The New York herald., 1879-09-14
THE JEWISH NEW YEAR.

As tAe sun ronecS ttS light upon all on eartn, SO
religion must to all and say. .'Arse and give
light"
THE JEWISH NEW YEAR
BEGINNING OF THE JEWISH HOLY SEASON
WHY JUDAISM DEcLINEs-Mo MORE BUSINESS
THAN BRAINs-NEw YoRK's RABBIEs.
Next Thursday will be the beginning of the
Jewish new year. dating from the creation, 5641
and thereafter will follow in close order the Day Of
Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. which
latter among the orthodox occupies two days. The
year thenceforward will be comparatively free from
fasts or feasts until February $780, when the Feast
of Esther and Purim will be observed in the usual
order. Then in March will occur the Passover
festival. which. occupying eight days. will into
April and be followed in May by the Feast of Weeks
These the principal fcasts to in tho Jewish
ecclesiastical year. Chronology in these can
not be much relied since the Of the period
of time from which Moses narrative dates can only
be guessed at and all the rest is based upon that
guess. Hence there are chronological dis
crepancdes Of hundreds Of years between Bib
lcal events which must have occurred each
other. The latest Palestine explorations and inves
LEGATIONS of Egyptian monuments place the exodus
in or about the year 1900 B. c. which, added to the
TOO years supposed to have preceded and the 1879
which passed since Christ came leaves even the
careful Jewish chronology at variance 23s years. It
simply goes to show that events are infinitely moro
important than the days. months years on which
they occur; whereas. with the majority Of men and
nations. the day Is all-important to the event.
THE PULPITs NEED BRAINS.
Israclites who have been absorbed in business or
in pleasure since the last great festivals occurred
will give heed to the calls OF religion and the
synagogue upon their time and purses There arc
oil Ieviah of hin in
in which trustees have been busy or three
weeks renting pews for the approaching holidays.
For it matters not how careless an Israelte may be
at other times he cannot refuse If his means at all
permit to hire pew q sitting in the synagogue
at New Year and tho festival days following. The
temple Ahswath Chesed has already over $4,000
usually greater than the supply. For every jew,
whatever his ecclesiastical relations, whether
temple Of the Lord at those seasons. Hence tenn.
porary places of worship in halls and vacant stores
are fitted to give chance to tenth of the 900
Jews here to attend service those days. OF
course IL Israeites were any more faithful in their
attendance on the synagogue than Christians on
the church both synagogue and church would have
to be multiplied tenfold. But the complaint Is the
same in both. There Ia plenty OF room to spare
except on special occasions and it is hardly worth
while to increase the number Of houses OF worship
for the accommodation Of worshippers who may
attend three months in year and absent themselves
Messenger gave its clerical readers little pithy advice
on this subject. 1t bade them put little more
brains in their sermons and await the effect OF larger
congregations. Well. many Of the synagogues havo
Of laie been advertising for men Of brains il. in
some instances. only for the holidays. Others look
for additional reader for those days. The Jewish
pulpit Of New York is probably second to in
country for talent and pulpit ability. There are
DR.. Henry s. Jacobs and his brother George DR..
Huebsch Of the first classical scholars of the day
and place; Dr. Gottheil, DIR. De Soa Mendes and DR..
Kohier recently added to the metropolitan pulpit.
All Of these ministers, except Dr. Huebsch. preach
regularly in English. Some OF them. however,
preach monthly or semimonthly sermons in Ger
f~~x h>xSn thospr
there Professor Adler. who, however. will
not resume his ethical discourses until November,
the mprovised synagogues for the holidays. BY
actual calculation the Reomer says there eleven
Jewish minister's without pulpts and fourteen con-
gregations without ministers-not Of course. all in
will and employment no doubt during the
IL ministers Of its own faith and others were
only anxious to get their into the hearts
Of their hearers as they are to get them into tho
Jewish minister is school teacher for six days in the
week. and some have to engage in other cmployments
not be. or is not paid TO sermons TO make them in
tcresting and instructive.
THE METROPOLITAN JEWISH PULPIT.
OF thelatest acquisition to our metropolitan Jewish
pulpit the Rev. DR.. Kaufman Kohler, of the Temple
BETHEL the Jc0ish Messenger says he is essentially
scholar and q genteman-a man Of established repu-
taton aud high intellectual acQuirements, of energy
and force Of character. lie is thinker OF advanced
Vows and lately be has been prominently before the
Jcwish public by his advocacy of Sunday lectures
the beet II not the only means TO retain
the rising generation of Israelites in the Jewish
fold lie recognizes clearly says the Messenger
cessity OF maintaining Jewish national institutions.
% opposed to the froth and foam of cosmopolitan.
home. tho stress he lays Hebrew culture. his
exhortations to observe Sabbath and festival, his
high ideal OF Judaism and his fervent faith in
Israel ae priests OF humanity, there are cen.
trail fires of conviction which are destined to
prove of incalcuable good in moulding tho thoughts
and inspirations OF thousands OF young men and
women In his congregation and tho community ut
large. Called to guide the destinies of congrcga-
tion which DR.. Enhorn brought to the front rank
among the synagogues Of the New World. his posi-
tion IL . proud for man Of thirty-six to oc-
cupy. The Doctor had made his mark in Chicago
before he came to New York. and here he has been
most cordially received by his corcligionists OF
RETROSPECT OF JUDAISM
In the service Of this festival prayers Of o three
fold kind introd duced-naInely of homage of re-
embody inyocations that mankind mav arrive
true knowledge OF the Creator, His benofcence /
ornniscicnce and providence II is customary
for the year now passing away. Many
seat In synagogue and temple will bc empty
or filled by new conner this New Years day. it's
former occupant having gone the way Of ali the
Garth. 1t is calculated that there are now fully
quarter OF million Jews In the United States They
havo fourteen public institutions under their exclu-
sive control. although some Of them unscctarian
In 'hcir benefits. They edit and publish ak
cause Of Judaism. They have four secret or.
dcrs having for their objects tho advancement of
ouu"Hhi. tne fhutuai assistance or their mombcrs
and general charitable objects The value OF ecclo-
siastical property of ali kinds owned by Jewish
grcgatons IL estimated at over f5000,0O0. The old
est synagogue In the country is that of the Shcarth
Israel congregation Of this city. which WINS founded
IN 1850. There are now ut least three hun
dred Jewish congregations In the United
states Az usual. preceding the now year.
the various cemeteries in tho vicinity OF
New York were visited by largo numbers Of Israel
ties last Sunday, who offered prayer Tor their de-
ceased relatives who will be bered also in the
service of next Wednesday evening and Thursday.
The feast of kosh Hashana must be moro than
milestone on the road OF time Its observance must
call back strayng Israetes TO the fold from
which they have gone. II should be the beginning
OF new religious era or IL will be worse |
than useless. May tho fates DO propitous to tho |
pulpit, and tho eIoquencc, fervor and learning of
the rabbies win them hosts of adherents, unbounded