New Britain herald., 1915-09-13
DAY OF ATONEMENT COMES COMES THIS WEEK
Will Be Observed Friday Evening
 and All Day Saturday

People of the Jewish faith are pre- pairing to observe the Day of Atone ment, one of the principal events on the Hebrew calendar. It will be ob- served on Friday evening and all day Saturday. The Jewish Holidays Press Notice Bureau gives the follow ing explanation of the occasion: t-5
 ts"The initial service is held in the evening of the seventeenth of Sep tember. The entire day of the eighteenth of September is devoted to it.. The ritual of the day is public and congregational; but it's significance is personal.
 '"The' day brings the people to- gether because they share the !imita- tiOnS of human nature and because they are equally aware of the fact that our careers, whatever they may be to others, satisfy or dissatisfy our selves in accordance with our moral or immoral interests. This holy day gives opportunity for earnest thought on our inner life. The difficulties men encounter in the course of a busy year may prove, after self-exa imitation, to be not 'decrees' of God but instances of their shortcomings. The ancients frankly and humbly called them l sins
 "The "reminiscences of centuries cling to this day of days and make it's lessons suggestive and impressive. In ] ancient times priestly solemnities in vested it with dignity and the persecu- tiOnS of later times gave it pathOS and intense fervOr. It is always a salu- tary experience to face the facts of life as they are, to realize that there are illusions and delusions to bring i work under the limitations of mind, 1 heart and will. Men who feel their l responsibilities will neither ignore this reminder nor evade the appeal. They l will frankly avow the shortcomings of 1 their common human nature in the ] midst of their fellOWmen The Day of i Atonement is not for selfish priva cies 1 as little as for penitence which is ! merely penance. It is for moral up- lift by which we may acquire moral strength. The first act of moral l health is humility.
 "The ritual of the day expresses 1 openness, sympathy and desire to l attain to a moral will. And so do the
 customs of the day. Fasting is meant as a discipline of self control the sponsor of many virtues. Concentra-
 tion upon the problems of character l | fession of sins is an act of will, an as-
 sertiOn of the best in ones self Tae
 day brings men together in con- 1 sciousness of their common mortal
 ity. Judaism makes men genuinely l democratic; it makes them realize 1 that they are equal before God. "One phase of the ritual of the day
 Is the thought and memory of the 1 dead. Each man thinks of the void that has come into his career through
 the loss of kindred and of the obliga-
 tions he has because of it. And all
 think of the eminent dead, of the men
 of efficiency and WOrld-influence who
 have served and advanced the good of
 the world. In this too there is evil
 dence of the democracy of Judaism.
 Whatever their origin or place, the
 great and good are mentioned with
 appreciation
 '"The Day of Atonement is a day for
 inner peace, and accordingly the
 Jews re-assert their loyalty to peace
 for themselves and for mankind. By
 the assertion of the better self they
 broaden it into goodwill for fellow
 men. Know myself, and if thou
 dost, thou wilt understand, feel with
 and respect thy felloWman. This is ] the basis of iuStice and peace"