The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-02-24
Speaking of the matter yesterday Rabbi

great deal of surprise, ana mo them nelther
wit nor logic nor any solid argument upon
which ANYTHING dignified with the name OF an
objection could be based.
The doctors attempt at nervousness IN
ridiculing things that he has hitherto held
sacred is very poor policy and very bad taste,
and feel compelled 10 say that the tenor OF
the article in question is anything but gentle
manly and the language anything but ponte-
Voorsanger or no Foorsanger, the Congrega-
ton Sheriff. Israel will strive to accomplish
their design. This attempt on the part OF Dr.
NoorSanger to stultify our efforts in this d1rec-
ton and render nugatory all propositions put
forward by any other congregation is not new.
For the past six months the amiahle doctor mas
been interviewing great many OF our mem
berS and striving to persuade them against
continuing with this good work. But he JAILED
signally as was shown at the last general meet
ing, when the proposition was approved mem.
con. The good doctor, with his usual gener-
osity, is very lavish in his use of polite cpl
thets; but there is a sad disagreement between
the several terms which he uses to de-
fine the state of our mind. First we are daft,
then we are fools; verify the gentle rabbi
showeth how religion turneth man to good
ness. ! am one OF the FOOLS and perhaps the
principal fool and fool though l be, | will
never be daft enough to surrender at the bid
ding OF a rabbi who goes out OF his way to
interfere with what does not concern him.
We might be impressed with the sincerity OF
the genial rabbits contention were IL not that
both his utterances and his written conyie-
lions bid US beware of so grave an error. The
Jealous rabbi has expressed the opinion that
If successful this would be the greatest
opposition Temple Emanuel has ever had, ana
at the end OF his editorial he Graves permls-
sion to put his digital appendages into the
confectionery.
In regard to the statements in the reverend
gentleman's editorial, l am forced to say that
the doctor is ignorant of or has willfully mis-
stated facts. Whichever way soever 1t be,
there is no excuse for the doctor, for a man
should always be certain before he sets himself
up TO be critic.
We are serious, so serious that we have ap-
proved the principle, and are taking active
measures toward the completion OF our plan,
and the doctor knows it. Again the doctor is
mistaken when he refers TO the project as
one-year-old on November s, 1894. dellv-
cred lecture some commercial needs III
which forcshadowed the design which to-day
Is complete and accepted one. This lecture
preceded the \. NJ. e. a. discussion TO when
the reverend gentleman, 1t seems to me, al
!udes, only TO pay compliment TO hlmseh.
While here l feel bound, in self-Justlhcatlon,
TO demur at the good doctor leaving so I'M
decided the identity of the two local rabbis OF
whom he speaks, and TO say that l was not OF
that number. feel, too, bound to enter plea
for good DR.. Noorsanger Unfortunately he
IaboTS under two very great disadvantages.
First, he has never had his position in this
community defined to him. and so the f1attery
OF pretended admirers has led HIM to arrogate
to himself powers he has not, and TO assume
authority he cannot maintain.
The non-Jewlsh public may choose to regard
him chief rabbi of San Francisco-a title
and style that would be acceptable to him
but DrFoorsanger'S authority-to what extent
care-begins and ends with Temple Emanuel.
Other rabbis may have allowed themselves TO
be dictated to by DR.. Voorsanger, but that was
only in the interest OF peace, but | absolutely
refuse to heed his so-called warning, and say
to him, court defeat but never surrender.
Your vehemence against my responsiveness.
You have thrown down the gauntlet, l accept
the challenge-let the battle proceed.
The next disadvantage 10 the doctor is his
failure to distinguish his separate personali-
ties. There is the rabbi, the editor and the in
10 Upfc
so horribly mixed up that he scarce knows in
what capacity he Is acting. He begins his arti-
Gle like the editor, hostile and abusive; sud
denly remembers he is rabbi and affects TO
season his abusive with some wise remarks
about religion, and then as suddenly recoilect-
ing the individual and the claims OF that 1ndi-
yldual he proceeds TO advertise himself and
his temple.
Not the least striking feature of the mat
ter, in view of the interference of Rabbi
Noorsanger in a matter entirely foreign to
him or his congregation, is that the Con-
gregation Sheriff Israel with one accord
is in favor of the gymnasium and lyceum
annex first agitated i'll San Francisco by
Rabbi Nieto.
Colonel H. /. Kowalsky, one of the trus-
tees OF the synagogue, was highly indig-
nant over the stand of Rabbi Voorsanger
and expressed himself as follows:
Yes, l have carefully read the article of the
Rev. DR.. Jacob Voorsanger, contained in his
weekly puDIca1On. Inc Emanuel, attacking
the adyisability, wisdom and practicabiIity of
the building OF gymnasium and lyceum in
connection with the new synagogue bout to
be built by the Congregation Sheriff. Israel
and must confess that the object of the at
tack is so purely selfish and hypocritical that
could have never, been induced 10 have
viewed the reverend author from the narrow
position that he has placed himself in.
There Is history attached TO the origin Of
the scheme TO erect the gymnasium and
lyceum which is needless for me to enter upon.
m hp firSf Ipnn nac
preached was this learned reverend gentle
man. He thought it then, a. he admits in his
article, that the object was noble, beneficial
and worthy and much needed. but insisted
that 1t ought not to be in connection with eny
congregation. And when asked why he Of
feed the remarkable reason that 1t would In
terfere with the conduct OF the religious ser
vices, and again that it ought to be delayed al
least five years and various other silly
and gauzy reasons which were only
a disguise for his real reason, and which was
fully understood at the time by not only
myself but by others TO whom he venIured his
solicited advice upon subject growing out OF
the judgment OF a congregation over which he
has no more control than Archbishop Rlordan
has over the conduct or the services of the
Celestial iosh-house run by one OF the six
Chinese companies.
The gracious reverend, with an eye on the
main chance, sees thatin the erection OF this
splendid annex to the Congregation Sheriff.
israel, that 1t Will meet with the approval OF the
better element of the thinking and progressive
young Hebrew, and that great institution,
combining the moral and Physical culture OF
the Jew, Will have become q factor and r.
power in the Jewish COMMUNICATIONS him.
Therefore it must not be, SO says DR.. Voor-
sanger, no matter what the good.
1t must be crushed that the reverend
gentleman can stand not alone in the Jewish
eye, but in the Christian as well, the colossus
OF all that is worthy or good to the Jewish
people Well, this vanity will not be gratifed.
And though the reverend doctor reforms Juda-
ism TO such an extent that the good father
Abraham would fail to recognize his descend
ants, the gymnasium and lyceum will be built
and upon such lines that even he will be
forced to bow in recognition of its great worth.
The reverend doctor should not allow the
venom of his spleen to blind him to the truth
And when b. says, to quote his own language,
alt is needless to say that no synagogue or
congregation is seriously contemplating such a
radical step-but then YOU can tell q reporter
anything and he will sell 1t to his principals
as long as space is for sale and must be filed
he states that which Is in absolute centredic-
ton of every existing fact; facts of record
facts that are part of a judicial petition that
has been acted upon by our Superior courts
and which have passed into judgment
OF the court-facts that are public. and regard
ing which no newspaper man, fedgling or
otherwise, muckless a divine whose life is ex-
pected TO be given to truth, should dare to
falsify-and in proof of his misstatement, which
cannot be excused for want of history and
records or inquiry.
will state that in October, 1895, the Con.
gregation Sheriff. Israel, in pursuance with a
I vi RON inn Nrnt fhn 49,