The Washington times. (Washington, D.C.) 1894-1895, 1894-09-30

The Washington Synagogue on Eighth
street, between H and 1 northwest, is the
oldest Hebrew congregation in the District.
In ls49 a small number of the early Jewish
settlers founded the congregation, which now
numbers $50 heads Of families and includes
about 900 souls.
The church was chartered in 1855 by the
Congress of which the late Gen. Banks was
Speaker, and the congregation worshiped in
a building on Fourth street, near E, for
number Of years. The organization grew
slowly. and it was not till 1868 that the pres
ent building was purchased from the First
Congregational Church. Previous TO this
purchase it had been used as q hospital. The
structure is too small for the present mem
bership and ii is the intention 20 erect new
building AT the last meeting OF the board Of
managers it was resolved TO proceed with the
raising Of funds for the building OF the new
temple.
In 1869 a portion of the congregation
seeded on account Of some reforms intro
duced into the synagogue, and the Sixth
street congregation was thus formed. This
congregation is known as the orthodox. and
the Washington a. the reform congregation.
The differences between the two congrega-
fions are on minor matters, though these are
the universal differences between these tive.
and the reform in the Washington Synagogue
is of q very conservative nature. The imme
date cause of the break was the formation OF
a choir and the putting in Of an organ and
family pews. These changes were also fol-
lowed by the undermining OF the ritual. The
orthodox Jews make use OF the ancient Itany,
which has come down from the middle ages.
Ritualistlc worship was first established under
the Babylonian captivity, when the children
Of Israel were far from the temple Of Jeru-
salem where alone il was lawful TO offer
sacrifices. After the dispersion Of the jews
and their exodus from Palestine the rituaiistic
form Of worship was adopted and is the form
used by them to-day The refOrmers also use
the vernacular. and the radical reformers
hold that services can be held on sunday.
The conservative reformers opposed this in
Doyation.
WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
1.-THE ideas held of our belief in a redeemer
by outsiders are many" said Rabbi Stern.
when the Jew was driven from his own
country, and when he was oppressed in many
lands. the belief in a personal and political
redeerner was held by many, if not all. The
Jew longed for his native land and for the
dav when be was to return in triumph 10
Palestine They no longer look forward 10
the Holy Land and a return to
II, but have become the loving children Of
their adopted countries. Even the Russian
Jew is glad to 90 back TO Russia, and often
we help send some countryman back to the
land OF his birth. The refOrmers now look
for q spiritual redemptiOn-scme golden age
vet 10 come when love and purity shall rule
all. We do not know that it is TO be brought
about through a personal redeemer; 1t may
come through constant Development. In the
prayers Of the reformed church no reference
is made to the coming OF a personal Messiah.
though such illusions are still to be found in
the rftual OF the orr hOdOy believers"
Services are held in the synagogue each
Friday evening at 7:30 O'Clock. and Saturday
morning at 10 o clock. Saturday, the Jewish
Sabbath. is observed in each family. All alb
solutely unnecessary work IS left undone.
The exigencies OF business require that stores
should be kept open, and sunday. in this re-
spect. is observed IS the day OF rest. The
Sunday-school is held on this day instead Of
on Saturday. The services IN the synagogue
consist Of the recital Of prayers, singing Of
hymns reading the law and the preaching OF
q sermon Some parts OF the service are in
Hebrew. No remembrance Of the temple
worship is retained. though the rabbi wears
a cap and gown. These symbols have simply
been borrowed from other churches and are
not fashioned at all after the garments worn
by the priests of the temple. In the Washing
ton congregation il is lett 10 the individual
taste Of the members whether the head is
covered or not during the service.
The Sunday-scool. as before stated, meets
Sunday morning at 10 O clock. Ii is made up
OF the children Of the congregation between
eight and fifteen years of age. The Bible and
catechism are studied and the Hebrew Ian
guage taught. At least enough Of it so that
the scholar can understand the ritual and the
reading of the law. One half hour is given
TO this study each Saturday and Sunday and
In four or i've wears the scholar has learned
enough Of the language to understand ali that
Is necessary. The children are not pressed
any. because all OF this is in addition to the
regular work Of the public schools. After
the age OF fifteen the scholars are formed into
clubs and classes for post graduate course
in the study OF Jewish history and ethics
This course is not obligatory. There We're
two of these classes last year and the rabbi
had charge of one. while the other was under
the supervision OF the Young Mems Hebrew
Association and conducted by Mr.. Abraham.
The rabbi is superintendent Of the Sunday
school and J. jacob is assistant The libra
rian is A. Gusdorf aud the assistant is j.
Michaelis. Five young ladies assist in the
teaching.
THE NEW SYNAGOGUE.
The present synagogue was remodeled in
1877 and again in 1886. The present prop
erty is valued at $4,000. The officers Of the
congregation are Henry King, jr., president;
Max Goldsmith. vice president: A. Adler. re-
cordIng secretary; $. n. Meyer. financial sec
rotary, and ID. Strauss. treasurer. The Off
GERS, together with the following gentlemen,
comprise the board OF managers: J. Sond-
heimer, p PeYser, 3. Solomon, and nj. Loeb.
The choir is a very fine one of fifteen voices
and contains among others the following
singers: Miss Whitesei, sopranos Mr.. Nolan,
basso. and Mrs. Sondheimer Mrs. Charles
Goldsmith, and Mr.. /. Steinem, soloists The
organist is DR.. W. G. Walter
The charities Of the church are under the
general supervision Of the United Hebrew
pf yuh "
Blout is president. Yearly from $4,000 to
$4,000 are expended for the benefit of the
poor, irrespective Of religious faith The
sewing circle OF the church is one Of the feat
ures. 1t is composed OF forty or fifty young
ladies, who meet once week and make gar
ments for the poor. Miss Bertha Baar is the
president, and much good has been done by
these young ladies. The Young Mems He
brew Association is an organization Of the
younger portion Of the gepllensn OF the con-