The morning call., 1893-08-20
DAYS OF ISRAEL.
The Jewish Holidays Will
Soon Be Here.
HEBREW FEASTS AND FAST5
When the Synagogues Are Crowded
and Fasting and Prayer Fill
All the Day.

Soon the Jewish holidays will be around.
Already the faithful are making prepara-
tions for the feasts and fasts. And all are
faithful during the holiday season. Jews
who observe other part of their r religious
beliefs are orthodox when the annual
fasting and feasting comes.
Halls are being rented for the observ.
ance Of the Jewish holidays by those who
are not connected with any particular
synagogue. In them seats are being rented
for the holiday season. And in the
synagogues there is a similar state OF af.
fairs. Many Jews are beginning to realize
that they have a religion and are getting
their material and spiritual affairs in such
shape that they may attend the services
with clear consciences.
When the sun goes to rest on the even.
ing of September 10 then these holidays
begin. 1t is then the Jewish New Year.
Immediately the synagogues are lighted
and the spiritual fires are not extinguished
till the Feast of the Solemn Assemblage is
over, on the night OF Septem ber 25.
And those Jews who do not belong to
the synagogues-rather are not allied with
any congregation worShiDing regularly
In a synagogue-these have rented varl-
In Judaism there is a eliquism, as in
everything else. The best of the Jews de-
pere il, but nevertheless acknowledge it,
Those In the synagogues are In the clique
or cliques. Those who are not in the
synag0gues cannot get in. 1t is true
There are not enough synagogues to ac-
commodate one-half of all the Jews in San
Francisco who 60 10 worship during the
fast and feast season.
Thus the congregation of Nevah Zedak
will hold its holiday services at Odd Eel
lows Hall, and still other more isolated
gatherings will be held in various parts of
the city.
There are the orthodox Jews, the con-
seTvative Jews and the reformed Jews.
The difference between them is chiefly in
the idealZation of the original belief and
in the degree OF severity with which they
adhere to the orthodox forms and cere-
monies. But all OF them observe the hoIi-
days and differ during that season only in
The rigidity with which they conform to
the ancient customs.
ut is our belief" says the Rev. Rabbi J.
Nieto, who is the leader Of the conserva-
tive Jews and at the head of the congrega-
tlOn sheriff. Israel, THAT many of the
forms still observed by the so-caled ortho-
dOX jews are but forms borrowed from
the nations and peoples with whom the
Jews came In contact when they left Israel
Our effort is to observe only the original
ceremonies and to ideaiiZe rather than to
humanize God"
The members of Rabbi Nieto's conerega-
tlon are mostly Prussian Jews. Those of
the Sutter-street synagogue are the
French and German Jews. Others are
from Poland and Russia and from all parts
OF the world.
The Jewish feasts and fasts are really
but the old national holidays. They were
observed primarily, say the Conservative
Jews, with view of the everlasting
sohdlty OF the race. Hence once a year
euHry-Jew was required to appear in Jeru-
an.
le Day CT Atonem en- follows next after
cceerrs-.lEr-hl fatter lasts from one
20 or three days, and through the New
there is much praying in the syna-
.es and much feasting and rejoicing
ide them.
prayers begin for the Day of
ment This is the most holy day Of
ar to the Jew, no matter to what
agation he may belong. The real
doX jew rises at daylight from New
ears to the Day of Atonement to say his
pIopitiary prayers.
And with the Day of Atonement comes
fast absolute. No morsel of food passes
the true Jewish lips between sunset of
September II and sunset of Septem Der Is,
and the whole day is spent in the syna-
gogue. The orthodox Jews come as early
as daybreak on the 18th, but the conserva-
tive anu tDe reformed jew mas or y
o'clock in the morning the most convenient
hours to begin his days devotions And
all day they stay there, whether orthod OK
or heterodoX. And all day they eat
nothing. only pray, pray that the sins
OF the year may be forgiven, pray that
the true spirit of the God of Israel
may fill che souls of all men for the
coming year. Aud no sin is forgiven
or expected TO be forgiven, unless the re-
pentant one comes to the altar conscious
that all possible restitution has been made
That is part Of the belief. and Jews care
less about other things spiritual are care
ful to observe the Day Of Atonement.
The day of fast and prayer ends with
the single blast of trumpet as the sun
sinks In the west. Iu the book of Num-
bers 1t is said: The trumpet blew aud the
people went on" So it is to-day with the
faithful Jews, even in Christian land.
On the oath day Of September comes the
Feast of the Tabernacle, the Feast OF
Hosanna, as the New Testament has it,
veTltably the feast of the palm branch.
Seven days the feast lasted in Jerusalem
and in San Francisco the prayers in the
synagogues will stretch over q similar
period.
Comes next, on the eighth day after the
Feast of the Tabernacle, the Feast of the
Solemn Assemblage. There is breaking OF
bread and the tasting OF wine. the sym bols
OF what was once living, real feasting in
Jerusalem, during all these eight days.
Aud on the eighth day the annual hOli.
Jay season of the Jews is at an end