Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-12-16
SPEAKING FOR ASSIMILATION.

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DR.. Joseph silverman. Of the Emanuel
Temple, New York, Is not in favor OF a
gathering Of the Jews TO Palestine, OF
to any other country. According IA
him the solution Of the Jewish problem
Is In the assimilation of his brethren
with the nations In the midst Of which
they dwell He is quoted as having
said recently In sermon. that Israel
has passed the stage Of It's infant life,
and that now in its manhood" il need
live no longer in its own home under its
parental roof" Israel, he continued,
has gone forth to gain the world for a
home, just as the young man goes forth
INTO the world to seek q greater sphere
OF usefulness for himself.
In the view u DR.. sIlverman, the
gathering would look too much
iige flight and fight Is a
confession OF weakness, OF cow
ardice. He would solve the Jew
ish question by calling out to the Rus
sian, Roumanian, and Galclan Jew,
stand your ground; flee not He coun-
sells that they firmly insist on their
rights demanding equality before the
law, and fighting for justice and
humanity He would have the Rouma-
MAN Jew stand his ground, using every
means at his command 10 bring about
more favorable conditions.
The speaker uttered one great truth,
In the course of his address, which Is
very much applicable to all residents
OF foreign extraction In this country,
where all enjoy equal privileges before
the law. He said that foreign lam
guage, manners and customs, all dis
tlnctive foreign institutions. like q lar
gon press. literature and theater must
be abandoned and old and young taught
the methods OF acquiring the life Of the
land in which they live" The Ghetto,
for instance, is the great bane OF Jews
In every large city. 1T is," he said,
the greatest obstacle in the way OF
assimilation. How 10 break down its
gates Is one Of the most difficult prob
lens to solve in every large COM
munity'
There is much in the address OF the
Rabbi that commands attention. There
is no doubt that many troubles have
come to the Hebrew race. because Of
their exclusiyeness. The more closely
they can identify themselves N.th the
people that surround them. the more
can they be a power for good. The
prominent Hebrews OF the exile to
Babylonia became the sayiors OF their
brethren, because they took part in the
affairs of the empire. as statesmen and
otherwise,
But this does not mean that they
must not look forward toward a day
when they shall again occupy as their
special inheritance, the land Of prom
lse Israel was once gathered there.
In order to learn the principles Of truth
and righteousness which they could not
have learned In a dispersed condition.
When the time came, they were dis
persed in order that those principles
'hould become The common property
of mankind. But there is more to learn.
Israel and Judah viii therefore once
more be gathered. for the general bene-
II Of mankind. This seems to be in the
Irvine plan. from the beginning and It
'annot fail. DR.. silverman says history
locs not show that a people that for
1000 years lost their nationality ever
'.gained IL
Perhaps not Does history show a
people that kept themselves distinct for
1000 years among other nations. as the
Hebrews have done? II not may we
iot conclude that this is for special