The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-25
SOLUTION OF JEWISH PROBLEM.
II is Evolution and Assimilation,
DIR. siIverman Says.
From the New York Times.

From the New York Times.
The Rev. DR.. Joseph Silverman of
the Tempe Emanuel-El, at Fifth ave-
nue. and Forty-third street, yesterday
preached his second sermon on Zion
ism. In his first sermon, which was
delivered two weeks ago, DR.. Silverman
said that Zionism was a dream utterly
impossible of realization and that it
was only believed in by a small mi
nority of the Jews all over the world.
In his sermon yesterday DIR. Silver
man gave as his solution of the jew
ish question "Evulotion and Assimila-
ton" He argued that time, and time
alone, would settle the great ISSUE
that there must be no going back, and
that the Jews must acquire tastes and
habits of the country of their birth,
except, however, in the matter of rell-
gion.
Il PROPOSE" said DIR. Silverman, that
we follow the laws of evolution and ac-
cept the logic of events. Israels ma
tionality is closed. We must write a
new chapter to Israel's history. The
nationality was at best only an exper-
iment-a beginning for Israers higher
career and nobler mission. Israel has
passed the stage of it's infant life. 1t
has now reached it's manhood. 1t need
live no longer in it's own home under
its parental roof. Just as the young
man goes forth into the world to seek
a larger sphere of usefulness, just so
Israel went forth TO gain the world for
home.
Let US accept the situation. Let us
bow to the Inevitable. Let us regard
the Jewish issue of nationality as dead,
never 10 be revived. Nature does not
reverse it's DEGREES, and history does
not show that a people that for 1000
years lost its nationality ever regain
ed it. To accept the present situation
to be content to be a people with a
religious mission only-would be the
beginning of a solution of the Jewish
question.
II see no solution Of the Jewish ques-
ton in flight, whether it be to Pales-
tine or to any other country. Flight
is a confession of weakness, is coward
ice. The Jew was always brave.
He never fed from hardship and
never surrendered ANONYMOUSLY to
persecution. The Jew always was a
martyr. His history is written in the
worlds record with his own life blood.
81 would solve the Jewish question
in calling out to the Russian, Rou-
manian, and Galician Jew. Stand your
BTOunus lice not. lou nave an IN
alienable right to live in the land
! of your BIRTH in the country that has
harbored your for years and benefit
| ed by your labor. Stand firm and
fear not. Insist on your rights, de-
mand equality before the law, fight
for justice and humanity and your
cry will be heard. Your united pro-
test against oppression will re-echo
around the world. and will stir up
other voices in denunciation Of wrongs
and injustice
And in the meantime the Rouma-
MAN Jews should stand firm and
use every means at their command
political, social. and educational-to
bring about a more favorable condi-
ton. And the Jews in other parts
OF the world shall assist those
under oppression with financial and
moral support and with efforts through
diplomatic measures to remedy the
evils.
After all, however. 1t depends up
on the national processes of civiliza-
ton to solve this vexing Jewish prob
lem. If the slew will stand firm, will
| be a martyr in the cause of right.
|. will appeal TO humanity, and will carry
on campaign of education. he will
surely meet with success and gain for
himself better conditions.
I'VE must make resistance our
watchword-and it has been well said,
Make survival a duty, exalt character
to the dignity of a trust, crown the
hardships of exile with a missionary
claim, and the willow trees will break
into rejoicing and the waters OF
Babylon will be sweet. Time is on
the side of this solution. 1t moves
| with the purpose of history.
But the natural forms of solution
are not yet exhausted. There remains
the great means of assimilation-a
means that has been the dread of
| Israel in times past. Naturally as long
! as the fiction of a Jewish nationality
| is maintained, certain forms are in
sisted upon which individualize the
| Jew and separate him from his fellows
When the national idea is abandoned
| when we follow the ways of evolution
| then the road for assimilation is clear
| The Jew must renounce every form
| of exclusiveness and seek to live with
his fellows in perfect political and
social harmony. In some countries we
have almost arrived at that stage OF
assimilation.
THE immigrant Jew must learn
the language, ways and manners OF
the land in which he lives, and lose
his foreign Identify. Foreign language
manners, and customs. all distinctive
ly foreign institutions, like a jargon
| press literature, and theatre, must
be abandoned, and old and YOUNG
taught the methods of acquiring the
life of the land in which they live.
The Ghetto is the great bane OF
Jews in every large city. 1t is the
greatest obstacle in the way of assimi-
lation. How to break down its gates
is one of the most difficult problems
10 solve In every large community
Here is work for a hundred organize.
TONS How to dispense these masses
that congregate together is the crucia.
point. Education Is one Of the ,,non ~.