 'will mark' their final oppor¬ tunity to visit the only "home" that many of them can recall iri their child¬ hood, for some of, the graduates were bereft of their parents at an early age. The Cleveland institution has been famed for several generations because of the character of its graduates. The alumni
contributed: ^250,000 to the. building fund ^"¦ ^^ ^^^^^ j^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^j ^^^ q^^ in^.the recent campaign.
Once situated in a pleasant,.neighbor
pearaiice, the original buildings have he- come antiquated and unfitted for the best practice in modern child care. They were pitrchascd by the City of Cleve¬ land, and thbughthas been given by the municipality to raze the buildings and create a model, playground and recrea¬ tion center in one of its most populous and congesfe<l neighborhoods.
For many years, the. children of the Orphan Home have attended public schools, where they have attained, credit¬ able records in scholarship and school activities, ¦. Principals and members of the. faculty of grade' and high schools attended by the children expressed their regrets at the departure, of the Home children from their BChools, At one public school, a farewell reception, spon¬ sored by the faculty, was held last week. The' Orphan' Home children ;wiU .con¬ tinue to ¦ attend the public, schools in University Heights, where the new buildings are situated. .
Based upon the pledges received at the end of the first year of the building fund campaign, the actual construction of new buildings was undertaken just a year ago. The cornerstone was laid with appropriate ceremonies 6n July 8th last; The new buildings represent the last word in construction for the best in modern child care.
Twenty-five children wiil occupy each tottago under tlie care of, a cottage tnother. Ample provision has been made also for . constructive _ and character biiilding recreation.. The teams, of the Jewish Orphan Home have made envi¬ able records for themselves in athletic .competition. , Much .attention has been given also to the cultural training of the children through musical; and dra¬ matic clubs and other associations for mental, advancement. Routine as such
Rabbis Condemn Christian Missionary Efiort As Menace To Good-Will
Express Doubt As To Penria- ncnt Value of Present Form of Good-Will at Convention
COMMITTEE ON CHURCH AND STATE MAKES IN¬ TERESTING REPORT
Technical Difiiculties
OwiiiB to technical difTicultics the CnuoNiC'l.E win not publish the full story oi the Zioiiiiit Convention in Detroit until July rith. Part I of the story regarding the animal meeting of the Central Con¬ ference of Aiiierican Rabbis appears on page 1 bf this issue. Part Uwill appear next week.
Word of his death was received here by friends , and relatives ¦ yesterday, thoiigh details, were not giyen.' He passed away at his hoiiie in Arcadia, Los An¬ geles, Calif., Saturday night; surrounded by many members pf his;family.
Dr. Bogen recently had been elected president of the .National Federation of Jewish Agencies and in that capacity had- left here only 10 days ago to at¬ tend a tneeting in San Francisco. After the . meeting there he had . gone to his home, where he had planned a short vacation, reaching there, Saturday.
Born in Russia, Dr. Bogen came to this country while still a young man and complctedi his schoolil)g at the Uni¬ versity of New York, wlierc he was awarded the degree of Ph. D., from the school of pedagogyfi^Hc began teaching upon graduation and continued unlil 1904 when he came here as superintend¬ ent of the United Jewish Cliarities. For six years he continued that work, giving it iip to become, field secretary of the Federated Jewish Charities of the Unitetl States. After the war, Dr. Bogen did considerable post-war \york in Poland and pther European countries, under the auspices of the joint distribution com¬ mittee.
Returned from Europe, he became superintendent of the Associated Jewish Cliurches, with Jicadquarters at Los An¬ gelas, which position he held until Sep¬ tember 1, ,1925, when he took up the work of international secretary of the Independent Order of BInai B'rith.
