The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-05
4 VERY Liberal JEWISH VIEW.
REe opposes the GommemoratiOn VI Days
Recalling Jewish Nationality.

To TINE EDITOR OF THE SrN-SG: The
SrN mentions to-day as being observed by
Jews as the o.4i3th day oil commemoration,
through prayer and fasting. of the destruction
Of Jerusalem by the Babylonians Mnder
NebuchadneZ2ar.
Can any one really mourn the loss or want
Of something never personally possessed
can a person truly mourn the death Ola grand
parent already long departed at the time OF
his birth? Truly speaking. is MOI such MOURN
ing rather a forced imaginative. sympathetic
sent iment!
Scotland to-day no longer mourns Flodden
Field l5l3l, nor Spain the loss OF the Armada
1885, nor Ireland the capitalization OF Lon
donderry 1850. nor England tornwalliss
surrender at Yorktown u7sll. nor Russia
the burning OF Moscow (lsl2l nor France
Waterloo $3.50; We, Judaism still mourns
the destruction OF Jerusalem 5ss B. Co
II was only natural and patriotic, and also
very. conceivable that the immediate sur
have sincerely and deeply felt sorrow; ana
that their immediate descendants should
have had similar sentiments, in diminished
degree; but to-day. nearly twenty-five CEN
tliss afterward, can siige Of true sor-
row still possibly exist when The calamity
has for ages become simply fact OF ancient
history
Owing TO the fact that the ancient Jewish
government, Was close combination Of
Chtrtn ana state, nlSlOTlCul events Su'iL
M Jerusalem's destruction, became part OF
the reli RiOn.
1t il far more agreeable for both individ-
uals and nations to celebrate the anniversa-
ries OF pleasures than OF sorrows. hence wa
Americans celebrate the birthdays of Wash
ington and Lincoln. Bunker Hill Day, lnde-
pendence Day: and the British celebrate Queen
Victora's birthday May pa. Waterloo Day
June 49,, and the Germans. sedan Day tSept,
~ but the Jews, though for many centuries
no longer a nation continue 10 commemorate
events of mOurnful national history,
II may be suggested that the history q
the Jews from 5SS r. c. to 1903 4. D. will
easily furnish many other soIrowful details
of historical record, and since. after all, only
u few are religiousy commemorate, why
not more or all of them? And. thereby. or
this line, establish an extensive series OF
dates 10 be annually observed by. present
and future Jews through PRAYER and fasting,
in contemplation OF the respective events
The immigrant 10 the United States from
England. Spain, Russia, &c, becomes by our
laws, a citizen through residence here, and
his children here become such by birth.
America, or rather, the United States. be-
comes his country. The American jew
has country one une0ualled on earth
Why continue belief OF a nationality for
centuries nonresident? Why not consider
Judaism as simply. a religion. one, enter
tanned by citizens of other countries also!
WHY not now separate the essential de-
tails Of the Jewish faith from events OF ma.
tional history interviewer Herewith, and
treat each according to its true nature?
II can and ought TO be done; y would rem
der the religion less complex and more mod
ern. Lot us look forw ard. not backward.
ADoIPH OrFFNHElMER.
NEW YonK, Aug, ?.