The San Francisco call., 1904-12-26
HEBREW IDEA
OF CHRIST MAS
Rabbi NJ. Friedlander, Lead
inc Jewish Divine of Oak
land. on Great Christian Day
Oakland Office san Francisco Call.
1916 Broadway. Dec. %.

Oakland Office san Francisco Call.
1916 Broadway, Dec. %.
The ideas Of Jewish rabbi upon
Christmas at Christmas time. Years
ago this would have seemed an impOs-
sibility, but Rabbi NJ Friedlander Of
the First Hebrew Congregation Of Oak
land has come boldly forward and re-
corded his opinions in an article that
has Just been given TO the public. The
Rabbi has treated Christmas from the
point of view of his religion, and he
has treated it fearlessly, and as he sees
it These ideas, as written and pre-
pared by the rabbi himself, are Of in
terest, and among the points he brings
out are the following:
Whether Christmas is the birthday Of Jesus
OF Nazareth. is believed by orthodox
churchrnen. or Il is q survival Of the heather
Sturnslla taken up and embellished with ad-
ditional sOlemnity by the church, as Is claimed
by the inQuiring student. all enter heartily in
the celebration Of the day q festival OF good
cheer and social enjoyment People Of all faiths,
and OF no faith, equally join in the merry OBJ
servsnce Of the day In giving and receiving
presents. Many among the Jews. especially
among the Jewish children. Join in the general
festivities OF Christmas and exchange greetings
and zffts with their Christian neighbors and
friends out of a spirit Of fellowship and friend
lines Year By year the religious significance
OF the day Is neticeably shifted farther 10 the
background. and the social feature Of IL is be-
coming more prevalent. Most people, even
ing when asked why they observed Christmas
give as the answer. Because every one else
did f" A day on which ordinary vocation is
suspended, friendship exchanged sumptuOus
meals are prepared the family assembled, and
the children are enjoying merry good time.
should receive q general welcome especially
by a generation 50 busy and rushed as we are,
no matter what its origin.
In Russia where the church keeps the people
in darkness. Christmas is generally marked by
violence and bloodshed committed by Ignorant
zeaiots upon those who do not belong 10 the
Greek church What glaring instance of
how the power Of Christianity Is crippled by
the discipline OF the church.
And while such bigotry and the evil re-
sulting therefrom exists 10 this day in
Eastern Europe are impossible in our land OF
enlightenment. yet the government OF the
American church (or shall ] say, the policy Of
the clergy is not entirely free from criticism.
The church refuses 70 entirely nd itself of the
old asoteric doctrine; II still rigidly enforces
the principal OF exclusfveness-it does not ad-
NIT any Outsider to its pulpit whose theo-
logical exposition and scrsptural exegesis are
presupposed TO have different coloring from
those given by the religious guide of its own
camp. We can see no harm ensuing from pre-
seuting the significance Of religion and an ap-
prehension OF God from different grounds One
might regard his religion better than that OF
others, but he cannot reasonably regard the
religion OF others a mental disease whose IN
teaches the belief in God, who is the single
guiding power OF the world and perfect in a
humanity which emulates his goodness and
reaches cut after his holiness II religion Is tc
influence every phase OF human life, then life
cannot be complete without a full and clear
knowledge OF every phase Of human reason
II Is here the insistence by the church to pre-
clude from its gates any interchange ol
thought that the secular press in this ooun-
try. BY its quick detection Of what institu-
peoples needs. has made itself an indispensable
supplement 70 the church.