The sun., 1903-06-22
ORTHODOX HEBREWS MEET.
CHRISYI4N HYMNS NOT TO HE
sung ~ PlBLIC SCHOOLS.
Question OF Keeping Jewish Chiidren
True to Their Faith Discussed At
the Unions Annual MeetinE--Other
Changes In school Methods Are sought.

The Unions OF Orthodox Congregations
OF the United States and Canada, held their
third annual convention Yesterday III the
synagogue Of congregation Shaarey nh"-
mayim in Rivington street. Inc suhlect
most discussed at the three sessions was t!'e
preserving OF the faith Of the younger
generation.
The Rev. Dr. H. Perera Mendes. president
OF the union, in his message to the conven-
ton explained at length the work that
had been done in the past year toward
making it possible for jewish youths to
attend the public schools and colleges with
out prejudicing their faith.
Examination dates have been fixed III
ali public institutions SO as not to clash
with the religious duties OF students, ne
said; Friday evening sessions in the night
grammar schools have been abolished,
conflicting az they did with the Jewish
Sabbath, and the committee on public
schools and colleges has under considera-
tion the evening high schools which are
still holding sessions on Friday evenings
Complaint of sectarian influence in the
public schools was sent to Supt. Maxwell
on four counts:
First That the bylaw by which the
school sessions are to be opened by the read
ing Of a few verses from the Bible is in some
cases interpreted to mean few verses from
Second That the children are taught TO
sing moral selections that include specitlcally
Christian hymns Of d distnctiyely doctrnnl;
secta rian character and which are applied
to the founder Of those doctrines ana symDo!S.
Third-That in preparation for the winter
dsno,y chisan aa and
pressve OF the specifically Christian senti-
inent OF reverence for Christmas are taught
Fourth-That the impression is conveyed
to the children that their attendance at one
session at all events Is desirable on days
which are Jewish holidays.
DR.. Maxwell assured the committee
which visited him that the Board of Edu-
cation would not countenance the prac-
tices complained of and that the teachers
would be SO instructed.
Another subject discussed was the rab-
binical divorce. Resolutions were adopted
deploring the laxity Of rabbis who have per-.
formed marriages after such divorces. and
urging all rabbis who may be called upon to
grant religious divorces to convince them
selves previously that the. requirements
OF the State law have been fulfilled and to
absolutely refuse to grant such rabbinlcal
bills Of divorce unless the parties applying
for the same have secured civil divorce
and are entitled to remarry under the
State law and that no Jew minister Off
ciate at the remarriage OF divorced per-
son unlesJ such person has received state
decree Of divorce and the rabbinical get.
The subject was treated at length from
the standpoint of Jewish law in paper
on Get and State Divorce by David w.
Amram OF Philadelphia read at the evening
session.
safeguarding the faith OF the new genera
ton Albert Lucas complained bitterly
Of 'those ever watchful collectors OF stray
lambs who conduct kindergartens and
such like institutions to which children
Of the Jewish poor are always Welcome, ~.
kind women who take their children. of
their hands during the busiest hours Of the
day he added "If the children are quee-
toned the answer Is not always the whole
truth; for the Kings DaYghters have pre-
The influences OF Christian teachers in
tho public schools and the Christian senti-
nents contained in songs and poems which
the children were often compelled to memo
ri1e came in for his eondemnation ;.,.u
He urged every Jewish parent to instruct
his children to refuse point blank to learn
the obnoxious verses or to take part IN
any way in eectarian exercises
Zionism was represented by Jacob de
Haas. secretary Of the National organiza-
ism and Orthodox Judaism The con-
vention adopted a resolution in recon-
mendation that an official statement be
prepared to deal with such current catch
phrases as America is our Zion. wash
lngton Ia our Jerusalem.
sThese statements the resolution de-
clared -far from binding the world to the
fact that the Orthodox Jew hopes and
prays for the revival Of the glory Of his
ancestral home, only serve to draw atten-
tion to it, and 1t is desirable to prove that
the Jew is not lees loyal to the country Of his
adoption or less worthy Of the rights of
citizenship because he looks forward to the
spiritual elevation of the entire human
race which Israel's restoration in Palestine
;vo,