El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-03-21

on his days were occupied with tutor
ing in prominent families and in
earning a living but it gave him an
opportunity to continue his studies.
From one seat of learning he went
to another seat Of learning and finally
IN 164z gained the coveted honor, a
rabbinical diploma, from Rappaport of
Prague. His first position was at
RadWitz. Here he began his reforms.
here he sought to adapt Judaism to
the new life. But his attempts met
with little success Reform was in
the air, the early German refOrmers
were doing their work but the reform
Of Germany was based on "Juedische
Wlssenschaft, on the Science Of
Judaism" while the reform he felt and
later brought to life was based on
/ traditional Judaism and the Science
Of Life"
Gets American Fever.
As he expressed 1t in later life: 'T
had the American fever and to Amer
lea he went. After a So day journey
ne arrived in New York on July %,
1876 and his arrival marks the dawn
Of what is known as American Juda-
ism.
He presented his letters Of introduce
ton to two physicians They discOur-
aged him and told him to 90 into
business. But a call on rabbi Lillien-
thai gave him courage and he decided
TO remain true to his chosen profess
sion.
After his election as rabbi of Al
bany New York, he introduced some
reforms but these met with only half
hearted support. His attitude towards
all questions can best be illustrated
by an incident which occurred in Al
bany. A Society for the Conversion
of Jews" announced a public lecture
by an ex Jew, a rabbi (for all such
are claimed as rabbis). DR.. Wise at
tended the meeting and when the
"a Jpn q n rf he e IL
among the Jews, he asked the privi-
lege Of the floor and openly chaI-
lenged the necessity of this work He
asked those assembled if the Jews
were not just as honest, just as moral,
just as great lovers Of their families
as were the Christians, .and did they
not take care of their own poor2 His
address dismissed the audience and
shows US the character of the man
When there was work to do, he was
at hand and ready to do his duty.
Champion of Reform.
At this time he was the oUtspoken
champion of reform He desired IN
ifOrmity of worship and already
calls from various congregations came
to him and when he was invited to
go to Cincinnati he accepted with
two prOvisOs: He must be elected for
life; he was not to preach trial ser
mon. The congregation acquiesced
and in 1853 he went to Cincinnati and
that city became the heart of Amer
lean Judaism and his life work was
before him.
From the very earliest years Of his
ministry he prescribed for American
conditions as follows; I, the need Of a
union Of congregations; 2, the need
of a training school for rabbis; 8.
the need of a union Of rabbfs; 4 the
need of a synod, composed of rabbis
and laymen to represent the Jewish
cause and meet emergencies in Jew
TeE- Fe~rs ho
PRAYER book. meeting the needs of
modern conditions and acceptable to
modern congregations.
In season and out of season he en-
phasized these, at every temple dedi-
cation and wherever he was given an
opportunity to speak he reiterated
them. To further his cause he estab-
lished an English and a German
weekly which became the mediums
for disseminating his views But "a
mastery inactivity as IillienthaI
called it. pervaded the American lew
ish world. Congregational and rab-
bInical Jealousles separated the peO-
pie into various camps. This did not
dampen his ardor, he knew that he
was right and he persisted in his
course.
Worked for the Future.
And while striving for these ideals
he attended to the practical matters
at hand. He wished to rear a genera
ton Of american Jews and not sim
ply a generation descended from Ger
man and English Jews He wished
to Undue the coming generation with
Jewish ideals and to reach this gener-
alton arranged popular lectures in
[thSuSh; instituted family pews, con-
firmed boys and girls and revised the
prayer book, eliminating many of the
accretiOns Of the ages and translating
some of the prayers into English. In
I6t5 his congregation passed reso-
luton declaring it mot unlawful to
attend divine services with uncovered
head" This reused a storm of pro-
rests and is still point Of division
from orthodox circles. But time has
indicated the position and has de-
clared il right
From the point Of view Of the
snaIIer CONGREGATIONS, the most valu-
able reform he introduced and one
which has not been fully appreciated
IN the biographies was the introduce