New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-12-06
THE AUTHORITY OF TIE RAssIs.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
STR: In your issue OF Wednesday. Decem-
Der I. the executive committee OF the Union
% Orthodox Congregations Of the United
States and Canada. OF which the Rev. DR..
II. Pereira Mendes is the president is said
10 have given out statement "repudisting
the authority Of the Conference of American
Rabbis To speak for Judaism"
In the first place. the Conferences OF Amer
lean Rabbis speaks with moral authority.
presumably for people who have confidence
in the individuals that make I'D les member
ship. More than two hundred congregations
in the land are represented in this confer
ence. The Conference OF American Rabbis
does not assume to speak for orthodox
Jews II is therefore altogether zratuitous
for an orthodox body 20 talk OF "repudi-
sting'' our authority We have as much
right to speak for our view within Judaism
as the orthodox have 10 speak for theirs.
AS TO the vote OF the Conference OF
American Rabbits on the question OF mixed
marriage, the resolution as passed read:
Resolved. That mixed marriages ara con-
trary 10 the tradition OF the Jewish religion
and should be discouraged by the American
rab6inate' The COMMITTEES on reso-
buttons that presented the resolution In the
wording above quoted felt that such word
ing would suffice 10 express the sentiment
OF the opposition OF the conference 70 mixed
marriage.
There IS, however. a party within the con-
ference that felt that a stronger resolution
ought to be passed, such as was introduced
by the undersigned: Resolved That
rabbi ought not 10 officiate at a marriage
between son or daughter Of Israel and a
person processing another religion. mas
much as such marriage is prohibited by the
Jewish religion and would tend 70 disin-
tsgrate Judaism" Had they Cthe
orthodox party made inquiries they would
have learned that the president OF the He
brew URieR College. whose loyalty 20 Juda-
ism is questioned in tins statement, voted
for mine. the stronger resolution.
And so also they hastily grasped with
avidity a uisquOtcd and misunderstood
phrase of the president OF the Hebrew
Union College. in order 20 make him assert
that the Bible is not divineIy authoritative
DIR. KOhleT never said anything of the kind
Furthermore. he has also repudlatsd this
interpretation. The fact of the mat
ter is that DR.. Kohler. in his conception OF
the authority Of the letter OF the Bible. as
I distinctly recall the debate laid down
good traditional doctrine in Judaism; that
is. not Judaism OF ksraites.
Furthermore / wish 10 say that the Con
ference Of American Rabbits Is not respou-
sible for anything individuals may say with
respect 10 orthodox Judaism. II Is
presumPtuOus for the orthodox body To
'censure the neglect Of the conference 10
disavOw such public utterances of its mem
bers." We certainly. on our side would
have much occasion 20 "censure'' the gross
insults which the orthodox professors flung
at the members of the conference.
Finally. the orthodox tell us IN this state
ment that 1t is incorrect and unhistorical
and a MISREPRESENTATION to say that Israel
does not constitute nation" Reform
Judaisms view on this question is that Is
rael to-day is an historic community. a
priest people. which in one o. the stages %
its Development was political nation. bu,
whose destiny h has always been to he
come a congregation. We say that
I'm all free lands whare the Jew Is .-iv.,
political and civil rights ne should emma
size his religious character as lev s,a
not his rational character: that ne SHOULD
become member os the German. Frenrh
English or American nation as the ems.
rcsy be- SAMUEL SCHUI.MAN
New York Dec. g. 1899
I'VE regret that space RESTRICTIONS
make II impossible 20 print DIR. SchuI-
mans letter in fun The salient roi,,.
however. are giver.I