Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-16
TASK oF The AMERICAN JEW.
DIR. Berkowitx's Address Before the Jener,
son Literary and Social Circle.


DIR. Berkowitz's Address Before the Jeffer,
son Literary and Social Circle.
Tho Jewish South in its report OF the
excellent address recently delivered before
the jefferson Literary and Social Circle
by Rev. Dr. Henry Berkowltz. OF Phila'
delphla, on "The Task Of the American
Jew" says:
In leading up to the consideration Of the
important question the speaker called at.
tention to the awakening of the American
jew to a consciousness OF himself. The
Jews had been segregated In colonies ac-
cording TO nationality. They had gathered
together by reason OF national affinity
They had coalesced for charitable. social.
and religious purposes. In the cities they
had been especially divided. There were
German Jews, Polish Jews, Portuguese
Jews, etc But he thought they were fast
breaking away from these lines. All ap-
pearances indicated this. The stress of
life was forcing this fusion. and In the
New South and the New West the lines
had well nigh been obltcrated. American
Jews who had adopted this land az their
land had outgrown petty ideas Of narrow
and socaled patriotism. and had outliyed
many depressing restrictions. They had
disentangled themselves from the maze
of petty conceits which had bound them
for so long, English was their mother
tongue. They had assimilated the cos
tunes of this land and had been imbued
with the thought life OF the New World.
They were part OF the Industrial. social,
and economic life of the country. Their
every heart was an answering throb 10
the mighty Inspirations which pulsate In
the name American.
PROUD TO BE AMERICANS.
II there was ono thing of which they
were prouder than another. IL WAS that
they were full Of Americanism This had
been attested by the long, faithful, and
sincere fealty TO the laws OF the land
by the Jews In every State, village, and
hamlet. They not only had all the exter-
naitles of manner, speech. etc, but they
had the principle. Amerlcanlsm was not
an eXternality, but a principle. Liberty
had In America celebrated an immortal
victory. Looking back over the whole
great career of the Jews az a religious peO-
pie, he said that they had been the Wit
nesses of the trials and tribulations OF the
world and now stood looking at the results
of victory. To have outliyed the persecu-
ton of princes and principalties and seen
the triumph OF the principles OF freedom
and righteousness was Israefs reward.
Under all the trials Of his career Israel
had never fatercd. "In our days liberty
had come, and. like a footsore and weary
patriarch, the Israelite comes to md him
self reborn an American" The term Amer
lean Jew, therefore, had a grandcr mean
ing and Il higher significance than ever.
American character was the result OF "A
conflict OF civilization. OF many modes OF
life. and the American character was
q profoundly religious one. He drew "A
well-defned line between the sacred and
profane, but his reverence for sacred
things was great. Therefore the jew In
America should be not only a freer. but
a more profoundly religious character than
ever
JUDAISM OF THE FUTURE.
Mr.. Berkowitz spoke of the Judaism
OF the future as "the religion which Of
fered the greatest Inspiration. happiness.
and hope" He believed In pushing for
ward. The past had It's undying reye-
renee. He did not believe In cutting off
from IT, as that would be suicide. and
would be throwing away the best gems
in the spiritual expression OF human
life However the present was our
field OF action They were 10 lead on
In the twentieth century. and all the
problems which were now agitattng our
civilization would find their solution ac-
cording TO the eternal principles OF right
as laid down In those Old scriptures Of
Israel The American Jew has a task.
1t Is a vast responsibility. They should
not live unto themselves alone. but
should live for those ideas for which
the name OF Jew Is a synonym.
Mr. BerkowiIz then said he would
drop from the cloudand OF idealism 10
the cold plane OF realism. What Is the
task OF the American Jew? How much
do your children know OF the great and
glorious past OF their race? They would
bring the blush of shame to our cheeks
by their stammering and falterln2 ina
billty 10 respond. The lecturer said
that Il was dense Ignorance which was
responsible for the prejudice Of the
world at large against the jew. and
where 1t was not due 10 ignorance II
was the result OF rank malice He ad-
vlsed his people TO be honest with them
selves, and not to let their synagogues
beg for attendance. Many OF the Jewish
organizations for culture were barren
OF fruits. The elevation OF the race
could not be brought about by balls
The Jew was caricatured in print and
on the stage by every comic paper and
by the press In general. and by the
whole literature Of the age. yThls showed
that the world still ranklei with the lie
that the Jew OF to-day was responsible
for the cruci1xion of Christ. the founder
of the Christian religion. The spirit Of
American fair play must be appealed 70.
and they must demand to be judged as
Individuals and not as a whole. This
could not be done BY an occasional lee
ture or sermon.
THE WORK OF EDUCATION.
Preachers were mere talking machines.
and their results were not commensu-
rate with their patience and Industry.
You could as little lecture as legislate
man into religion IL could only be done
by education. The task of the Anier-
can Jew was a teaching task. AZ pres
ent the religious schools were merely
tolerated, and were orten looked on as
nuisance that must be put up with.
The child had TO be driven to one OF
them, and when he got there. true to
his home training. he proceeded TO
manlses. tho greatest contempt for the
rabbis and the rules. In many cases
the child left his manners At home.
The sentiment OF the home seemed TO
the speaker 20 be against the school
They had been toying with reform when
they had baen reeasting prayer-books
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