The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-11-20
AMERICAN JEWS.

"O JOWo Va 6ulo uQtkOA QAO Va AuuSt
be proud of America, even more 80
than other peoples, since we owe 80
much to her. We are American Jews.
not Jewish.Americans! The Jew has
never adopted the hyphen and never
will"
Charles Rosen, prominent New. Or
leans attorney and native West Fe-
licianian, addressing large audience
at the Athenaeum last Thursday night,
uttered the above striking words.
Mr.. Rosens talk was the feature OF
the first meeting of the Jewish Forum
of the Young Mems Hebrew Associa.
ton. The object of the Forum Is to
furnish the Jewish. community with an
agency that will offer an opportunity
for, and stimulate discussion Of the
many pressing Jewish questions and
problems of the day.
Mr.. Rosen dealt with his subject from
three angles, racial, national, and -e-
ligious. He pointed out that the pre-
servation of the Jewish people was not
due either to racial or nationalistic
reasons; all Jewish history led to the
one conclusion, namely, that the Jews
had been held together and hoped to
remain together purely as a religious
community.
He said in part:
81 think the Jew will continue to
work out his salvation in the lands
and amid the peoples where he is. In
any relation to the national life, l am
an American; my Judaism Is my own
private affair, and has nothing to do
with my relation to the country as a
nation, excepting as to increase my
zest for service to America and her
ideals. The interests Of America are
our interests, and our future must be
her future. We Jews OF this nation
are or must be proud Of America, even
more so than other peoples, since we
owe so much to her. We are American
Jews, not Jewish-Americans. The Jew
has never adopted the hyphen and
never will.
"The question Why Remain Jewr
is purely a question of religion; that
is matter for the individual. Although
the Jews are or have been separate
race or races of people, the thing that
has preserved them while all other
nations Disappeared their religion,
to which, though scattered far and
wide, they always chung. AS has been
said There Is but one thing that pre-
served the Jew and that is Judaism.
A Jewry without Judaism would be
even more worthless than Judaism
without a Jewry.' II we believe that
our Judaism is worth preserving; Juda.
ism, we would have it, as a heritage of
the idea Of the one God, II we believe
that it means our preservation from
things we cannot accept; that, as trans
figured into the present day idea Of
liberalism, which brings us nearer to
our neighbors and to all mankind, and
stands for liberation, for freedom, for
separation Of church and state, for the
brotherhood Of man, for an approach
to the final universal religion, we must
cling to 1t for our own sake and that
of our children"
Following Mr. Rosen's talk, an inter
esting discussion ensued, which was
participated in by ]. K. Newman. pres
ident of the association.
Il have never heard a, better or
clearer statement of the position and
duty of the Jew" said he, "than Mr..
Rosen gave tonight. 1t showed the
most careful and painstaking research;
and | congratulate the audience upon
having the privilege of listening to this
splendid address"
So impressed was Mr.. Newman, that
he intends to have the paper published