The San Francisco call., 1898-12-10
Beginning of the Jew
 ish Festival.
SERVICES IN THE SYNAGOGUES
SERMONS AGAINST ZIoNIsM BY
 THE RABIES.
Jerusalem Was Not a Walled City, but Spiritual Abode, Is the Idea of the Reform.
 Jew.

Last night was begun by the people of the Jewish faith the celebration of the Chanuka or the feast of<the lights, the anniversary of the rededication of the temple by the heroic Judas Maccabeus after a successful revolution against An tiochus, King of Syria
 In commemoration of the victory an eight-day feast or celebration was insti- tuted in which candles are lighted, recall ing the relighting of the fires on the altars of Jehovah. This partial returning of Palestine to the Jewish faith is being compared to the present Zionistic idea. or the re-establishment of the Jewish nation in It's ancient home. This plan of colo Ssization and nationality finds no favor >lng reform Jews, on the ground or its ASmpracticability and as not being ID kSce with divine will.
 \Emon at Temple Emanu-El, pr.
 last evening eloquently, op-
 sheme for the return of the
 \salem. ''It was,' he said,
 dea of the sending thlther
 poor Jews by few rich
 no time nor inclination to
 The heroism of Macca-
 gton of Palestine, and
 of the Holy Land as
 suit of that struggle
 e initiated by this new
 is the time to speak
 opposed that will over
 ,, against the scheme
 o set the progress oi
 On to Zion is apt
 chief in the world than
 ever come before the
 of Temple Beth-Israel
 his festival is clustered
 Est daring deeds of the
 .necting with the feast
 Inc of the prettiest ideals
 ever possessed. If Cha
 |as it does in the month of
 "a frequently aDout the 18th
 observed by the Jewish peo-
 |of Christmas it would be the
 creating a greater national Imong our people. It would be of mutual friendliness and would Ife us to deeds of heroism in the pne of and for the glory. of Israel. I.ould bring to the minds of your children ; the memory of the all-inspiring epocn oi their own religion and their hearts could be turned from Santa Claus and be made to grasp the poetry of a real Maccabean.' pr. Jacob Nieto of Congregation Sher- ith Israel said: '"This is Chanuka, the time of the rededication of the temple and the reconsecration of Israel to the holy mission of proclaiming the unity of God and announcing perfection or man the worlds greatest ideal.
 "As we recall the heroic exploits of the Maecabees thrill of pride courses through our frames as imagination i'm. pelled by sentiment opens to our mental gaze view of numberless fields of glory The Syrian power was broken and Israel
 
 took again the oath of fealty to God s sovereign power. But this was changed and the Jew was made to wander forth over the world, long pilgrimage with the burden of iniquities he had not com- mitted added to those he had; despised and scorned while the world worshiped at the shrine of his creation. They de- tested him but loved his ideals. But his song was still of Zion and his hope was of her restoration
 Now we come to ZionSm. In it's new form it is neither poetical nor practical. It is only phantasy-a dream of the over-sanguine soul. One of the means to be adopted to bring about this end, this return of the Jew to the old home of his race, Is the establishment of a bank for the assistance of the future Palestine farmer. Banks cannot be made solvent unless they can loan on an inter- est-yielding industry, and there are no industries in Palestine worth mentioning and no colonists can progress under con- ditionS that are utterly visionary
 And there is the religious part of the question. If the so-called orthodox Jew IS right the reconstruction of the temple would necessitate the reintroduction of the old sacrificial rites which he prays for daily, and a return to barbariSm would be the inevitable result. Jerusalem will never be in the possession of the Jew. neither will the introduction of the blood rites of his forefathefs be possible or