The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-26
JEWISH PEOPLE
IN CELEBRATION
Feast of Hanukkah Comes to
Close With Services in Tenn
pie B'Nai Israel.
HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL
RABBI FREUND DELIVERS INTER
ESTING SERMON.
HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL

The eighth and final day of the Jew
ish feast of Hanukkah. or Feast of
Lights falling on Christmas day, there
were services Of a special nature in Tenn
pie Bnai Israel last evening. as we'll as
in the Christian churches. The feast of
Hgnukkah is memorable of the Macca-
bean struggle in Jewish history and lasts
for eight days. On each day of the fes-
tival "A candle is lighted until the eight
candles are burning. At the service last
evening the music was by children's
choir.
The rabbi. DIR. Charles J. Freund dealt
with the necessity of moral courage. and
in so doing made plea for the more
rigid celebration of the ancient ceremonial
rites.
IT is by fortuitous coincidence" he
said that this closing day of our Mac
cabean festival comes at the time of an
other festal celebration. Hanukkah and
Christmas, widely different in assumed
origin are celebrated also in quite Diff
feTent manner. The cOincidental cele-
bration should give US an excellent oppor-
tuuity of giving expression to thoughts
both apropOs and timely. And 1t is 70 be
ish festival to the day which processes to
breathe spirit of peace and good will
10 all men has led others besides our
selves TO remark the coincidence.
Keep Own Celebration.
AT the outset. let it be accepted that
we are not opportunist enough TO give in
10 SomethiTg against which we might
struggle with all our might and yet be
doomed to failure. In the joy OF others
we may participate. for we cannot afford
10 keep alOOf and to single out ourselves
for isolation among those only of our
faith and whose views agree with ours
That however, Is not tsntamount TO say
ing that we should be so ready and eager
10 dispense with cur own celebration to
loin IN with the majority. When the time
that JeWTy gives up the specific celebra-
ton OF its own festivals. even the minor
ones. then will be sounded the death
knell of Judaism. PrOphetically. We may,
with the assurance Of past activity. feel
that such will never be the case.
Even in the days of the Maccabees
there were Hellenized Jews who initiated
the practices of the Greeks. Opposed to
Them were the ever-faithfui few among
the Jews who had naught but
contempt for the assimilationsts. To
the efforts Of such as these may be as
cribed the preservation Of Judaism
Going to the Bible for an illustration,
DR. Freund cited the story of Joseph and
his brethren. When the cup was found in
the sack of Benjamin. Judah offered him
self in place of the lad, but Reuben Of
fered his two sons as hostages One
showed fearless courage in the sacrifice
Of self. the other took an easy method of
putting his burdens on another One is
the attitude OF advanced mankind. the
other mankind in the making
Beauty of Ceremony.
in these days" said DIT. Freund the
American rabbinate try to set before our
Jewish people the beauty of our own cere-
mOnial practice The argument advanced
by the assmilatiOnist is the dislike to be
different from others. 1t is because the
favor-seeking Jew does not relish the idea
that his neighbOr of another faith will
regard his difference with favor. If he
only knew that instead of being raised in
the esteem of right-thinking people, he
only falls, he would not so often be
ashamed to assert himself. 1t is this kind
of Jew who finds his prototype in Reu-
ben of old.
"A great stride forward has been made
since the time when Jews had to wear
distinctive clothes and badges, but ones
religion must always be worn as a badge.
1T is the fearless assertion OF himself
that the world has honored in the Jew.
The Jew who was ready 10 do and live
for his religion. and ready to sacrifice
his life for the faithful attestation of al
legiance to his religion that received the
worlds appreciation and esteem.
Learn From Past.
"Opportunists we may not. should not.
be- III will for the hardships imposed
upon our co-religionists in time past we
need not teel. The past is gone. but from
that past let us learn to shoulder respon-
sbilitv bravely and not shirk il by cow
a-dly passing the task to others. That
is why. as long as life is ours. we should
be true 20 our own cause