The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-28
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THE UNEASY CHAIR

THE UNEASY CHAIR
The JEWISH ENCYCLOPAEDIA
MARKS A CRISIS IN JEWISH SOCI-
Ely - Nobody. who knows the true
condition, of Judaism in contemporary
Jewish society can fail to see that it
is passing thru one of the most momen-
tous crises of its history say the
editors Of The Jewish Encyclopedia.
While the ever-increasing OBJECTIONS
within the various Christian denomina-
lions can be, in great part, ascribed to
the inroads made by modern Bible crit
isim on the dogmatic beliefs of the past,
the desertion of the synagogue by the
modern Jew is rather direct or indi-
rect consequence of his political eman-
clpatlon and his absorbing participation
in the social and economic life. Of our
time. Why? Because Judaism is less
& diogmatie than complex system Of re-
ances which, In many circumstances, are
hard to reconcile with the new condi-
tions under which the Jew is living in
the progressive countries of central and
western Europe and in the new world.
" Hundreds of thousands Of men and
woman, who had or still have daily to
undergo an inner struggle between re-
lgious souvenirs Of their boyhood or
girlhood days and the. pitiless exigen-
cies of their present position need an
of the ritual legislation of the past, and
its often contradictory interpretations
by the various representatives Of the
modern synagogue. For this reason con-
temporaneous Judaism has found The
Jewish Encyclopedia to be, to an emf
'nent degree, that long awaited modern
guide for the perple4ed. This work has
already been hailed by the most illus.
trious of Jewish scholars and communal
leaders with genuine enthusiasm not
merely as great literary, enterprise,
IN the evolution OF Judaism.
An examination of Volume X Of the
work mentioned, just now issued, will
go far to convince one that the above
statement is not an, exaggeration. The
Jewish Encyclopedia - turns the light
of modern thought upon judaism as a
whole, and, while it does not illuminate
all the dark places nor enable the final
word to be spoken, it does clear away
vast amount Of rubbish for both Jew
and Gentle, which is well worth the
work. Besides that, there is no doubt
but that the work will do much to
bring Jew and Gentle into closer
sympathy and friendlier relations.
This volume includes a number of
striking topics which vividly. reflect
the sufferings Of this people Of sorrow
the lands Of Rumania,' and of "Rus-
sia'' have been stained beyond the
possibility Of obliteration with Jewish
blood From the days Of "Rameses
H. down thru the ages to .t the e Ina
progress Of the Jew has been, marked
|indelibly by the sacrifice Of human
lives. Oppression and persecution have
been the weapons welded against them
and ample proof Of this NAY, be fo gni
tn such Rga Rnpsia and dSt
Petersburg" But this brutality has
not been exercised alone in the en-
a story Of admission and expulsion, Of
life in "Pisa, . q Ravenna ~ Y and
11Rome.'' WPoitiers !, in. France and
"Prague - in $Austria eachs have sup
piled their. quota to swell the annals of
Jewish martyrology. z. #j
5as heen ng n t6e faee
of the children of Abraham-With how
tory of the settlement Of Jews in re-
as fellow men Turn to the story Of
Jewish life in ''Pittsburg,u "Ply
month"; Portsmouth" "'Quebec,'
Ramsgate,,',' Richmond" ant
Rochester, and see what a different
! picture each one Of these topics un
folds; look up stRecife, - HHRhodt
Island' and Queensland in far
away Australia, and let each topic tel
its own story. Not blot is to bt
found on the record, and we'll may thu
Jews be proud Of their achievement.
there. 49, @
! The volume, indeed, is rich in every
department. in material Of interest, es
pecially to all students of history ane
religion. -, ~
/ Funk & Wagnalls company, New York.