The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-20

80 glorious pnonniX was SoSo0n 10 rise from
the ashes of internicene strife, financial
troubles and drawbacks of every kind, from
personal jealouses up to open scandals
All these evils have vanished now, and the
Congregation Beth Israel yesterday entered
on its work with a strength and vim that
gives abundant promise of great develop
ment and early usefulness.
There was scarcely standing room in the
synagogue at o'clock, when the dedication
ceremonies commenced with a quartet:
"How Beautiful Are Thy Tents" Miss
Regina GAGS, Miss Miriam Cooney, T. Bloom
and G. Martin. While the officers of the
congregation, with the visiting rabbis and
other guests, we're seeking formal admission
from the yestry- rooms to the synagogue the
choir sang "Open Unto Me the Gates of
Righteousness, and then the procession
filed in, the church officers bearing the
sacred vessels. During the circuit of the
church Cantor Joseph Rabinowitz and the
choir sang the professional Psalm xxx
Then came the formal opening of the ark,
during which the choir sang the anthem
Lift Up Your Heads" DR.. Falk Vidaver
offered the conservation prayer and the
quartet choir once more interposed n selec-
ton, Hear, Oh, Israel" The beautiful
relic of the palmy days of Judaism, known
as Solomon's Prayer Il Kings. viii ;22-62).
and imperishably associated with the
dedication of the temple on Mount Morah,
was read with impressive solemnity by the
Rev. NJ. S. Levy.
The closing Of the ark, after the torah and
the sacred vessels had been deposited
therein, was accompanied by the anthem
Praise \ e the Name OF the LORD" by the
cantor and choir. Rabbi a. Blum Of Los
Angeles read the 1921 psalm. and then the
choir sang with great taste and fervor
the hymn, Hear Us, o Father!' the con-
tralto solo being most feelingly and eX-
presSively given by Miss Miriam Cooney.
No portion of the musical contributions
created such effect as this, though the sing
ing was good throughout.
The dedication address. which was deliv-
cred in German, introduced 10 the congre-
CATION the Rev. DR.. A. r. Levy. rabbi Of
BEai Abraham congregation of Chicago,
Ill. DR.. Levy spoke for about twenty min
utes, and as lie is prominently mentioned
for the vacant pulpit, his remarks were
listened to with more than usual attention.
Miss Regina Cans sang soprano solo,
"Humbly We Pray Thee" and then Rabbi
Jacob Voorsanger, who had just previously
called for contributions to the construction
fund, proceeded to deliver the conservation
sermon in English. 1t was brilliant speci-
men of rhetoric, logic and scholarship. Not
soul quilted the temple till it was con-
Guided, though the hour was growing quite
late.
In his opening remarks DR.. Voorsanger
said:
Members of the Beth Israel Congrega =
ton: You are rejoicing to-day at the cut
minationS of your hopes. You have de-
deserved all fnn fplipItQti0n slouarp6 N
your efforts; on your success in adding this
gem to the many clusters in our local habita-
ton. You deserve our congratulations.
You have given us tangible evidence of the
blessing Of God ON mans work. You may
justly eXclalm, in the language attributed to
our ancestor, Isaac: Now hath the Lord
indeed enlarged us and we have become
partakers in the land
Yes, you have added bright page to
our local history, already glowing with
noble endeayor. How wonderful the growth
of the Hebrew church in this city since the
| days of 1919 and 1853, when there were only
two synagogues. How many evidences of
the pious spirit are the growth of these forty
years: For the first time we are gathered in
Hebrew house of worship in the Western
Addition. Many have urged that this sec
| ton OF the city should not be unprovded
with synagogue, and now that the glad
| tidings are about to be proclaimed let US
| hope that Beth Israel may become house
| vi pId9CI lOI iuOuSdUuo Vi Oul
faitl.
dear brethren, in coming to this place
to-day an idea occurred TO me. Although
you have removed from your old quarters
you bave retained your Identity as a congre-
CATION. / am glad of it. 1t is not un seemly
| to apply to you that ancient tradition: No
moro shall thy name be Jacob; but thy
| name shall be Israel; meaning that Israel
| shall be the principal and Jacob the sur
name or lesser name.
THERETO, my brethren, lies the practical
| application Of the oriental suggestion. From
scholars standpoint Israel is an evolution
airy idea; he is no longer Jacob. the shep-
| herd; no longer struggling herdsman; he
is elevated from the material life to a higher
plane. Therefore. we are called not Jacob
ties. but lsraelites; it is for us to uphold the
| spiritual tower. You are the base of that
tower. The house of Israel shares with
sister congregations the responsibility of
the position. You must realize to the full
extent the difference between the house Won
have abandoned and this temple, so much
greater in its glory. Do not look on this
place of worship merely with an eye to its
conveniences. Try to become imbned with
the wider and nobler spirit; try to realize
that Israel has proved himself to-day supe-
rior to Jacob. Follow me in the spirit Of
Isaiah, in the fifth verse of the second chap
ter: oh, house of Jacob; oh, house of Is
rael. come We and let US walk in the light Of
the Lord
when the prophet admonishes Israel to
walk in the light cast by the luminary of
day, he Is speaking simply OF the moral and
intellectual light. Let there be light was
the first command of the Eternal. That
command has been watchword of the
worlds wisdom and happiness ever since.
Man has ever since adopted that terse ex-
preston to give utterance TO his ideas OF
spiritual growth"
The Ieasned rabbi concluded by pointing
out the difference between the words lamp
and light rs used in the Hebrew scripture.
THE latter is univeral conception; the
| former, local idea. The Torah is lamp
| to the true believer. 1t is not the history or
| the ideas contained In it or the parchment
on which it is written. 1t is the grand old
T0rah, ,the lamp 10 mems paths. the word Of
the Eternal which hath been from the be-
ginning"