Dr. Bogen is siirvivcd by his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Bogen, Los Angeles, also a native of Riissia, three sons and three daughters. Though it was not knowii for'certain here, it was presumed burial would be at Los Angeles,
Felix M. Warburg, Chairman of Ihe Americart Jewish Joint Distribution Com¬ mittee, in a statenient declared: "It seems incredible Ihat his wonderfully useful life has come to such an. untimely close. There were so many things he wanted' to do. I feel his going as tlje sad loss of one of my warmest personal friends. Jewry is deprived of one of the most courageous, self-sacrificing and undcr-
hodd in Cleveland, the Orphan Home has been in recent years in the center of that whjch is ktiown lijcally as the "roaring third precinct" because of its deteriorated character. Removal of the children fo a more desirable environnient was considered by the board as many as twenty ¦ years ago. '- The situation be¬ came critical a dozen years ago, but be¬ cause of the war and the subsequent re¬ lief and welfare "drives", action was postponed until two years ago. The building fund campaign was launched at the annual meeting of the board in July, 1827, and with the exception of a few scattered communities, every town and city having a Jewish population in the middle west has participated. Though yet imposing in, external ap-
DETROIT, Mich.—Condemnation ot Christian missionary effort which, it was pointed out,, is menacing the good-will movement between Christians and Jews was voiced, at yesterday's session of the fortieth annuaL convention of the Cen¬ tral Conference of American Rabbis at the Hotel Statler here. ,
Following an address by Rabbi Louis J. Kopald of Chicago on the good-will movement, Rabbi Solotnon Foster of Newark, N. J. expressed doubt of, the permanent value of the present form of good-will between the Central Confer- ; ence of American Rabbis and the Fed-j eral Council of Churches of Christ in America^ He said that the Christian members of the Committee have.definite¬ ly, refused to recommend to their con-: stitucnt churches the discontinuance of . tlieir missionary activities and stated that the reports of the Federal Council of Churches describe the wonderful pos¬ sibilities involved in the relationship be¬ tween Jews and Christians as an outpost of Christianity to modern Israel.
Dr. Joseph .Silverman of New York attacked the Good-will" Committee of the Federal Council and called their activi¬ ties "a subtle, forni of Christian propa¬ ganda. "So long as Christians fail to admit that the Jews were right for the past, eighteen hundred years and insist- that they themselves . "Were not wrong, then the good-will movement is doomed to failure and is an attempt on the part of Christian rnembers to proselytize the jews," Rabbi Silverman said.
Dr. Isaac Landman of New Yoirk, who was the organizi^r of the Permanent Commission on 'Better Understanding between Christians and Jews,. defended this inovenient and pleaded that "men I should, be-human beings first atid Jews
phan Home, and each child ia encour-l ^a Christians afterwards." aged to the'fullest to develop initiattve I
and the traits of character that will serve, him best when be leaves the Home to take his place in the world outside. ¦ Dependent children, whose welfare is served best by the advantages which the Honie has to ofi?er, are admitted' between the ages of five and . sixteen . and are graduated at the age of sixteen. Many of them pursue courses in .higher edu¬ cation and ' specialized -occupational courses after leaving the institution.. The After Care . Depairtment,. maintained by the graduates themselves, keeps a help¬ ful contact with every boy and girl gradijate until, certain that the graduate can make his or her way without,fur- fher assistance. This contact is often maintained for as long as five years after the child leaves the Home.
Jewish Technicians To Study Employment In Jerusalem Electric Works
Invited to Survey Company's
Attitude Toward Jewish
Labor
JERUSALEM — Jewish technicians have been invited by the Jerusalem Elec¬ tric Coirporation to examine the com¬ pany's attitude toward Jewish labor, ac¬ cording to a report curreiit here.
It is believed that this will result hi an early improvement of the situation and the employment of more Jewisli workers in the project. The company was prompted to this action due to the protests and the decision of some Jewish organizations to boycott the corporation's electric service unless Jews are employed.
DELEGATES TO BAR MEETING ARE OF¬ FICIALLY ANNOUNCED
Rabbi Louis A. Mischkind of
Wilmington Dies of
Injuries
WILMINGTON, Del.—(J. T. A.)— Rabbi Louis A. Mischkind of Temple Beth Emeth, Wilmington, died on Wed¬ nesday at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital of meningitis contracted follow¬ ing his being thrown from a horse in March. He was 32 years old and a native of Louisville, Ky. He came here in September, 192.5 from Chicago. Pre¬ viously he had charge of c6ngregattons in Wheeling, W. Va., and. New i^ork City.^'
WELL-KNOWN CINCINNATI
JEW IS HONORED BY
PRESIDENT HOOVER
..\niong the men appointed by E. W. Dillon, president.of the Columbus Bar Association, to represent the association at the aiuuial summer session of the Ohio State Bar Association which will be held at Cedar Point, July 11, 12 and 13, are Frank "V. Bayer, John W. Bricker, John C. Harlor and Smith W; Bennett, Through an arrangement with Judge Benson W. Hough, a comniittee of the Bar association, including Justin L. Sill¬ man, Walter de Bruin, and Curtis C. Williams, jr., has heen appointed to make an investigation in all bankruptcy cases
WASHINGTON — (A. P.) — Alfred Bettman of Cincinnati has been selected as one of tiie technical advisors of Pres¬ ident Hoover's law enforcement commis¬ sion.
