Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-13
Eleventh-Hour Discussion.

There seemed perfect unanimity Of opin-
ion on all the reports. Then. suddenly,
only a few minutes before adjournment,
after the report Of Rabbi George Solomon
of Savannah. Ga. had been read. rec
ommending that the text books for in
struction of children be done away with
in the religious schools, and that there he
substituted instead an adaptation OF the
Bible. arranged according to the childs
psychological development and in the
Bible language. Rabbi Kohler. president
Of the Hebrew Union College OF Cincin-
natl. rose and asked with much vehe-
mence:
Il would ask a question. Is one a
better Jew II he believes in the Bible as
such, or II he does not believe i'm it?
wish to go on record as saying that I dc
not believe in the Bible as such Those
Judaism don't understand Judaism: they
| thoroughly misunderstood Judaism.
Brethren, let us not deceive ourselves
We are not bibliolatOrs or karaites. Those
who want to tell us that the Bible is the
| text book of Judaism do not understand
their religion"
Storm of Protest.
There was moment Of quiet, and then
storm OF protest came from all parts
Of the hall. The first to gain the recog-
milton of the acting chairman. Rabb
Moses Cries OF Cleveland, Ohio. was Rab-
hi J. g. Kornfeld Of Columbus. Ohio. He
spoke i'm support of DR.. Kohler. ~
1T is high time for us to he honest
with our children in our attitude toward
Bible criticism" he said. LET US no,
teach them anything we do not ourselves
believe.
Rabbi Isaac s. Moses Of this city was
next recognized.
~ wish to add to and correct the i'm
preston made by President Kohler In his
statement about belief in the Bible he
announced. "One thing, and only one,
must be done In our religious schools, and
that is to produce reverence for the
God? I am not the president of He
brew Union College. but for me the whole
Bible is the word of God"'
THE Torah." shouted DR.. Kohler. From
various parts of the room came cries OF
NO. MOI
Rabbi Il. c. Ehrenreich Of Montgomery.
Ala, who was the first to obtain recog-
milton from the chair in the ensuing con-
fusion, declared:
Reform Judaism in Dispute.
Il am not graduate OF the Hebrew
Union College. Unlike any one here. ex-
cept the rabbi Of this temple. | am a
graduate Of the Jewish Theological Sem
mary OF this city. | am not an orthodox
Jew. but am not an ultra-radical.
81 am unable l must with regret admit
to gather from the deliberations of this
conference so far what really is the
meaning OF reform Judaism. We have
been told by the president OF the He
brew Union College that the Talmud Is
not the word Of God. We have been told
that the Midrash Is not the word of God
and now we are told that the Bible is not
the word Of God.
II ask you, what are We to hold up to
our children az the standard or authority
the word of GOd?
President Philipson. descending from his
place bside Rabbi Cries on the platform
| tried to explain the trouble.
Il want TO throw oil on the troubled
| waters" he said. What DR. Kohler
really meant was simply this: That no,
| only the Bible. but everything that has
| been brought forth throughout the ages
| by the spiri; OF Jewish tradition. mus,
| be considered the word of God the Torah
Exactly" cried DIR. kohler. II meant
| the DecaDgue liz not our text book
The explanation seemed TO satisfy the
| delegates. Almost Immediately afterwar6
the sessions was adjourned.