New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-09
PRESENT-DAY JUDAISM
A Study of the Life Of the
Race Among the Nations.

Cohen. sr7. Dodd. Mead g Co
In seven divisions. or books devot- .
ed respectively to the social, political
economic. intellectual, religious and ma
tional aspects of his subject. the au-
thor, an English journalist, gives a
comprehensive account OF the condition .
Of modern Jewry throughout the world.
Speaking OF the dispersion OF the Jews
because OF persecution. he shows that
they may now be found in all parts OF
the civilized world, and that in all
the diverse centres of civilization, old
and new. great and small, refined and
rude. scattered promiscuously over the
face of the earth, the prayers OF the
chosen people are still uttered IN
the language Of the Psalms, and the
memory of the ancestral deeds of glory
and martyrdom is cherished with pride
and celebrated with the rites OF hoary
tradition"
To the student and to those who are
familiar with the various phases OF
Jewish life and the differences which,
despite their Characteristic solidarity,
exist between the orthodox and the re-
formed, the Eastern and the Western
Jews. the book will be of much value,
because il contains what the author
claims for il, comprehensive account
OF the life and labors Of the jewish
people all over the world at the preSen.
day Il includes q description OF the
social conditions OF the Jews with par
ticular reference 10 communal organl-
cation, family customs and the dis
tinctive features of home lie. The
bond Of union, which makes all Jews
brethren, owes its existence, according
to Mr.. Cohen, 10 racial sentiment, a
common history and common suffer
ing" The three main features pre-
scented by modern Judaism, he says are
extensive dispersion, diversity of com
position and solidarity. He sees signs
of decay in the synagogue, which ne
calls "a passive force" that is being
slowly and subtly undermined by the
adverse influence of Western clvlliza-
ton, and recognizes in Zionism the
only active force which is endeavorlng
TO counteract these corroding inhu-
ences.
In the book or the social aspect the
chapters devoted to the family, the
home. philanthropy, morality and
racial and physical characteristics. are
replete with interesting details which
bring at close range not only the jew
ish house of worship, but the kitchen,
the hearth and the school, and shed
light on many subjects, religious and
domestic, which TO a great extent are
unknown TO others than Jews. An I'M
portant feature of the book are its
statistics. One table gives the sur
prising information that, despite their
favorable record in regard TO mortal
II ~
the Jews is diminishing, being now
lower than that of the general popula-
ton in all the countries OF Europe.
"This diminution," says the author,
"has altered the composition of the
Jewish family, for whilst most families
counted four to six children even as
/ recently as twenty years ago, they now
/ have only two TO four, and there is an
| increasing tendency 10 restrict the
number TO two"
The drift from Judaism is pointed
/ out as one of the most disquieting
/ features of Jewish life. mot that the
Jews recognize any religious superb
ority on the part Of Christianity eN-
/ plains Mr.. Cohen, but the desertions
partake of two forms: Either they
leave the synagogue because they have
/ little sympathy with il, without join
ing the church, for which they have
/ less sympathy. or they join the church
I because il relieves them of social and
political disabilities" In Germany,
/ where no jew can aspire 10 position
In the civil service or to an ordinary
professorship in q university, where
! only the waters Of baptism can wash
their blemishes away many Jews have
3 adopted Christianity "under the i'm
preston that only thus could they be
come perfect Germans, in accordance
with the irrational doctrine propOunded
/ BY the historians Mommsen, Treitschke
| and Paulsen." Under this head IT is
pointed out that in the nineteenth cen
! tury 204,542 Jews were baptized into
! Christianity. and that of these $4,000
were Americans.
/ The work as a whole is logically ar
ranged. Its pictures OF the Jews OF to-
7 day, their life, habits, social and re-
/ ligious practices are probably among
/ the best ever given to the public. ~ II
( has an object aside from shedding
/ light on dark places, II seems TO be the
encouragement and stimulation of the
/ Jewish national spirit. The author
holds that at last the ancient dream, so
often thought 10 be near 10 fulhlment,
I yet as often rudely shattered. is nearer
realization than ever before. Never
were the auspices so favorable, never
/ the power Of Israel for the attainment
Of its own national ideal so great as AZ
the present dav." lsraePs will is all
that is needed 70 change tho ancient
/ ideal into a reality and ito perpetuate
! the existence Of the Jewish people in
the land Of their birth
"HONEST BUSINESS"