The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-07-27
VIEW JEWISH RITUAL
Mos. Important Work In Reformed Jow.
ish Church Completed.

Most Important Work In Reformed Jow'
ish Church Completed.
A dispatch from Cape May to the
Philadelphia Pres states that tho mos.
important work In tho history Of the
Reformed Jewish church In America Is
completed.
The Jewish Reformed congregations
Of this country have long felt the mood
OF a ritual In tho veruacular. AS tho
generations born and reared In this
country haye begun to take active In.
terest In tho congregational lilo, this
demand became imperative. To meet
this various prominent rabbis, such as
Drs. Emhom, Wise. Merzkachcr, Jas
trow and Sold, compiled forms OF ser.
vicn A number OF others followed
them In efforts at undermining the old
Jewish ritual. Among these may be
mentioned ORA Laudskeg, OF Rochester ;
Kohler, OF Now York; Philipson, OF
Cincinnati; l. s. Moses, OF Chicago
Vonsange, u San Francisco; Gotthcil,
OF Now York, and quito o number OF
others. While these various rituals
agreed In essentials. yet there was so
great divergence in form that in the
minds Of most Of tho people there was
an idea that chaos practically ruled IN
the liturgy Of tho American jewish
church. II seemed that almost every
synagogue had Its own form OF worship.
Tho cry grow loud for union.
The lrst active measures taEon to sat.
isfy the popular demaud for union
prayer book were tnkon at tho meeting
Of tho CENTRAL conference OF American
rabbis, held at Baltimore In July. 1891:
Rev. l. s. Moses, OF Chicago, presented
u plan for a union prayer book. A com.
mi,tce was appointed to consider tho
same and constructa plan which should
meet tho present needs OF the c1ngrsga;;
tons. This committee consisted OF
Rublis MccrzinNr, professor OF taImud
nj the FIebrew Union college at Cincln'
nnti. chairman; /. s. Moses, Of Chicago.
secretary; l. l. Leucht and NJ. Hellor, OF
New Orleans; II. BcrkowitS. Of Philn.
dolphia; David Philipson, OF Cincin:.
matt S. Salo, Of st. Louis; S. Hecht, OF
Milwaukee. Tho first meeting OF tho
committee was hold in the city OF Now
OrIeano tho second week Of January,
1892. ,,
three ica,ts OF Passover, Pentecost and
'rabernaclcs was submitted TO tho con-
ieronco at i,s session held In New York
in Julv 1892, and adopted. Tho COM
mittoe continued In It's labors in tho
preparation Of second volume to con-
tain tho prayers for tho two most i'm
nor.ant holidays, New Year and tho
Day OF Atonoment. At the moottng Of
Tho conference held in Chicago in
Sngnst ls.)3. this second volume was
admitted. A years use ofthe first vol.
ume Ind demonstrated that 1t was cap:
able OF hoing improved in number OF
pnrticulars. Tho work had found favor
with somo Of tho foremost congrcga'
tious OF tho land.
twas decided to appoint roVision
committee, to whom was sntrustou tho
llnol reduction OF both the first and sec,
ond parts. This committee consisted Of
Tho leaders OF tho Reformed jewish
church Ia America, Dr. l. NJ. Wiao,
nrcsIiont Of tho conference, ox'oilici0,
4 Gottheil mud K. Kohlcr and NJ. IL:
Harris. OF Now York; Mecrztncr and
PLilipson, Of Cincinnatli Berkowits, oil
Philadelphia; VoorSaugcr, OF san FRAN
ci'co Heller, Of New Orleans; lltrsch
and I s Moses, OF Chicago, aud Mayer,
If pittsburgh, Besides this committee
other rnbbis contributed to tho work,