The New York herald., 1878-11-25
JEWISH REFORMERS.
INTERESTING MEETING IN THE FoRrY-FoURTH
STREET syNAGoGUE-APPEAL OF THE RABBI


INTERESTING MEETING IN THE FoRrY-FouRTH
STREET syNAGoGUE-APPEAL OF THE RABBI
DE soLA MEyDEs AGAINST INNOVATION.
The members and trustees of the Congregation
Shaarsi Tephila held meeting last evening in the
basement of their splendid synagogue in West
Forty-fourth street. to take action the
financial embarrassments of the corporation.
The building dedicated in 1869. and
the debt is $4,000 For time, owing
% the business depression which felt by some
of the members. removals to other districts and
death the number OF members has been reduced.
The younger members of the congregation advocated
repeatedly the introduction of the pew system. the
organ and trained choir instead of the present sys
tenn of the and boys sitting below and the
women and girls in the gallery. the children being
free. BY making the service attractive to
gain members, each gentleman having to pay
for pew for himself and family instead of only pay
ing for himself and wife, they argued, would increase
the and get them the financial difficulty.
The elder members opposed to the change chiefly
the ground that the system and the seating to-
gether of the departure from ancient Jew-
ish customs There twenty Ave synagogues in the
city, of which five have organs and the pew system.
These are the most fashionable and wealthy.
Under these circumstances about fifty members met
yesterday. The meeting protracted, but very
quiet. ali test questions to pew pew being
avoided during the discussion, that 1t was unde-
torInned how the majority stood as to that point.
TRUE 10 TRADITION.
President Hart read to the meeting letter from the
rabbi. Rev. DR.. Mendes. i'll which he wrote:-
GFxrLxsEN-I have tried 10 school myself 20 think of
shara Isph,a m NJ to q reya, 1 them %
utterly failed On the contrary the more have weighed
sHt sf
Ss s n Y s n s
teachers commanding separation of the IN public
'fS o. he T"nua this eo@mnsns Our
the the
n syno as held na n m & s m The
fsswas words With wore anhesa,nry "sssn,sa
DO You wonder then that shrink from SO startling SO
would have You Consider the iilus,rious past
Of rspadse .na Condemn the pa
yoa "day give erSsSeS !adai.m SsS sa., win s,ss
o the bnlwarks Of orthodox Jndsism ial the moral
Your complaint IS thai yon gain no new members WIN
ANY y
days that now they are taking measures TO aug
s You would have most powsrni and expert
snssd somps,i,oTs e for public iayer while you enjoy
and must say it. the most o1servant l~aetes
That your service may rendered and
."s Sa pss are "s in as nm S%
You propose psys y source o. .1venus rev rro o as go
Tsphila Al heart do not need this innovation open their
sy or nil % no pas and
All around must share the burden equally. Begin with
The salary you pay is necessarily scanty, nude
Guse support and mine: but II needs be, take off
il such TO fit and inst. will
bear IT, and work the harder II to preserve traditional
Judaism and Shaarxi Tephila. You all share
the burden Give the to-day To head the list take
the liberty of enclosing for il select the sub
s.pS I Ps% 10 my l.an q i've ana
A.'e 80 "'A'' T. BIZ soLA MENDRs
The reading OF this letter followed by applause.
The result was that about $5,0 900 promised
fhe spot toward $4,000. which would reduce the
floating debt that all wonld be smooth financially
both sides, with the hope OF making compromise
far TO have an organ and trained choir on the
model Of the Berkley Street Synagogue in London,
which has an organ and choir, but pews. The
committee will report 10 meeting next Sunday af-
tern