The San Francisco call., 1897-04-05
A RELIGIOUS
FREE SCHOOL
Why the One Supported by
the B'ne Birth Was
Discontinued.
Movement to Re.establish 1t and
Maintain 1t by Contri-
buttons.
Proposition to Be Discussed in the
Temple Emanu-El To-
Night.

For number of years there was main
| tanned in this City by the Independent
Order of B'ne Birth a religious free
school for the education Of juvenile
Israelites. 1t was carried on with view
to keep in the minds of the young pupils
the religion and traditions of the Jewish
people. For time those eligible to that
education were the children OF mem bers
of the order. but as time wore on children
OF non-members were admitted, and
toward the latter part of last year the
number of pupils reached about $50. The
school was held in one OF the rooms OF the
B'ne Birth building on Eddy street, and
it was continued there for some time.
Then it was removed to one of the syna-
gogues south of Market street.
The matter of educating children of
| nom m embers was one that was frequently
brought up in the lodgeroom and there
were many warm discussions, some hold
ing that the school should be conducted
on the lines on which it was first started
and others more liberal minded were of
the opinion that all children of the jew
ish faith should receive the instruction
i'm parted.
Al the session of the District Grand
odge held IN Stockton last January a
com mittee was appointed TO inquire into
the expectancy of continuing the school,
and upon the report presented it was de-
cided TO withdraw the support of the
lodges from the school. but this was done
with the understanding that other means
would be provided to continue the school.
On the 26th of last February fifteen
Israelites of this City metin the Tenn pie
Emanu-El, discussed the proposition to
continue the school by voluntary contr-
hntIOnS a M ad = n
prepare plan. This com mmittee has per-
fected plan which will be presented to
general meeting of Israelites to be held
this evening in the temple
The ommittee has issused an unsigned
circular which has been distributed to
every prominent Israellte in this City and
in that there is the following:
The question now to be solved by the Jewish
community of this City is: How to promote
the religious education of our poor Jewish
youth.
Intrinsically religious education is desir-
able in itself; from the standpoint of good cit
izenship ii is necessity; while as Jews it is
our sacred duty TO see that not one sheep
strays from the flock. Nnmberless children of
parents who can by no possible means afford
10 attach themselves to q congrega ton are to-
day growing up, either in utter ignorance of
the religion and history OF their forefathers
or else, it may be said, fed of IL in so unpalat-
able q manner and by such distorted methods,
that 10 their young American minds, trained
III our puUliC ScuOOlS, lndC WHICH SnOulQ BE-
come an object OF veneration appears to them
q travesty and by-word.
The result of such condition is invariably
an army OF the scoffers and blasphemers, who
perhaps slowly, but surely, graduate into
socialists and even anarchists or swell the dis
affected classes in general. This, sir is the
picture which we are compelled to unfold to
your view as part and parcel of our COM
munity. Have we then erred in considering
you as one who would be willing 10 assist in
bringing about a change?
You must not for one moment think that
the picture is overdrawn or that we are engag-
ing III this work for the want of something
better to do. There is nothing better to be
done at the present than TO follow the wise
example of all the large Eastern and European
cities. Their experience teaches them that
the only sure way OF rescuing the poor
the Jewish name fIom disgrace, is a modern
religious educs ton.