The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-21
FEAST Of TADERNACLES
LAST Of JEWISH FfASTS

The Feast of the Tabernacies. the
last of the Jewish feasts and holidays
of the fall will be celebrated from
September % to October l. The Jew
ish Holiday Press Bureau issues the
following concerning the feast, its
compilation being by 'le Central
Conference of American Rabbits:
The Festival comprises eight days.,
beginning or the eve OF the zZnd day
Of September and ending october /.
Once a year Israel revives its love
of the soil. and makes public avowal
of the fact that even an industrial
civilization, such as ours depends
primarily upon the elements Of ma
ture. This reinstatement OF love for
and confidence in Mother Earth IL in
deed fact of JEWISH righteousness.
We know and we reassure ourselves
that God is at the center OF Life
through all the seasons and that the
prosperity and the satisfaction we
seek comes or do not come according
to His law.
Judaism il a religion In the very
midst Of the passions. aspirations and
complications Of life. Nowhere are
these more insistent Hlan in the eco-
namic interest of men. Here religion
has a duty as well as an opportunity,
Judaism endeavors not merely 20 for
tiey men In their difficulties as to
the daily bread, hut ALSO TO keep them
moral large-hearted and just
THE Sukkoth Festival Is meant
not as a season Of self-ccnpratula-
ton on having garnered In the pro-
duet OF the farm or the grainA af
business. but as time for thought or
the larger-scoped social interest Of
-n,~n is,~tAe national aud international
life. The Jews are tho first 10 hare
recognized political economy as the
field where religion and morality must
operate for the good of men.
"In its modern form the sugges-
tsveness of this truth of the Sukkot'a
Festival Is made more Effective by
the fact that 1t occurs al the be-
ginning of the autumn, coinciaent
with the increased activities of H1e
economic agencies. II is, as II were,
a timely lesson for each one to in
terpret hts life as of larger scope.
related to the national life and Iaade
possible In fuilness only within II.
The dwelling In booths as charac-
terixtic of the Biblical phase of the
festival and observed as an arehaie
symbolism nowadays. is d snges-
tive domestic ritual which re-affirms
the lessons Ni lHb NtfhfiN ''AN shstNt
the democracy Of the Jewish house
hold. The five symbolic plants, hund,
eled together, hint E'at. as the Elfts
of God in nature vary and in their To-
tality make human life sweet and
satisfactory, so the difference among
men. as TO service and character.
may serve TO make society an or
ganization in which each one or ns
has a place and can make heiptui
contribution Some more effective,
some less some noble. and some
commonplace: some for the day ana
some for all time, according to what
they do and what they arc.
1.-The Sukkoth Festival Is the cul-
minating lesson of the series OF hol-
fdavs of the month. II addresses itself
"a .sae facts Of life which we might,
otherwise leave sordid. II widens the
horizon of our Individual interests
II approves our vocations and lahors
not when they bring private satisfac-
tions. but when they vitalize our COM
mon humanity and make us more
efficient in the work upon wfieh de-
pend the veal. fae peace ana the
Joy OF the community"