Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-18
B'NAI BIRTH CONVENTION
J. L. strelit,ky Elected to the Presidency
for the Second Term.
SECRETARY HAMBUReHER IS REFLECTED
Presidents Address Deals with Many
Questions of Importance and
Timely Interest 10 jews
in United states.

! IN lnNNe0 StHNees
| The thirty-hfth annual convention of
/ district grand lodge No. s. Independent
order Bnai Birth. or Sons of the Cow
| enant. was called to order at 10 O'Clock
yesterday morning In the Continental
| block, Fifteenth and Douglas. by ]. l..
/ Strelitsky, its president. SiNty-ive dee
gates among them men who are ackrowl-
edged leaders of the Jews of Nebraska,
Iowa, Illinois, Michigan Wisconsin and
| Minnesota, were present. The general
headquarters are at the Iler Grand hotel,
but many of the visitors dined yesterday
at the Metropolitan club guests OF men,
bers Of the two local lodges, Nebraska No.
Sji and William Mckinley No. 521.
The morning session was occupied almost
entirely by the address of j. l.. Streltsky
of Grand Rapids Mich. president OF the
! district lodge, and by the distribution OF
the voluminous report of the convention OF
last year, compiled by Secretary E. c.
Hamburgher of Chicago.
AT the morning session also there was
report from the intellectual advancement
| committee, prepared by Chairman Israel
Cowen, but In his absence, read by Martin
Sngarman of Omaha, member of the COM
mittee for Iowa and Nebraska. The gist
of the report was that the committee has
! been instrumental in furthering the good
OF the order by providing many speakers
and entertainments for local lodges TO as
sist them in creating interest and enthusi-
asm in the work
Business of the Convention.
At the afternoon session the convention
disposed of all routine business and cleared
the decks, that today may be given over
entirely to such matters as come up by
resolution or through the reports OF the
| convention committees appointed to exam
Inc and report on the secretarys report.
treasurer's report and similar matters.
The first of yesterday afternoons trans
actions was the election of ]. l.. Strelitsly
for second term president. No pres
ident ever Las been given a second term
In the thirty-hve years of the orders ex-
istence, and First Vice President l. j.
Levinson was understood to be a candidate
for the place, but despite these facts Mr.
Strelitsky was chosen on the first ballot
as reward for the exceptionally ener-
gettc and fruitful work he has done during
the year that has elapsed since his cleo
ton at the convention in Chicago.
First Vice President Levinson, whose
home lodge is Progress No lls of Peoria
Ill. was given hio old place I. Goldberg
of Mishau lodge No. 247. Kalamazoo, Mich
was made second vice president e C.
Hamburgher of Quincy lodge No. ISL, Chi
caso. who has been secretary seventeen
years was elected to still another term
David Fisch of Jonathan lodge No. Iso
Chicago, was again elected treasures.
: The new court OF appeals elected yeNter
DAY comprises Simeon Bloom of Nebraska
lodge, Omaha Charles Nussbaunn OF
Petersburg, ILL.,; William Sempiiner of Bay
City Mich Charles L. Aarons Milwaukee,
and William S. Newberger of Chicago
The chair appointed Judge Philip stein
Samuel Foiz, A. B. Seelenfreund 8. Idv-
ingston and A. Kraus a committee to drat,
and submit today resolutions on the atroci-
ties recently perpetrated on Jews at Kiscn-
iner. Russia
Public Meeting Mt Temple,
In the evening at Temple Israel there
was public program which attracted n
very large audience and proved extremely
entertaining The temple choir sang. Rabb,
Simon formally welcomed the visitors. Roh-
ert Cuscaden gave a violin solo and then
as one of the most notable features of the
present gathering Hon. Martin Emericb.
coheressman-elect from the First district
of Illinois, spoke on THE Influence Of the
Jew on Moral Tendencies in American
Life" In part he said:
I jews is
something more than an epitome OF our
race, not only in the United States, put
| throughout the modern world. AS we coms
| from large part of our country 10 con
slder matters of interest to our orRaniza-
soaar a0n wnicn is distinctly Jewish in its char
our relations as select or distinct BODY:
Sraat %nat our relations really are to to the
As we look about us and observe the Great
ana advantageous use which our core
lislonlsts have made of the opportunities
which they have enjoyed under America n
lnstltutlons there comes a sense of oh
legation, under wAich we rest, to contribute
! tunity for the benent of the state in Whicb
we i've and for those who are TO come
To him who hath shall be given" "Of
MN 10 whom much has been given, much
who hrst opens up a new country has gen
eraliy been to accumulate a fortune in the
| least possible time and to return again Ia
the land from which he came, where he
might settle down and enjoy the fruits OF
ms early efforts That time and spirit
have passed away in America and we real,
lie that as we build wherever we may
be- we are building for permsnence There
section to which we may 20 with weaitb
accumulated here; and there is an obIiKa-
in life, to live constructive lives creatiys
r lives. which shall add somewhat TO the
mansncY goof so f sh1 give strength and per
I 10 which we owe so much
Responsibility of the Jew.
The greatest work which falls to tbs
hand OF man is that of Character building
character maklngi and the Jew with IN
Z alert mentality, with his vigorous broad
and discriminating intellect, is easily IN
> the front rank with other men in the or.
dlnary aVocGtions Of life, so In the yyorL
D | OF character making, much has beer
, given to the Jew in capacity, so much vii
justly be expected from his efforts in tbs
way OF character making
\ There is ground for the general imnras
sion that in these days, the people on ON,
country at large, have in a measure lns'
{ sight of certain fundamental principles ir
/ the bewildertng rush of a tremendougiy
: materialistic period.
b The question for the Jew Is whether tn.
0 old principles OF justice, equity, riRhteous.
ness, crystalized In the old religion 1ybtct
was the civil law of the race, shall bs
modified or forsaken; whether IL shall bs
= modified to Mt the requirements OF a ma,
I terialistic age, or whether we shall insis
! that modern life. modern society moderr
laws and institutions and systems shs Il
be modified TO conform with and reincor
. porate the old and eternal principles o.
. Justice.
The relations between the individual an,
. the Infinite are measured and determine
~ by his relations with other indlyiduals IL
The modern classification of society rs NO
[ on racial lines; the distinction between M.
Jew and the non-Jew as members OF IN,
social body are extinguished and the new
classification proceeds upon a different lin,
/ Of division