New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-25
QUESTION FOR THE JEWS.
Has Time Passed for Them to Re
main Separate Group"

The Rev. DR. Charles Fleischer of Boston
siectrified the Council of Jewish Women yester-
DAY at their first meeting OF the season at
Temple Emanuel by prophesying that as the
Jew had had a beginning he must have an
END, and asking them thoughtful Jewesses
whether Jews had any longer an excuse for
existing as separate people.
Il am not bold enough to answer this question
myself" he said. 1T has been worth the Jews
while and worth the worlds while that the Jew
should remain a separate group. But are we
not indulging in a romantic fancy when we
assert that this must be true always? The pros
perity, freedom and normal human intercourse
that the Jew enjoys in this country tend to the
unmaking Of the Jews. Even now there are
persons-Jews and non-Jews-who question
whether the Jew Is not tagging superfuous on
the stage of time
DR.. FIeischer is rabbi OF the Temple Adath-
Israel, in Boston, a congregation of reformed
Jews. He represents the extreme radical wing
OF American Judaism. His subject yesterday
was 1.-THE Making of the Jew and His Possible
Unmaking" He prefaced his address. which
lasted nearly an hour. by saying that he might
be going 10 give offence-however, he must speak
as he felt, and his conclusion to the effect that
Judaism might still have a message for the
world IL only the Jew would be born into new
truth and moral earnestness did little to ap-
THE main factors in the making of the Jew"
he said, were his national sense. his love Of
Zion, his sense of devotion to God and to the
solidarity OF the race. and they We're estab-
ushed through adversely. The mission OF
the Jew is sublimated expression of his
patriotism, but the Jew has made a virtue of
necessity in remaining separate as he has done.
Self-impoSed at first and expressing through
itself special mission. the separateness of the
Jew has since been forced on him. until it has
become trqIe of the mass ~ TaIEe +ta+ +beI ra
incapable Of living broad. human life.
AS ft was through adversely that the
tional Jewish character was established. so the
prosperity. freedom and normal intercourse they
enjoy to-day tend to unmake the Jew. While
he has positive contribution to make the Jew
VIII persist longer. If rnonotheism has
come TO be the religion Of most thinking people
II may not be necessary for US to teach il any
longer, and If the morality we taught and exem-
pli1ed has come TO be the normal morality of the
people around US II may not be necessary that
the Jew should live in order TO teach it.
May We not be tagging superfuous'. after
all! II the Jew should die. nothing he has given
goodness is permanent The Jew has always
looked forward 10 q decent fitting suicide when
what ne stood for should have been perfected.
This is not question for bubble or mock
heroics. It is question for earnest, honest con-
sideration, TO be answered in the light of the
possibility of social service. Has the Jew any
further positive work 10 do? And is he the
best equipped to do It?
That is the real Jewish situation It is
large and fateful question that every Jew must
answer, and upon his answer depends the fate
OF the Jew. know this is a disturbing state
ment and one that viii not bolster up the pride
or the Jew. i would not depreciate his service
20 humanity. believe to-day the Jew, because
OF nls. heritage, IS the most potent human stuff
on the earth for serving humanity. But If the
Jew has q positive contribution to make there
must be new truth and earnestness in his soul
rms L believe possible. Zionsm is a concrete
expression OF what l would have in the intel
lectual, novel and spiritual realm"