Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-24
JEWISH PRAYER BOOK.

JEWISH PRAYER BOOK.
Work of the Committee Appointed to
Prepare an English Ritual.
A dispatch from Cape May. dated Mon
day, to the Philadelphia Press states that
with the ending of today's labors the most
important work In the history of the Re-
formed Jewish Church in America was
completed. The editorial committee APP
pointed by the central conference of Amer
lean rabbis at Atlantic City. to finally re-
wise the union prayer book prepared by the
ritual committee have been in session at
Congress Hall since Tuesday last making
the fir al revision.
The Jewish Reformed congregations of
this country have long felt the need of a
ritual in the vernacular. AS the generation
born and reared in this country have began
to take active interest in the congregation
al life. this demand became imperative To
meet this various prominent rabbis such as
Drs. Emhom.. Wise, Merzkacher. Jastrow
and Sold, compiled forms of service. A
number of others followed them in efforts
at undermining the old Jewish ritual. Among
these may be mentioned Drs. Laudskeg of
Rochester. Kohler of New York, Philipson
or Cincinnati /. S. Moses Of Chicago. Won
sanSe or San Francisco. Gottheil of New
York and quite number of others. While
these various rituals agreed in essentials,
yet there was so great divergence in form
there was an idea that chaos practically
ruled in the liturgy OF the American Jew
ish Church. 1t seemed that almost every
synagogue had it's own form of worship.
The cry grew loud for union
Translated Into English.
The first active measures taken to satisfy
the popular demand for union prayer
book were taken at the meeting of the
central conference of American rabbis held
at Baltimore in July. 1871. Rev l. s. Moses
of Chicago presented a plan for a union
prayer book. A committee was appointed
to consider the same and construct a plan
which should meet the present needs of the
congregations. This committee consisted
of Rublis Millzine, professor of talnud at
the Hebrew Union College, at Cincinnati.
chairman; /. s. Moses of Chicago, secre-
tary; 1. l.. Leucht and NJ. Heller of New
Orleans; II. Bcrkowitz of Philadelphia:
David Philipson of Cincinnati: S. Sale of
st. Louis: s. Hecht of Milwaukee. The
first meeting of the committee was held
in the city of New Orleans the second week
OF January, 1S92- After earnest delibera-
tons the committee agreed upon the prin-
ciples which We're 10 guide them in the re-
construction of the ritual. In general
terms 1t was resolved to abide by the ira
ditional forms OF the Jewish worship. which
have prevailed in all countries for ages
past. but on the other hand, TO eliminate
all obsolete forms. all references to the
turn to Palestine and the re-estabiishment
of the Jewish state and the priesthoo
also to remove all prayers, expressive OF all
other ideas. which the reform movement IN
Judaism has repudiated, such the hope
for the coming of personal Messiah, the
belief in the bodily resurrection, ancient
and medieval conceptions of the universe
and the like.
Further. since the language of the old
ritual has become virtually unknown
tongue of the temples, it was resolved to
retain only such portions in that Ian
guage as by reason of their universally
bod
orally known; these portions to be trans
lated into English and all the remainder
OF the service to be in English. The
optimistic spirit and the cheerful temporal
Inent characteristic of Judaism, but long
crushed by the prosecutions. is again 10 be
emphasized. The patriotic sentiment and
rcafhrmation of tn, highest spiritual and
ethereal IDEAS first given expression to by
Israers prophets permeate the work. The
book was drafted along these lines in New
Orleans and was written out by various
subcommittees. S.. -.s. d.. ..a r-
The Revision Committee.
The ritual for the Sabbath and the three
feasts of Passover, Pentecost and Taber-
nacles was submitted to the conference at
its session held in New York in July, 1892.
and adopted. The committee continued in
It's labors in the prepa ration of n second
volume to contain the prayers for the two
most important holidays New Year and the
Day of Atonement. At the meeting of the
this second volume was submitted. a years
use of the first volume had demonstrated
that it was capable of being improved in a
number Of particulars. The work had found
favor with some Of the foremost congrega-
tons of the land.
1t was decided to appoint reyision COM
mittee. to whom was intrusted, the final re-
duction of both the first and second parts.
This committee consisted of the leaders of
the Reformed Jewish Church in America,
pr. l. NJ. Wise. president of the conference.
S.t. ~ fh.fl r>hla n
II. Harris of New York: Meelziner and
Phiiipscn of Cincinnati. Berkowitz of Phil
.delphia, VoOrsauSer- OF SanTFranciSco, Hell
Ter of New Orleans. Hirsch and is. Moses
OF Chicago and Mayer OF Pittsbure. Besides
this committee other rdbbis contributed to
the work. among when were Felsenthal
and Stolz Of Chicago. Rudolph Grissman of
New York. Aaron OF BCfafo.' 'COhen of Mo-
bile. Mannheimer of Cincinnati and A.
Moses OF Louisville. The committee divided
itself into an eastern and western section,
meeting in Cincinnati and New York, re-
spectively. Joint sessions Were held in Gin
cinnati and Atlantic city. At the latter
place the committee met in continuous Ses-
sion for nearly a week to consider the work
in its entirety. 1t succeeded in agreeing
upon Il ritual fer oil public services. and
presented unanimous report to the fifth
session of the conference on Friday, July
IL. fS.'l. The report CT tfse committee. after
thorough discussion, was unanimously
adopted.
a Basis of Union.
The adoption of 4 rnlon prayer book is
generally considered the greatest work ever
accomplished by modern Judaism. Ii viii
form the basis Of the real union Of the re-
formed synagogues Of the country. and will
tend to create bond of union among
Israelites in this country such as has not
hitherto existed except in phi!anthropic
work. The work will now go into the hands
| of the publication committee, which is to is
sue the second volume for New Year and
| the Day of Atoneuent at once About half
| a hur dred congregations have signii.c1 their
| intention of adopting the work, il being an
| op.icr al matter with each congregation
| The in preston Is that before many months
have passed uniform ritual VIII prevail
among the reformed Jewish congregations
| of America
| Adding to the Circulation.
\ The controller of the currency has de-