The Princeton union., 1879-09-24
A Jewish Rabbits Opinions.

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5.,s A Jewish Rabbits Opinions.
DIR. Kleeberg, the Jewish rabbi in New
Haven, Conn, who breaches in the Court
street Synagogue, was visited, Wednesday
morning, with reference to the council Of
the union OF Americana Hebrew congreea-
tions now in session in New York. The
rabbi said that he took very little interest
in the council, and all he knew about it
he gained from the New York naners
There was no represen tative present from
TINS city, DR.. KIceberg said, and he even
doubted liza single New England state
was represented. Yet he read that the
attendance represented two-thirds of the
200 American-Hcbrew Congregations IN
the country. At one time Dr.. Kleebere
took a great deal of interest in these gath,
erngs, but Of late years he had lost
interest, tor too many times about
all that some OF 4, the delegates
seemed to labor. for was to push them
selves into prominence = to seek their own
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Furthermore said the
reverend gentleman, 81 feel that the GEN
tlemen who go to these council meetings
are hardly progressive enough for me.
For instance, you will see that the New
York meeting wrangled over The observ-
ance on Saturday of our. Sabbath, Ten
years ago | discussed the same question.
and J arrived, SO far back as that, at the
same result Shat they did yesterday-that
1t should be left with the individual. and
no general rule made. Ten ycrrs AGO, |
told my people, 'Your religion does not
rest on the Sabbath This Sabbath ques-
ton is now coming very prominently be-
fore the Jews of this country. Those who
are merchants do not like to close their
doors on Saturday, the best day for trade
OF all tho week, and they are beginning
TO ask If it would make any differ.
ence if the Jews worshippcd on a Sunday
instead of a Saturday. II havc,' con
t,nued the doctor, spreached and drawn
deductions that showed, think, satisfac-
torily, that this Sabbath matter IS not 50
Important as some of the faith would
make it.. Our religion can live whether
we hold our Sabbath on Saturday or Sun.
day. Take a parallel case: Eighteen
hundred years ago the Jews fought with
might and main against the destruction
;! OF +, the tn temple, for they thought when the
temple went Judaism would 60. The
temple, was destroyed, but Judaism still
lives and is more triumphant now than
ever before. Well, that was fight for
place; now comes a fight for timc-the
Sabbath. There is.a fight now to keen
the Jewish Sabbath, and some are raisinr
the cry that if we lose it v G lose j Judaism
Ithlnk there is not the slightest fear.'3fia
"And you think the Jews will in time
lose their sabbath?
7o f..UndoubtedIy..o would rather keen it.
but we must submit to it with rs good
grace, as possible. Eighteen hundred
years ago the Romans ovcrpowcrcd us
and took our temple: now the state OF
civil1zation-the, spirit Of the age:-iis
against us, and see our Sabbath Slowly
slipping away. We cannot prevent it
any more than we could the loss Of our
temple, and neither will interfere with
the progress and growth of Judaism. MI
"lf Judaism throughout the world is
fiourlshing SO much, what do you think
OF Christianlty2"~ 2"~,-.s~.
?. "Ithinksthis," Dr.. Kcclberg made an
sWer with mucnF earnestnces: 81 think
Christianity is doomed. Why, It's own al
legged professors are helping to EXPOSE it's
fallacies. Then you have Frothinu ham
handling it with kia gloves and lngersoll
approachingit win club. The Christian
clergy are bewi:dered, and no two agree ::
and while they wranglc and dispute Chris
tlanity keeps going down. Still l can
stand 1t, it's fight where we Jews can
quietly look On and hold our peace. As
tho pe"ple become more enlightened thcy
have less faith in Christianity. In
Germany all the men of learning, with
but few exceptions, have lost faith. In
the university at Gottingen, where I was,
none IF the professors, except the theo-
logical, believe in Christianity. They
admire tho story of Christ and Ills doings
~ they would beautiful Iepcnd-treat.
ed it like one of those ancient stories o,
mythology-good enough to restrain tho
rabble, but not anything which they
would expect q man of science or research
to believe. That's how ], look at Christi.
anity to-day"
Sand now before you go.' said the
speaker, s'let me 60 back to the Sabbath
question for a moment, and I'll tell YOU
what think it will come to. It lies in
the progressive spirit ot the age that tho
Sabbath will not be limited to one-sov-
cnth part Of tho week rs it ls low, but in
stead part of each day will be cot aside