The sun., 1896-07-20
THE NEW REFORM JUDAISM
AN IMPORTANT CoETBNTTON OF
THE AMERICAN RABBINlTE.

| Up for Debate and Aetion-The Rsforu
| Rabbis Say They Standior" American
Jrdaisn"-Ths aae=tion OF Proseiytism.
| There is interest In the report that has beon
| printed of the convocation OF the Central Con-
| ference of American Rabbls which was held
at Milwaukee In the second week Of this month.
There are 133 members OF the organization,
which is in so healthy a condition, financially,
that 1t hns been able to create a fund for tho
benefit OF superannuated rabbis.
After the choir had rendered tho anthem
Jubtlhte, and q prayer had been offered, there
was an address nf welcome from the Chair.
Then Rabbi Isaac NJ. Wise, the President Of
the Conference. delivered an elaborate mes
sage. He declared that the body had already
become the representative OF American Juda-
ism, which, he said, rs reform Judaism" and
that such rabbis as are outside Of 1t have ceased
70 be representative. He desired that creed
should be drawn up for the acceptance OF the
rabbis belonging to the Conference.
A paper entitled Our Shifting Attitude"
was then presented by Rabbi Israel Aaron Of
Buffalo, and the reading Of 1t was followed by
n long debate upon it's propositions, in which
seven members, including Rabbi S. II. Som
nescheln Of New York took part Rabbi
Aaron maintained that some means must be
adopted for the prevention OF the decay of faith,
that q positive system Of belief was needed, and
that there must be an agreement as to what
ceremonies and Institutions should be retained
by the reform rabbinate.
There ought to be solidarity, not only be-
tween the synagoGues, but also between tho
congregations and the rabbis; and, for this
purpose. It might be well to hold conference
In which both tho congregation and the rab-
binate would be represented. Minor matters,
too, must be Looked after. The spirit which
had removed tho masculine hat from the syna-
Eogue was responsible for the absence Of the
masculine head from the rev. Again, there
are Jews who favor o Sunday Sabbath rather
than sabbath Saturday, and 1t seemed to him
better to have Sunday Sabbath than no Sab
bath at all. Either resanctify the Mosaic
Sabbath or give the Sunday the spirit OF it.
In the debate upon Rabbi Aaron's paper,
there were suggestions for the holding Of Sun
day services, for the adoption Of effective
methods in the Sunday schools. and for in
ducing women TO participate more fully in the
Srousht to Sa end by he asaas ss's9n o RaSS
felsenthal's paper, in German. on the His
tory of Dogma In Judaism" the debate upon
car trip to The wate9 SIDE he
where, according to a report that was revised
quating drauRhts of the Milwaukee beverage
TO their utmost desire"
usual interest The Rev Mr. an Gonld %i in.
Unitarian clergyman. was introduced TO the
sembled ,sb rabbi, by Rabbi Hesht, who an.
pointed 20 represent the Western Unitarian
Association at the Central Conference OF Amer.
tngs and sympathy, which were received with
pleasure, an expression of which was at once
entered Npon the official minutes. AT the same
time President Wise gave utterance to emo
tions OF fraternity. Then the Secretary read
report dealing Largely with the success OF the
time has been officially adopted by e!gl II. six
American and Canadian ,ynagogues
thority," he said, without the compulson OF
any synod or sanhedrtn, hut simply upon It's
Ss5ss ef T a Sg n1e Ss hS s &
go largely introduced"
Following this report there was, spirited
A committee had first made a collection Of
100 hymns, which were submitted TO an emil
lection did not seem to co cover G Vide enc enough
range for Jewish worship, ii was enlarged un-
III it contained 250 hymns, all OF which would
bereferr~d for further revision TO an editorial
The Chairman of the Society of American
as he and Rabbi Got1heil OF, New York had
prepared another hymnaL Some offence was
Which had been sent from Sew t YORK tqsS'iH BY Br
Gotthe.l. and it was declared out OF order. In
man protested against those religious rhymes Gt2Ss
which are sung With nasal twang most is
and % them sT It Ths Mss ths,
The Jew has been functlonally provided
plenty OF nasal room for air."
Two papeTs p .r we're next read; one Of them
sec stndes 81 IN
the latter containing an account OF the Semitic |
departments OF the higher educational institu- |
nent Of e puSiicaton camm!isee Htee'H Was sst sso
submitted. and showed good profit from the |
o00.. In the evening the rabbis enjoyed al ex- |
cursion oy boat and had good line at
Upon % tho day SReh Mss the clos
ing day OF the Convention, there was much
hard work, and the, 1--WE, minutes rule FOR
Of the reports was that OF the Committee on
psosslytes. It provided that an applicant for
affirmation TO q number OF questions, among
which are these:
rs 1t your earnest and sincere wish, OF your
own free will and BcCcrd, TO become q fol-
lower OF the Jewish reigtonf''
DO you know and accept the Fundamental
principles OF Judaism, and Will you openly de-
Ilnre your belief IN them, and observe all the
Is 1t your honest intention to live as
The rabbi who has tho ;noyitiate in charge
cerity; and two other rabbs must be present
II the examination. II the answers of tho
proseiyte 70 the questions are satisfactory he
s accented as q jew, and benediction is pro-
Ten or twelve rabb,s took part in the dis
inally referred 10 tho Executive Committee,
With full power tn act upon It. 1t will be no.
Iced that there is no direct reference to the
Mosaic rite in tho prescribed list OF questions.
Afterward the reports OF sundry commit
ees were submitted, and q plan for the ad-
OF the INDECENT Minister'S Relief
Fund was adopted. Rabbi Isaac NJ. Wise was
effected as President OF the Central Council
II American Rabbis, and the convention ad-
ourLed.
In the evening tho rabbis again enjoyed a
'lea SAINT entertainment AS the guests of club |
Among the Reformrabbis OF the United states
he Convention here reported is regarded us one
4 marked Importance to American Judaism
nd TO the jewish people In this country |
mong the more orthodox Jews. tho Conyen-
ion Is regarded with very great dspleasure.
BAFE CRACKED IN PATERSOS |