He will be in charge of that section of the commission's work relating to the efficiency of prosecution machinery in the administration of criminal law.
He is a former city solicitor of Cin- cini^ati nnd during the war was a special assistant to the-attorney general of the United States.
standing pioneers not only hi organized '" wW* tbe alleged bankrupt files an
charity, but in the relief work in wbich affidavit of inability to deposit the amoiint
(Continued on page 4) | required as security for costs.
KNIGHTS OF ISRAEL MEET¬ ING AT HEBREW SCHOOL SUNDAY
Lively discussion, developed at Friday's session on the worth and practicabiiUy of the Reform Sunday and religious schools. Rabbi James G. Heller of Cin¬ cinnati called :the Sunday schools a com¬ plete failure and de'laf'tl""' ""^ chil¬ dren are growing up ignorant of things Jewish. "Rabbi Silverman blamed the .. failiire of the Sunday schools on the rabbis' inability to'bring success, to the present system of religious education, while Rabbi Barnett Brickner of Qeve¬ land blamed the failure of the schools : on the antiquated theology at present fol¬ lowed and urged that methods of in¬ struction and teaching of Jewish history and religion.be brought up to date.
The system of the present religious , schools was defended by Dr. Emanuel Ganioran, director of education of the . Unioii of American Hebrew Congrega¬ tions. The discussion on the Reform religious schools developed as a result of a report of Rabbi Jacob R. Pollack, assistant director of Synagogue and School Extension of the Union of Amer¬ ican Hebrew Congregations in New York City, who pointed out that whereas the average cost of Jewish education per child in non-Reform schools 1s $30 per year, Reform Jews are spending only $5 per child in their Sunday schools.
Rabbi Pollack told the convention that whereas other Jewish groups were spend¬ ing $8,272,023.annually on the education of their children, the Kcforin Jews were spending only t507,310 or five and eight- tenths per cent of this amount. Here- ported the number of children in Re¬ form schools to have grown from 9,5i>9 in 1899 to-18,045 today. ;¦
Rabbi Soloition Fineberg of Mount Vernon, New York, deplored the fact that Reform religious schools have been made to appear- as a place wher? one learns fairy tales and urged the reivrit- ing of textbooks and present Biblical material now held to be a myth ui such a way that their values would remain unimpaired.
Reporting for the Committee on Church and State, Rabbi Edwin N. Cal- isch of Richmond, Va., told of tha-efforts that arc being made by Reform rabbis to prevent the passage of sectarian legis¬ lation and said that through the inter¬ vention of members of the Conference, Bible reading bills were defeated in Wis¬ consin, Michigan, West Virginia, Ten¬ nessee and Ohio.
It is expected that heated discussion will develop at Sunday morning's session on resolutions which may alifect the future existence of the Good-Will Corn- Further
The Knights of Israel Lodge which until recently has been meeting regularly at the Odd Fellows Hall, 1981 S. High
Street, will meet this Sunday evening at mittee of Christians and Jews, 7130 at the'Columbus Hebrew School, 558 I discussion on missionary efforts , in this East Rich Strett. country ia expected on Sunday.
