The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-28
The Two Schools OF Judaism.

The dinner in honor OF DR.. KAUFMAN
KoHLER of Temple BETHEL, situated az
Seyenty-sixth street and Fifth avenue
on Thursday evening, and to celebrate
his election to the presidency OF the
Hebrew Union College at Cincinnati
was significant because 1t brought to-
gether in friendly intercourse leading
representatives Of the two schools OF
Judaism, the Liberal, or Reform, and
the Orthodox, or Conservative.
DR.. KOHLER will succeed the late
DR.. ISAAC MAYER WISE, the founder OF
the Cincinnati institution for the training
of rabbis, in 1878, so distinguished as a
leader in Reform Judaism; yet one OF
the principal speakers at the dinner was
DR.. SOLOMON ScHECHTER, the president
of the Jewish Theological Seminary IN
New York, who is now the most learned
representative Of the Orthodox school
In this country. At the New York semi
nary every student who is a candidate
for a degree must be a strict observer
of the Jewish ritual must keep the Sab
bath and conform to the Jewish dietary
laws.
DR.. ScHRcHTERr referred humorously to
his theological battles with DR.. koHLER'
and there may have been a suggestion
of playful irony in his remark that ne
thought . it great thing that DR..
KoBLER is relieved OF the ministry in
order that he may devote his time to
scientific research 1t had been the
hope Of conservative Jewry that the
New York theological Seminary, at the
head OF which DR.. SCHRCHTER Is, might
be made the one great American institu-
ton for the training of rabbis, and there
fore his presence at this dinner was not
able az an indication that that dream is
now dispelled in his mind and in the
minds of the school Of Judaism repre-
| sented by him. This change OF senti-
ment was expressed directly by DR..
LpIpsIGRR, who presided at the dinner,
in the remark that though he once
thought it would be best to have only
one great institution Of Jewish learning
he had now made up his mind, that con.
sidering the character OF our time and
the development Of individuality In men
IL ia well TO have at least two theological
seminaries, one standing for all that u
traditional and historical Of our race
and the other for ideas little more ad'
vanced in the Reform movement.
This is a very significant acknowledg
ment. 1t might be called. rather,
graceful acceptance Of the inevitable
of the continued and permanent division
OF American Jewry into two camps.
At present, the Orthodox school
greatly in the asoendency numerically
if not intellectually, and unquestionabl
SO far as concerns Talmudic learning
Practically, all OF the additions TO tn
Jewish population which immigration
is now bringing, or from thirty to MT
thousand annually. are recruits for IN
Orthodox party, the party to which be
long almost exclusively the 100000 jew
already established in the East Sid
Ghetto OF New York whether they, too
will be liberalized IN the course oil TIM
by tie American influences which ha'
, | tended 10 break down the strict oonseI
J yati,m of 80 many Of the older JEWS
settlers has yet TO be demonstrated. III
: old were chiefly of German origin; ties
nexoomer. are Of Russian or Easter
I. European origin and are the most VI
chanveabls IN their traditional orth'
doky.
: One otI,.r remark by DIR. scBEoHff
= xas noteworthy. IL ~ss an outburrt I
= nr,d. an the Jewish ram h-oa,is. n
. -. A., ,l. xorld the Bible" That, \