The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-19
HOLIDAY LASTS
FOR EIGHT DAYS
Feast Of Tabernacles l. Observed
From September 22 to October 1
BY Member. Of
Faith.
LESSON FOR EVERYONE
Not Season Of self-conoratuIatIon,
But is Time for Thought
Plants symbolic Of
Society.

Commencing September % and last
ing for eight days. Jewish religious
festival, the Feast of Tabernacles, Ia
observed. The central conference Of
American Rabbits has prepared the TO-
lowing notice concerning the holiday:
Once year Israel revives it's love
Of the soil, and makes public iavowal
OF the fact that even an industrial
civilization, such as ours, depends prl-
marily upon the elements of nature.
This re-statement OF love for and con-
fdence in mother earth is indeed a
fact of Jewish Righteousness We,
know and we reassure ourselves that
God is at the centre OF life through all
the seasons and that the prosperity
and the satisfaction we seek come
or do not come according to His law.
Judaism is religion !, in the very
midst Of the passions, aspirations and
complications OF life. Nowhere are
these more insistent than In the econ
omic interests of men. Eere religion
has duty as we'll as an opportunity.
Judaism endeavors not merely to for
tify men in their difficulties as to the
daily bread, but also to keep them
moral, large hearted and just.
Not for !self-congratuIatlon.
The Sukkoth festival Is meant not
as season OF self-cbngratulation on
having garnered in the product OF the
farm or the gains Of business, but as
time for thought on the larger-scoped
social interests of men in the national
and International life. The Jews are
the first to have recognized political
economy as the field where religion
and morality must operate for the
good of men.
ness OF this truth OF the Sulzkoth festi-
that it occurs at the beginning Of the
activities Of the economic agencies. It
is. as it were. timely lesson for eaci.
one to interpret his life as Of larger
scope, related to the national life and
made possible in fullness only within
1T.
Symbolic Of Society.
The dwelling In booths" as char
acteristic OF the Biblical phase OF this
festival and observed as an archaic
symbolism nowadays, Is suggestivs
domestic ritual which re-af1rms the
lessons Of "the simple life" and the
democracy Of the Jewish household.
The five symbolic plants, bundled to-
gether, hint that, as the gifts Of God
in nature vary and in their totally
make human life sweet and satisfac-
tory, SO the difference among men, as
to service and character, may serve to
make society" an organization n
which each one OF us has place and
make helpful contribution. Some
more effective, some less: some noble,
and some commonplace: some for the
day and some for all time, according
to what they do and what they are.
The Sukkoth festival Is the culmin-
ating lesson Of the series of holidays
OF the month. It addresses itself to
the facts OF life which we might, 9th
edwise, leave sordid. II widens the
horizon Of our individual interests. 1t
approves our vocations and labors not
when they bring private satisfactions
but when they vitalize our common
humanity and make US more efficient
in the work upon which depend the
veal the peace and the Joy Of the
community.