s;;
lig
Object Description
| Title | Ohio Jewish Chronicle, 1929-07-05 |
| Subject | Jews -- Ohio -- Periodicals |
| Place | Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio) |
| Creator | Ohio Jewish Chronicle |
| Collection | Ohio Jewish Chronicle |
| Submitting Institution | Columbus Jewish Historical Society |
| Rights | This item may have copyright restrictions. Online access is provided for research purposes only. For rights and reproduction requests or more information, go to http://www.ohiohistory.org/images/information |
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| Format | newspapers |
| Date created | 2008-07-31 |
Description
| Title | Ohio Jewish Chronicle, 1929-07-05, page 01 |
| Subject | Jews -- Ohio -- Periodicals |
| Place | Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio) |
| Creator | Ohio Jewish Chronicle |
| Collection | Ohio Jewish Chronicle |
| Submitting Institution | Columbus Jewish Historical Society |
| Rights | This item may have copyright restrictions. Online access is provided for research purposes only. For rights and reproduction requests or more information, go to http://www.ohiohistory.org/images/information |
| Type | Text |
| File Name | Ohio Jewish Chronicle, 1929-07-05, page 01.tif |
| Image Height | 5005 |
| Image Width | 3590 |
| File Size | 2350.258 KB |
| Full Text |
..•-ffi.fa-: •jr -•"" vt-j.*.. '.jjT.ii.. J.- awg^s Centra/ OAto's Only Jewish Newspaper Reaching Every Home A WEEiCLY NEWSPAPER FOR THE JEWBH MCmE Devoted to American and Jewish Ideah Vol. XII —No; 26 COLUMBU'S, OHIO, JUI.V 5, ujk) Per Year $3.00; Per Copy 10c Thrqe Hundred and Fifty Reform Rabbis of the U. S. Gather At Fortieth Annual Convention In Detroit Dr. Hyman G. Enelow, President of Central Conference of Ameri¬ can Rabbis, Says Demand for Religion Exists Despite Attacks-—Deplores the Tendency In Jewish Life Towards the Secularization of Judaism—De¬ clares That the Jewish Religion Is the Only Cord That Has Bound the Jew. to Judaism. That the separation of the Jew from his religion \yould bring about his de¬ struction 35 a people, was the declara¬ tion made last Wednesday by, Dr. H. G. Enelpw, Rabbi of Temple Emaiiu-El, New York City, President of the Cen¬ tral Conference ot American Rabbi.';, in his nlcssage before the 50th annual con¬ vention ol that body in Detroit. Despite the many efforts to break down religion on the part of scientists,; liberals, and others, there still exists a demand for it, Dr. Enclpw contended. The Jews, how¬ ever, he pointed out, have only survived as a grolip because of their adherence to Judaism; otherwise, he asked, would there have beeii a single Jew in the world today? Three hundred and fifty, Reform Rab¬ bis frpm various parts of the country are in attendance at the Convention. In addition to ¦ marking tlje 40th anniver¬ sary of the organization of the Central Conference pf American Rabbis, the meeting also celebrated its founding in , this city. It had its; beginning at a, meet¬ ing, caljed by the late Isaac M, Wise and which was hpld in this city on July 9, 188y. There are present at this confer¬ ence a number,of prominent Rabbis who took' part .in . its deliberations at that time. They are Dr., David Philipson, who presided at the initial meeting, Rab¬ bis David Davidson of New York, Sam¬ uel Sale of St Louis, Mo.; joseph;Stolz of Chicago, 111., William Rosenau of Baltimore, Md., William Friedman of Denver, Colo., and Isaac L. Rypins' of Jpplin, Mo, Dr. Enelow's message covered a range of Jewish profcilema,i" It contained a de fense of Reform Judaism. It reviewed : its progress and cited its achievements. It set forth the attitude of the Reform Jew toward the establishment of Pales¬ tine as a homeland,; declaring that this group was interested in developing that country, merely, as a spiritual and Cul¬ tural center for the Jew. It also an¬ nounced that body's attitude toward the Jewish Agency, favoring the organiza¬ tion, of the Agency, with the understand¬ ing that it be free entirely from pditi- cal alliances. His message made a plea for the, development of a Jewish litera¬ ture and called for more rigid require¬ ments' in the training of Rabbis. *- Dr. :Enelow announced that in 1890 there were in the United States 533 congregations, ,with a membership of -over 130,000. In 1926, there were 3118 congregations, with a Jewish population of over four million. , The Union of American Hebrew Congregations; an or¬ ganization of Reform temples, included at that time, 93 .congregations. Today it has 279. ¦ Dr. Enelow Deplor«s,SeculariBm Speaking on.the Jew and Judaism, and the.impossibility of dissociating the Jew ,from his religion. Dr. Enelow said: "One of the unmistakable marks of Jewish life in recent years, has been the ¦attempt to dissociate the Jew from the Jewish religion and to secularize Juda¬ ism. By this I do not mean that some individual Jews have claimed the right for themselves to intcrjirtt' life in secular terms or to quit the Jewish religion; such things have happened always. What I' mean is that a disposition has arisen to represent the whole Jewish people as essentially a seciilar people, or as an ethnic qmalgam, or as a national group, .which as such is by no means , vitally related to the Jewish religion or to any other Religion, and in the exist¬ ence of which Judaism as. a religion must at: best be assigned a secondary, accidental position. Moreover, a scheme has been started to define Judaism itself., —seeing the word could not be taken from our mouths—in secular terms, as something representing a form of cul¬ ture, or a series of biologic phenomena, or a set of social customs and folk-way?, and similar fortuitous combinations. Re- ¦ ligion, from this point of view, is sup¬ posed to have fonhed just one of the minor mpvements in the millennial drama of Jewish history. The Jews A Religioua People "As far as 1 am concerned, we have no task more important than the com¬ bating of this view, which not only mis¬ represents Jewish history^ but must also serve to confuse the Jewish mind to vulgarize Jewish life, and to undermine the Jewish future. What does history tell ua abont the Jew and Judaism of the past? One thing above all else; EXPLAINS THE ATTITUDE OP REFORM JUDAISM TO¬ WARDS PALESTINE AND CALLS ATTENTION TO THE 60th ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF REBECCA GRATZ namely, that from the dawn of Jewish history to the present moment, Judaism has been the religion of the Jewish peo¬ ple, has been the vehicle and the guard^ ian of the Jewish religion. Would there ever have been a single Jew in the world but for the Jewish religion—for God's revelation ;to the Jew and Jew's accept¬ ance of that revelation? What con¬ ception have the spokesmen of Judaism ever possessed or bequeathed to the world except that of a divine religion .cherished by the Jewish people? Per. haps some historian of the future will find 3: difTereiit answer to these ques¬ tions; but thus far thei-e js but one unanimous voice in all the documents of the Jewish past. The chief purpose of. the fathers of the Jewish people, we are reminded by Moses Maimonides, was to bring into existence a people which .woiild know God and serve Him, and the secret of all their efforts was. to publish' the unity of God in the world and to direct human beings toward His love. , Tiiat is, says Maimonides, ¦ what endowed them with the degree of their distinction; and, it applies to all Israel. Religion the Only Binding Power "The Jewish religion is the only cord that has bound.the Jew to'Judaism, and, what is more, it is the only thing that is likely to perpetuate the Jew of the future and to justify.,the continuance of his separate existence. What other rea¬ son is there for the Jtiw to want to maintain himself in !the world as a being apart, in spite of the diverse objections and oppositions of the world? And what other, force is there to ensure his endurance for any length of time? An individual Jew, may ¦¦grow indifferent to the Jewish religion and yet continue a kind of reminiscent existence as a Jew or maintain a sort of benevolent or so¬ cial contact with the Jewish community, though he has become spiritually what the Great Midrash calls 'the man from whom the Divine Presence is hidden, a casual person. But take religion, the Jewish religion, Judaisiri' out of the life of the Jewish people, or treat Jt as a matter of minor consequence, and you not only have removed what hitherto has formed the soul of the Jew and t^ supreme safeguard of his continuity, but ' (Continued on page G) DON'T FAIL TO COME OUT TO THE JOINT PICNIC TOMORROW Mrs. A. Goldberg, Gi7 Lin¬ wood Avciiuc, and Mrs. Robert WasRerman, 7!i5 Bryden road, are the co-chairmen for the joint picnic of the Ivreeyoh and Ezras Noshim Societies which will take place on Sunday, July .7th, at Hcimandale Grove. Co¬ operating with them are the following: Mra. .Samuel Brief, Mrs. Sam ShilT, Mrs. J. Minkin, Mra, Earl Rccd, and MrB. Bam J. Schlonsky.