The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-11
TIE DECLINE OF JUDAISM.
A Call by Jew for the Adaptation Of His
Religion to Present Conditions.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN Sir: DR..
Singer overestmates the number of "ohurch-
less" New York Jews.
True. only a small minority may DO pow
holders or regular attendants Of any particu-
lar synagogue. yet very many OF the remainder.
II only to attend services during the fall holy
days. then procure seats at some syna 60 que.
or at some hall where divine service Is then
held. Tho number OF synagogues has in
creased. and many small communities fnan-
cially unable to have one maintain some
hall for the purpose: and to accommodate
the multitudes DESTROYS Of attending divine
services during the fall holy days many
additional halls are temporarily hired.
However. It Is true that for, say. fifty weeks
OF the year there Is much diminished average
attendance; but. in Christian churches. COM
pare the numbers at Easter and Christmas
services with the average Sunday attend
ance, and one sees a similar condition.
1t 10 true. perhaps. that it has become
the exception among Jewish shopkeepers TO
close on Sabbath saturday., and also true
that thousands OF Jewish workngmen and
women work on that day. But the shop
keeper. IS the public servant. must do business
when the public 90 requires. to exist and
ssSss,S loo sixth Of his weeks pay to keep
True. TOO. there is laxlty in Observance Of
Jewish dietary laws. but there are Jewish
70 Be- neressns. But ShstSer they display i
the symbolic Jewish sign or do not display
seems s Of no moment Signs are not among
into dlsuse, but why not' The bulk Of Jewish
the government, Of the Jewish nation Since
Jewish national existence ceased centuries
ago. OF what practical value tsave hIstorcaD
s Governed neiI there sS "'''D' Da''" - "
Jewish literature contains much that ls
not de and S's eeS Se1 VIII en sso
existing modern languages will be read by
Jews and non-Jews. as are works Of literary
their authors having been Jew. Christian.
Buddhist or AHnostic.
.aW sss Tor he ike ans
patrons for not buying What he might prefer
70 s sell bmt VIZ his line to goods which
+ Even EN- the learned and we'll known COM
piler Of the Jewish Encyclopedia will admit
have been willing to publish, this very in
after a A was only that of many snetSe
viii see see no merit in project which proves
The gist Of argument over Judaism's future
Is the fact tina. when and where perse:,
Fss,Fs TO se ns
or absent. fuller or complete liberties and
civil rights granted. they no longer live the
:trennous Jewish life. History repeats itself
devout Christians than their present Back
Bay descendants.
An analysis OF Judaism will. 40 Dr. Singer
says. show II to be "a complex Of religious
laws. customs and traditions" Is il not
forever looking Backward Is. not living
lie Of past times difficult and almost, i'm
and conditions?
Does It not seem Wise for the divided
branches OF Judaism. ins.aad Of continuing
their present and apparently rd.ess v ranele
TO convene for the purpose Of radically analy-
zing the faith. eliminating the observance Of
traditions as part OF the religion, vet care
fully preserving the simple and grand old
laws which con sttute the rock foundation
Of Judaism. and which are the similar bases
OF Christianity Let us look forward, not
backward. ApoLpH OpPENHEIMIR.
NEW YORK. June g.