The Jewish outlook., 1905-07-14

which the late secretary was neld ny lhe
members of the Central Conference OF
American Rabbis. AS mark of respect to
the memory of the late secretary there was
no afternoon session of the conference and
the tally-ho ride planned for the afternoon
was abandoned on account of the funeral.
Monday evening there was a reunion OF
the alumni of the Hebrew Union College at
the Excelsior Club and the remainder OF the
delegates to the conference were taken by
Chairman E. M. Baker and other members
of the local reception committee to the Eu-
cid Avenue Garden theatre.
Rabbi George Zepin director of circuit
work for the Union of American Hebrew
Congregations, in report of the committee
synagogue extension, said:
within the past decade wave of deeper
religious feeling has swept imperceptibly
over the Jewish population.
1.-THE principal reason for this awakening
is probably the influx of Russian Jews into
America. OF the million and half of Jews
in this country very likely a million and
quarter hail from eastern Europe. Their
presence in this country has wakened in the
American Jews, as whole, a new sense OF
duty and religious responsibility. l ven
ture to assert that Zionism, the pale lumi-
nary shining in the European sky, has not
been without effect in stirring the waters of
American Judaism.
"The unsynagOgued Jewish population
residing in scattered communities, although
considerable in numbers dwindles into in
Significance when compared to the unsyna-
-gogued orthodox who live in large cities. In
the city of Philadelphia there are at least
$4,000 Russian Jews who call themselves or
.thOdox. The synagogues that serve for their
accommodation cannot seat more than TO-
900 people. This leaves an unsynagogued
multitude of 100000.
"This Office has gathered the names OF
200 small towns where circuit work ought to
be introduced. Let us say that each COM
munity contains 100 Jewish persons. That
would make a total of only 10000 country
Jews in the United States. No doubt there
are 200 more cities where circuit work is
needed, but the grand total 10000 would
only equal the number of unsynagogued or
.thodox Jews in one city like Chicago or
Philadelphia. If numbers give weight to the
argument there is no question as to the cry
ing need for synagogue extension in the
large cities.
"In connection with this consideration
we must note the fact that there are two
migratory movements taking place among
the Jews of this country. The children OF
the German Jews who have long resided in
the country districts are gradually making
their way into the large cities. On the other
hand, the Russian Jews in the large cities
are pouring steady stream OF immigrants
into the smaller centres. The same phenOm-
enon that we witness in every large CITY,
namely, that the Russian immigrant moves
into the resident district and business dis
trict previously occupied by the German inn
migrant, is taking place in the country In
a certain sense the country Jews of to-day
will be the city Jews of tomorrow. And
likewise the country population OF to-mor-
row will be recruited from to-day's city pop
ulatiOn.
by religion must be taken in childhood. Con-
Seuuent1v n influence the future inhabl