Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-08
FEAST DAY OF SlMHAT 1ORAH
LOCAL HEBREWS CELEBRATE
CLOSING DAYS OF SUCCoTH.
Feature Of Event Is Ceremony of
Filing Around Almemar Of Syna-
gogue With the Scrolls.

The Orthodox Hebrews are today cele-
brating the closing day of Succoth. 1t Is
known as the feast day of Simhat Torah.
Services were held in the local orthodox
synagogues this morning.
A feature of the feast is the ceremony
OF filing around the almemar in the syna-
gogue with the scrolls.
In the procession the children carry
small flags. with the colors of the country
| in which they live, or tiny banners with
the inscription .'Sisu we-simhu he-simhat
Torah,' or else small torches and cam
dies.
After each circuit has been completed
the single scrolls are given other men,
bers of the congregation in order that
every one may participate in the cere-
mony.
Sermon by DR.. Simon.
The celebration of the feast OF Schmini
Atzereth was concluded at sunset last
evening. Services were held in the Eighth
Street Temple yesterday. 1t was the clos
ing celebration of the Reformed Hebrews
! in observance of Succoth. Rev DIR. ST.
mon delivered the sermon of the occa-
sion.
In speaking of the closing of the cele-
bration a prominent Hebrew said today:
However, convinced as we are of the
never diminishing value of Israers law,
we are not infreQuently led to ask our
selves whether our estimate of it's char
acter and our glaGneSS over its possession
are altogether just. Once again we are
put into this frame Of mind by recent &C.
currences in theological circles.
Eliot's Attack on Traditions.
I'm the past summer you read of a lee
ture on The Religion of the Future de-
livered by ex-President Eliot of Harvard
University. 1t was discussed both repor-
torially and editorially by the secular as
well as by the religious press. The full
text of the lecture is now offered by the
Harvard Theological Review for the BEN
eft of those eager to read the same.
THAT it is justly regarded destructive
of some of the established faiths the read
ers need not be told, for it unreservedly
attacks their traditional teachings. Far
be 1t from me to enter into critical an
alysis of the lecture in question. Let us
only determine whether our law, like the
credal platforms of other denominations,
has had any weakness or insufficiency in
its makeup exposed by this recent theo-
logical pronunciamentO. Need we fear
that our law will be supplanted by the re-
ligion of the future as outlined by res
ident Eliot?
Law Of Moses Unsurpassed.
II deem it necessary to answer this
query in view of several facts. President
Eliot's every word has weight In this
country because of his high position in
educational circles. People are as a rule
ready to embrace the apparently new be-
cause Of its alleged novelty. And even
among many of us there exists an as
founding ignorance as to the real content
of Judaism as based on the law.
No religious theory has as yet sur
passed the law given us by Moses. Though
ancient, it is still modern: though old. II
is still new. The teachings of Judaism
need not be abandoned for other creeds
whether already proclaimed Or still unan-
nounced. sThey have anticipated the re-
ligious platform of the so-called religion
Of the future. Therefore, let US rejoice
and be glad over the law, for 1t is the
source of our strength and our light