Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-11
PROCESSING FAITH
A Touching and Impressive Cere-
mony at the Synagogue.
THIRTEEN WERE CONFIRMED
Little Ones Make Addresses and
Clear, Simple Prayers.
r abb s T RN'S ADDRESS
r abb STERN ADDRESS

The annual ceremony Of confirmation was
| observed yesterday by the Washington He
brew Congregation at Eighth Street Syna-
gogue. Thirteen conflrmants received their
religious conservation. They proved their
worthiness in the understanding Of their
religion by public examination; accepted the
blessing of their rabbi and their parents,
announced their declaration of faith took
the vow plighting themselves to be right
eous children Of Israel and were given their
certificates Of confirmation. The signifi-
canoe attached to the number Of the con-
frmation class by superstitious persons was
negatived by Master Irwin Strasburger,
| confirmant In his essay on Superstition"
who held that superstitious awe found no
Judgement in Judaism, and the alleged un-
iuckiness OF the number thirteen was also
discountenanced by Rabbi Stern In his ad-
dress. The temple was thronged with a
greater crowd than commonly worships
there, because Of the solmen interest In the
impressive event felt by all the Hebrews of
washington. The altar was a bower of
spring bloom. Festoons Of ferns, frightened
at close intervals with clusters Of roses and
carnations, dropped from the chandelier 10
the PATRON; the pillars Of the temple were
ehiWiheu with garlands of blossom; the
pulpit was hedged with baskets of palms.
and from other points Of vantage floral Of
ferings shed light and fragrance on the
scene. w. '"S
Almost before the echoes Of the rav,,,. =
morning service had died awav the choir
broke forth in march, which heralded the
approach of the conhrmants Down the
central RAJ aisle they came, with slow tread
anu lowed neads. Preceding the procession
were MI. Henry King, president. and Mr.
Max GOLDSMITH. vice president of the con.
eregation. Close behind came the children
Ia Goiemn or twos. with the little girls in the
honor no
fourteen. Va '"ese was
They We're dressed in summer textiles or
p 1;,lI ,,, white: wore their dark tresses In
glrI-ilke fashion and carried loose hnncbos
OF white roses. Following the little girls
came the four male confirmants clad in
gary hues and wearing black derbies which
o oD P perm OF their creed. they retained
on their heads during the procession. Ar
irving at the altar they formed a semi
circle around Rabbi Stern. Hymn No. lao
was sung by the choir. the children making
response. This concluded, Rabbi Stern ad.
dressed some remarks of welcome IN The
CONGREGATION and to the candidates for adj
mission to it, He reminded all OF the
ancisntness OF their religion. He admon-
ished the confirmants that they had come
TO Join the congregation as co-workers in
the cause of humanity and truth. While
as yet, they had not uttered a word yet
their hearts had given expression to their
gratitude in the tributes of flowers which
they had sacrificed upon the altar They
should oner up in unison of voice and heart
praye- to God that His blessing might
rest upon them. The children RESPONDED in
chorus and the choir answered them After
an amen. the choir burst into q song, and
while the congregation stood. Rabbi Stern
praised God for His blessings, and again
the children made answer in heir sweet,
fresh voices. The Torah was produced and
the boys of the class read passages from n
In Hebrew. After the great roll OF parch-
ment had been replaced I'm Its repository
Rabbi Stern made a fervent prayer.
An Impressive Prayer.
On the part of the class, the opening
prayer was rendered by Miss Rosa Stern.
dark-haired little girl of fourteen years,
and daughter to the rabbi. She asked God
to grant them sincerity of spirit and purity
of heart. She asked that the light and
truth of God might make their pathway
clear. and that the memory of the hour OF
their conservation might be ever with them
she made touching request Of the Lord of
Hosts that he might help them In their ef-
forts to be worthy sons and daughters of
Israel, and prayed feelingly for their par
ents. She asked divine help in becoming
worthy members of society. 1t was a
prayer made in a natural voice and with q
sincerity which made an impress on all
who heard it. After music by the choir,
Rabbi Stern propounded questions of creed
to the children, and set of questions was
put between each of the eleven brief essays
which followed.
These questions and responses evinced the
the unity and eternity of God THE Mis-
sion of Israeli was the theme which Miss
Selma Goldstein essayed. She dwelt on the
vastness of the historical period covered by
Judaism, and of the intensity and relent-
lessness of the persecution which they had
been made to bear. The decaiogue was re-
cited in class, and Miss Fanny Woog de-
livered her essay. Practice. Not Theory"
in German. The Legend of the Sabbath"
was the subject assigned Miss Laura Beh-
rend.
The tenor of her remarks was that the
bad angel might never gain the ascendancy
over them, and that their ways might be
ever pleasing in the eyes of God, and thus
be in conformity with their religion. Mas
ter Ross StrassbIrger spoke of The ways
of Providence and maintained that what
ever God does is for our good. "Supersti-
ton was the topic of Master Irwin Stras-
burger. The physical flight of the Jews
from Egypt was also mental emancipa-
ton. People We're superstitious because
they were ignorant. The Israelite feared
nothing but God, and to fear Him was to
love Him. lie condemned the superstitious
fears of latter-day people, who trembled for
the safety of the coniirniants because there
happened to be thirteen in the class. THE
Messiah" was told of by Miss Rosa Stern
They did not regard the Messiah as link
between God and man. They did not think
of him as one who TO bless the Jews
with the boon of national Independence.
To the Hebrews of today the coming of the
Messiah was when justice, righteousness,
love, charity and kindness should be uni
Versal. At this point devout prayer was
made by Miss Clara Bernhemer. The bur
den of this was that their hearts might be
invested with due gratitude for their par
entS who had cared for them from their
earliest hour. Holiness was effectively
discussed by Miss Helen Bernheimer.
True Citizen.
Master Moses Herzog talked Of 1.-THE Jew
as a Citizen" In some European countries
he was treated as alien, and more I'M
Justly than he should be. were he such.
Even in this country of broad ideas, the
foolish question of this patriotism was ever
ond anon raised. Inside the synagogue the
Jew worshipped his God after the dictates
of his heart. and in accord with the teach
iISs of his fathers, but outside he was a
citizen in all that the word implies He
proved that the blessings of heaven might
continue to be showered on our beloved
country and that all attempts to disturb
her peace might prove futile. Our Atti-
tude to Other Creeds' was the theme
chosen by Miss Della Fishel. She said that
the duty TO do justice to others was first
made known to the world through the
medium of their creed, but that now this
teaching had been incorporated in and
formed the corner stone of all other re-
lSions Some creeds held that their views
we're the only way to heaven. Judaism
taught tolerance and their rabbits held that
.t.,- II