New-York tribune., 1910-05-24
DR.. MAGNES RESIGNS:
REFUSES TO RETRAcT
Young Rabbits Passover Sermon
Stirred Up Much Trouble in
Emanuel Synagogue.
ATTACKED REFORM JUDAISM
His Letter to Trustees Leads
Them to Refuse to Re- elect
Him at Annual Meeting
of Congregation.

! ing. bat calmly and deliberately. the
members of the congregation of Temple
Emanuel voted last night to accept the
resignation of the Rev. DR.. Judah Leon
Magnes. their young assistant rabbi,
who recently, in a Passover sermon, at
tackled reform Judaism and made charges
of lack of faith and spiritual decay under
the present reform movement as eXem
plified in Temple Emanuel
COunselled by such leading members
as Jacob H. Schiff, at the opening of the
annual meeting of the congregation in
the temple last night, that a subject of
such Importance called for no impas
stoned discussion, but peaceful and care
fuI consideration, the hundred members
of the congregation present unanimously
! accepted the report of the board of
trustees recommending that DR.. Magnes
was not a proper candidate for re-elec-
ton on account of the views he enter
tanned and expressed.
Several members said after the meet
ing that no harshness was meant in the
action and that they believed Or. Mag
nes to be sincere young man, but not
the proper one to be the spiritual ad-
wiser of reform congregation
Reaffirms His Position.
DR.. Magnes brought the whole contro-
versy TO an issue by a letter which he
wrote the board Of trustees reaffirming
and restating his position. It was in
view of this letter Louis Marshall, secre-
tary of the board of trustees. said after
the meeting, that the board had deemed
1t expedient not to Recommend DR.. Mag
hes for reelection.
Incident to its annual report. said Mr..
Marshall, the board of trustees present
ed letter to the congregation from DR..
Magnes in which he stated in substance
that he would decline a reelection ex-
cept on certain terms which the board
could not accept and the recommended
tiOns Of the board were unanimously in
dorsed by the congregation.
The members present delegated the
power to the board of trustees, together
with such members Of the congregation
as they might see fit to select to con-
slider later successor. to DIR. Magnes
and all other matters concerning the
pulpit of Temple Emanu-E1'
Mr.. Marshall said that no successor
was considered last night and no other
suggestions were made about pulpit af-
fairs. The Rev. DR.. Joseph Silverman,
the present senior rabbi will hold over
another year. DR.. Magnes's term expires
on October 1.
DR.. Masnes's Letter.
In his letter to the board of trustees,
dated May Is. DR.. Magnes said:
To the President and Board of Trustees of
Temple Emanuel. New York
Gentlemen: 1 have learned from a COM
mittee designated at an informal confer
ence OF your board that a majority of the
board is not in sympathy with the views
expressed in my Passover sermon, and that
the opinion of such majority reflects the
attitude of a considerable part OF the con-
gregation well.
When I accepted the invitation In 1906 to
become one OF the rabbis of Congregation
Emanuel il was explicitly stipulated that
/ was TO have the right to give free and
untrammeled expression TO my convictions.
recognized at the same time the right of
the congregation to signify its disagreement
with any opinions might have; and it was
understood that I might be at liberty 10
sever my relations with the congregation
whenever 1 found myself unable to recon-
cile my views with those to which the con-
gregatlOn adhered.
What I said in my Passover sermon
l
should continue TO be your rabbi, I would
feel bound to advocate, in order to bring
about a genuine reform Of Judaism by a
revivificatiOn of its true spirit and sacred
traditions Nothing is further from my
purpose than to induce this congregation
TO revert to Orthodoxy in the sense in
which this much abused term is commonly
understood. A decorous service. with fam
ily pews a reasonable use of the English
yerna acular and all possible conformity with
the spirit of the land has always found in
me an earnest supporter. Nor am | un-
willing to discuss the efficacy of each and
every remedy suggested in my sermon.
But | believe | have the right to expect
some indication that the congregation rec
ognizes the existence of the conditions l
have pointed out. and that relief must in
large measure be, sought through a closer
communion with the whole house of Israel
Judaism. On condition that such indi-
cation can be given me by the congregation
| shall be willing TO continue to occupy it's
pulpit
that | am not to expect it's cooperation in
accomplishing the purpose l cherish, then
| am constrained. with regret, but without
the least hesitation, TO refuse a reelection
10 the rabbinate of the congregation at the
expiration Of my present term
Thanking you for your many acts of
courtesy and with the sincere hope that
CONGREGATION Emanuel may be great
Influence for good in Judaism, I am. very
truly yours j. L. MAGN Els
DR. Magnes was elected to the pulpit
of Temple Emanuel three years ago It
was known at the time that he was an
ardent Zionist and held office in the Fed
Grafton OF American Zionists. His views
on the characterization of Judaism were
known to be very broad. At the time of
his election he was president of the self
defence committee a temporary organi-
zation which had been created to meet
the situation which confronted the Jew
ish people as consequence of the mas
sacres in Russia.
The committee had for its main pur-
nosa the raising of funds with which to
sunply firearms TO the defence leagues
which the youths among the Russian
Jews had organized. DR.. Magness cleo
tion to Emanu- FL pulpit came as sur
nrise only a few months following a
nubljc announcement by Rabbi Stephen
Wise that he had refused an election
Il, the pulpit of Temple EmanuEI be-
cause he would not be allowed absolutely
,,ntramn1elled speech.
DIR. Magnes was not long in the pulpit
until his sermons began to attract at
reution and arouse controversy. His
sermons were Zionistic, or nationalistic.
and contained indications Of an "evolu-
ton" in his theology from the reform of
Judaism as taught in the Hebrew Union
frxt-. nr,Ar