Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-05
ISRAEL.
Grand international Congress
OF RabbiS. 90 81
Church Reforms Among the Jews.

Z u
town hall, which had been SO Hbersll,
offered by the magistrates. The numeT
Gus rabbis who hSd come from all part
of Germany, even from Vienna an
SWitzerland, vera welcomed by DR.. LaZ
arous Adler, Rabbi OF Cassel, who ex
pressed regret st the sudden indispOsitiOl
which prevented DR.. Wolff, from Gothen
burg tSweden, and DIR. Gottheim, from
Manchester (England,) TO be present
All the rabbis had been quartered in tn
private houses of Israelite citizens, an
room was left for some more ye
expected to arrive. DR.. Adle
was then appointed by unani
NOUS vote Presidentof the assembly, an
two Vice Presidents were elected in tn
persops of the rabbi from Berlin, Di
Aub, and the rabbi from Bonn, DR.. Phil
lipssD. aA- u b..
Tint object of the rabbinical congres
having been stated by DIR. Adler. g
solution of the cenhiot with which tn
Hebrew Church is threatened, q cOnf1ie
between religion and science, be
tween old rites of worship an
modern ones - he was followed b.
Rabbi DR. Phillipson, 5r., Of Bonn, VIII
reviewed the efforts of the last two rah
bipieal congresses in Frankfort and Bres
lau Ia 1874 and 1916. He admitted tina
the firmest characters would modif.
their views after lapse OF years, es a.
and everybody were but creatures O
time bat hs desired that the assembl!
should pass resolutions which, though
not binding the Isrealitish oongrega
tions, may serve them as guidepOsts
They needed such guides very much, anC
If the present generation would not sc
eepttns,s ths rising one should. Fl
compared the Jewish religion 20 20 IN Ole
though Cace sesWorthy ship, il
| which many Of Israefs children
had crossed the waters in safety
| But now the sheathing is gone, the tim
| bers rotten, and who can accuse those
who try to repair and improve what il
left of destructive tendencies, or ever
hieraTchical ambition? Every Jew
ish community Is entirely at liberty t.
follow its own dictates, but the resolu'
tions of this assembly would serve many
as a beacon Light.
This brought cut DR.. Geiger, Rabbi Of
Frankfort on the. Main, who proposed tC
settle first the character of the assembly,
which, as he considered 1t, had met tO
discuss, but not to decide questions. II
will not do for US, he said, TO proceed In
dependently Ia these mStter5 without
allowing delegates of communities full
share in the debate and the voting. The
communities are eminently interested iD
questions on worship, and we here, rab-
bis only, should organize first regular
synods, TO be held every second or third
year, and to which representatives of Is
rseliEs communities and theol0gists
should be admi ted. DR.. Anb, Rabbi OF
Berlin, supported this position taken by
the previous speaker. He considered
that they, as rabbis, may give advice,
but had no right TO dictate
Rabbi PhiIlipsOn opposed these and seve-
raj other leagues; he demanded action I;
they ought not to consider themselves
only a consultation body, nor would he
like to 20 home empty handed. What
he wanted TO propose and resolve upon
we're reforms of anagOgical ritual, for
which purpose he had drawn up thirty
questions, had them printed and distrib-
uted to members. Mosaic worship ought
to assume again the simple forms it has
once possessed, allowing of perform
3nce in the smallest community with
limited means. Shall the reading of the
ThOra within circle Of three years be
preferred Is the Hsftara to bekept up
Ia what language? Is a choice of por-
tions OF 1t to be made every two or three
years, or shall it be left to free
choice Are select parts Of the Chethu-
bim to be used ? Shall Borchu, Kriath
Achema, Theflla, Kedusha, priestly
blessing and ksddish for orphans tc
be retained in the old idiOm
Shall Thefilla be spoken out but
once during worship? I5 the public
service to begin with Borchu, with an
with one of the usual prayers, as Ad0n
Dian, E.ohe Neshame, Kishmath, ETC.,
or with q song ? Are the parts between
Borehu and Kriath Schema, and be-
tween the latter and Thefilla, to be al
tered and to be spoken in Hebrew Shall
Mussaf-Thefilla be left out, 30 that Nue.
SAT will be followed by Hsftara in song,
a sermon, OIsnu, Ksddish, ETC., and
finally with hallelUjah? Is MinISn to
be retained as hitherto? Shall changes
be made respecting q, the calling up OF
angels by their names b, the sacri-
ices; C, the personal return to Pales-
tine? But should not, on the other
hand, new prayers treat on the religious
mission of Israel, on providential protte
ton in its history, on the principles OF
Judaism, etc. Relating to the three
high festivals, shall, as on Sabbath, the
festive Thefilla, Thora, Ksftars and
other songs be introduced? ? Shall Hallel
be said in Hebrew or in the language of
the land, and shall Il be modified +? Shall
a sermon be introduced between Thefilla
and Hallel explicative OF the meaning of
the festival? Shall q prayer be said on
Pessach for the weather in spring and
summer, and on Shmini Azereth for that
of autumn and winter (dew and rain) ?
Shall all the Piutirn be left out in future?
What IL to be done with Lulsf7 And
what with Simohath-Thora How shall
It be with the second day of these fesLi-
vaIs2 Shall full and additional sermon
be preRehed on Rash-hsshana and Jona-
KiDpnr mOTning? How shall It be with
Shofar? VIII the same portion Of the
Thors as heretofore be read on Rosh-
hasbana? Is Jom-Kippur 10 be further
divided into four distinct services? :? Shall
the. solemn Hascorath Neshamoth be
said between Shscrit and Mussaf2 How
shall it be with Aboda? And shall that
portion OF Thors heretofore in use be said
IN addition to Minchah ? Shall the sing
Ing during service be unisOnOf May the
organ be recommended? Shall choir
and musical performances be admissible,
though to be recommended only in cases
Of sufficient and capable performers and |
barring all pTofane music y
A majority of the Congress Of Rabbis
decided, however, that before entering
1pon the consideration of these and ali |
other questions relating to rites and GER
smonies the primary question of Rabbi |
DR.. Geiger, OF Frankfort, should be first |
disposed Of. The motion of that gentle |
man, to-wft: .-
l. The rab5is assembled at present In |
Cassel consider their meeting prelim-
nary one, to be succeeded by periodical |
synods, to which Jewish theolo0ists not |
a Office and delegates from comm unities !
5hsll be admitted.
2. All motions received by this con-
yress may be disposed Of at once or re-
erred to committee, who, at their |
option, report to the present or to fu- |
.ure assembly.
This was voted upon and carried by q |
majority.
The next oeject of the debate was the |
Of future synods. Some op-
position was made to the admission of |
.heOlogists other than rsbbis, and to lay
men representing communities, but IL /
was finally sgreed in a liberal spirit 70 |
adopt no such restrictions. 1t was fur
.her suggested that aside from general
biennial synOds there should be annual
district and local meetings.
The assembly adjourned at . late hour
q the afternoon to the following
SECOND DAY,
AUGUST 13.-Prayer having been said,
he assembly greeted q newly arrived