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Show o A GREAT JEWISH CELEBRATION IN AMERICA. It is now two hundred and ilfty years since tho beginning of a movement move-ment which, according to Prof. Abram S. Isaacs, of New York University, "is likely to provo tho most momentous migration in Jewish history." Toward To-ward tho end of 1054 tho first Jewish settlers on tho soli of what Is now tho United States landed at Now Amsterdam, Amster-dam, and tho Jows of America havo sot apart November 30, Thanksgiving Day, for tho celebration of that event. "Tho. approaching Thanksgiving Day," writes Mr. Max J. Kohler, secretary sec-retary of tho American Jewish Historical His-torical society, "will thus havo a special spe-cial significance for tho million and a quarter of Jews residing in this land, who will then lnvoko God's blessing upon this beloved country, which, first among tho nations of modern times, recognized tho Jew's tltlo to nil tho rights of man, and permitted per-mitted him, In common with all other oth-er members of tho body politic, to worship tho Almighty Father according ac-cording to tho dictates of his own con. science." Tho plans for tho celebration celebra-tion included exercises at Carnegie hall, Now York, religious services in all tho synagogues and Jewish Sabbath Sab-bath schools throughout tho land, and tho ultimate erection of a permanent memorial In Now York city. Tho executive ex-ecutive commltteo in charge of tho celebration is composed as follows: Jacob H. Schlff, chairman; Dr. Cyrus Adler, Samuel Greenbaum, Daniel Guggenheim, Prof. Jacob H. Hollander, Holland-er, Edward Lauterbach, Adolph Lew-isohn, Lew-isohn, Louis Marshall, Isaac N. Selig-man, Selig-man, Rov. Dr. H. Porelra Mondes, N. Taylor Phillips, Simon W. Rosondalo, William Salomon, Louis Stern, Oscar S. Strauss, Mayer Sultzberger, and Max J. Kohler, honorary secretary. Tho approaching anniversary has already resulted In magazine and ndwspaper surveys of tho history of tho .Tows1 in America, as well as In a book on tho subject by tho Rov. Madison Mad-ison C. Peters, D.D. (Baptist). From theso sources wo gather somo facts and opinions in regard to their religious reli-gious activities, and their relation to tho religious life of tho country. From tho forthcoming volumo of "Tho Jewish Jew-ish Encyclopedia" wo learn that "there aro now probably in tho United Unit-ed States somo 1,000 synagogues, to which may bo added 314 houses of prayer used In tho East Sldo of Now York, making a total of 1,314, of which about 100 aro of tho so-called Reform rite." From tho samo source wo learn that "congregational autonomy au-tonomy Is perhaps tho most striking characteristic of American-Jewish ro-llgious ro-llgious development." Wo read further fur-ther of a breach between "orthodox" and "reform" Judaism, with mention of tho Ethical Culture society found ed at Now York by Professor Felix Adler in 187C as "an outgrowth of certain cer-tain phases of tho trend toward ox-tremo ox-tremo liberalism." Professor Abram S. Isaacs, writing in tho North American Am-erican Review, asserts that "Judaism is as much at homo In America as Christianity; it is neither an anachronism anach-ronism nor a fossil." Tho samo writ-er writ-er thinks that tho Jew's chief contribution contri-bution to our religious llfo is to bo found in his breadth of view. We road: "Tho representative American Jew is never a bigot ho respects his neighbor's faith and usually gives to charities without distinction of creed, in tho spirit of Adolph Hallgarten, whoso bequests to Institutions of various va-rious creeds included our colored brethren. Ho Is quick to meet his neighbor on common ground, so broadening in our time; and on Thanksgiving day and other occasions occa-sions ho is glad to welcome his Christian Chris-tian brother to his pulpit. In periods of stress, as in tho Paterson flro of 1902, tho synagogue is opened cordially cor-dially to tho church without thought of payment, oven for an occupancy of several years. Ho recognizes his now environment and has outgrown the Ghetto point of view, at whatevor cost to cherished traditions. Ho is quick to adopt In education and charity tho best modern methods, and Joins cheerfully in movements for social reform re-form and civic progress. Judaism 13 to him a broad unlversalism, which demands active participation in tho llfo of tho dav a looklntr forward and not backward." Jowlsh organized charity In America, Amer-ica, states Max J. Kohler in tho American Am-erican Review of Reviews, "Is certainly certain-ly unsurpassed by that of any other denomination." Emphasizing tho friendly relations that havo existed between Jews and Christians in America, Am-erica, Mr. Kohler reminds us that in 1788 Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Mc-Kean, Mc-Kean, William Bradford, and others contributed to p. Christian fund for tho maintenance of a Jowlsh synagogue syna-gogue In Philadelphia, whllo still earlier ear-lier a number of Jews in Now York, headed by the rabbi, contributed toward to-ward a steoplo for Trinity church. Another An-other writer tells us that in thoso early days the Protestant' Episcopal bishop of Now York occasionally attended at-tended service in tho synagoguo. Tho Detroit News Tribune suggests that tho celebration Is one that "might fitly fit-ly bo participated in, not by Jows alone, but by all of us." Dr. Peters, In his book, contributes nothing that is new. Ho reminds us that Jesus and all of His apostles were Jows, and that "our Bible, tho Old as well as tho Now Testament, with tho possible exception of tho book of Job, was written by Jews.'1 Ho also calls attention to tho fact that criminal statistics givo tho Jows, notwithstanding not-withstanding the tremendous Immigration Immi-gration In recent years, tho best record rec-ord of any raco or religion In America. Amer-ica. "Christians and Jews," ho laments, la-ments, "make Ignorance of each other a claim for judgment, and seem to bo afraid to become acquainted for fear they might like each othor." Literary Lit-erary Digest. |