^ If yon are going by traction, you will be met at the end of the car line by our bus which will take you to the Grove. , In addition to the above- named Indies, the following men will asaist: .Messrs- Josephs SoIoVe, M; Mathless, M. Horo¬ witz, and j. Haas. Don't forget the time and place. A good time is assiired to all. Thousands Mourn the Passing of Dr. Boris D: Bogen International Secretary of the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith Met lEnd In California FAMOUS SOCIAL SERVICE WORKER WAS BORN IN RUSSIA CINCINNATI.—Dr. Boris D. Bogen, GO, international secretary of the Inde¬ pendent Order of B'nai B'rith, is dead after nearly three,decades of work with Jewish charities and B'nai B'rith. Many Are Looking Forward to Annual B'Nai B'Rith Picnic, July 28th Justin L. Sillman Is Chairman of The Arrangements Com¬ mittee for iBigr Affair At Oak Park Justin L. Sillman and his committee take this nieans of extending a most cor¬ dial invitation to all members of Zion Lodge, No. 02, I. O. B. B., their families, and their friends to attend the. big annual picnic at Oak Park, Stinday, July 28, l92i); From all indications, a record- breaking crowd will turn out. No stone is being left unturned .by the committee to make this year's outing the most pleasant and successful one in the annals of the local B'Nai B'Rith Lodge There will be dancing, games of all kinds, and contests of all descriptions in which young and old, male and female, will, participate. . The following are asMsting in putting over the affair: President Louis. Rosen¬ thal, Vice-President Justin L. Sillman, Ben Z. Neustadt, Aaron M. I*^eustadt, Robert L. M'elhnan, Harry Schwartz,. Jacob B. Wolstein, Walter Katz, and I. W. Garek. If you arc a member of Zion Lodge, No. C2, I.e. B. B., or have friends who are members, you are most cordially in-' vited to spend the day at Oak Park, Sun¬ day, July 28, VJ->9, as tiie guest of the Lodge. ' Come out early and stay as long as you like. ' ^-U^-^^fe-.v DR. BORIS D. BOGEN Sixty-Second Annual Meeting of J. O. H. Directors Will Take Place On Sunday, July Mth Removal of the Present Wards to Their New Cottage Type Home Will Be Undertaken The Following Week^TIie New Buildings Including ten Cottages, a Chapel, A Recreation Building, An Administration Building, and A Hospital Were Recently Completed at a Cost of $1,500,000.00 CLEVELAND.—Thc sixty-second.an¬ nual meeting of the directors of the Jewish Orphan Home in this city on Sunday, July 14th, will constitute the final .scsRibn of the board in the buildings tbat have sheltered more than 4,000 de¬ pendent children since the Home was es- InblKsliedby the B'nai B'rith to care for Civil War orphans in 1868. Removal of the present ward , to their new cottage type Home in the suburbs of Cleveland win be undertaken the foHPwing week. The new buildings including ten' cot¬ tages, a chapel, a recreation building, an administration" building and a hospital, were completed recently at, a cost of $l,-il)0,O0O for thie buildings, equipment and grounds. The , building fund was made possible by popular subscription through sixteen states of the . middle west comprising Districts N03. 2 and G, Independent Order B'nai B'rith. , To permit the adjustment of .the chil-' dren in the Orphan Home to their new surroundings and to afford an oppor¬ tunity for the completion of the land¬ scaping of the thirty acre plot on which the new buildings are situated, the for¬ mal dedication of the " Home ' will be postponed until fall, it is announced by Fred Lazarus,' Jr., of .Columbus, Ohio, and president of the institution. Graduates of the Orphan Home have arranged an elaborate program for their annual meeting to be held simultaneously with,the meeting, of the bo^rd. This occasion 'will mark' their final oppor¬ tunity to visit the only "home" that many of them can recall iri their child¬ hood, for some of, the graduates were bereft of their parents at an early age. The Cleveland institution has been famed for several generations because of the character of its graduates. The alumni contributed: ^250,000 to the. building fund ^"¦ ^^ ^^^^^ j^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^j ^^^ q^^ in^.the recent campaign. Once situated in a pleasant,.neighbor pearaiice, the original buildings have he- come antiquated and unfitted for the best practice in modern child care. They were pitrchascd by the City of Cleve¬ land, and thbughthas been given by the municipality to raze the buildings and create a model, playground and recrea¬ tion center in one of its most populous and congesfe |
| Format | newspapers |
| Date created | 2008-07-31 |
