The Denver Jewish news., 1919-12-24

crp times is also the most modest and
charming and accessible of men, and
a Jewish patriot of the finest type. In
granting an interview to The .Iewisl.
Guardian ON the subject of Jewish
ciyics, Gen. Sir John Monash, G. e..
NJ. g., X. c. b.. said he felt he was
not an authority upon the subject And
yet, what better authority on the
status of the Jew could be found than
this man who has done so much to
dignity 1t i'm the eyes of non-Iews?
Il admit" said Sir John, that our
great problem in the Jewish commu-
nifty of Australia today Is the danger
that we may lose our identity Most
of the original Jewish families of Aus
tralia are of English stock. But they
are few in comparison with the NIT
jority, who are descended from inn
migrants from Eastern Europe, and il
Is this majority which forms all the
orthodox element in our country.
am sorry to say that their strict orth-
odoxy does not appeal to their wealth
Itt CO-iSiiSiOhIstS. lOu slo tiOt hhib
many of these attending Synagog ON
Sabbaths and on high festivals We
have in Australia many distinguished
men. judges. doctors. engineers, profes-
sors and men of science. who are all
proud of being Jews, and yet do not
keep mp any close religious associa
tion with the community.
Il think perhaps the cause may lie
that they do not feel themselves in
sympathy with the very orthodox peo-
pie. The original Australian jew is
so completely merged in the life Of
Australia. that he inclines to differ
thtinte himself from the newcomer OF
his own race and religion. 1t is ow-
ing to the strength of the foreign ele
.lnent that most of our congregations
have not the type If minister who |
fit religious leader for them. Thi.
IL what makes me so keenly interested
III your Jewish Memorial Scheme in
Great Britain, which is designed tG
train ministers worthy of leading
great congregations. We Australians
require the best class of Rabbi. We
do not always get him. do not re-
member in the whole of my life any
Jewish minister coming TO me and Ell
couraging me to take more active
part in the life of the community. We
us to develop that communal organi-
zatiOn which struck me so much among
the Jewish intellectuals of the United
States when / paid visit to Ameri-
cn some time ago
During the war. 1 attended every
possible Jewish religious service
could attend. and l found that these
services appealed to my emotions and
to my intellect. / wish / could say
the same of most of the services in
my own country. If l could say as
much. l would be more regular at
tcndant at the Synagog. In our acad-
cmic life our Jewish students do not
meet. as yours do at oxford and Cam
bridge and other universities, to dis
cuss the Intellectual and spiritual les
sons of Judaism. Too many of oui
most estimable men and our worthiest
citizens are drifting away. mixed
marriages are becoming more and
more and more common, and it is a
pity. ISagree that first and foremost,
Judaism is religion. and it is n
religion in which you can live your
ivI, nj IN, yvI,iI
a hairs breadth from your allegiance
to the wider citizenship that lies out
side. That is why it seems to me that
1t should not be difficult for the right
Lind of Jewish minister to persuade
men of position in Australia to take
more active part in communal affairs.
while Judaism is living force.
it is unworthy Of us +" take the line
of least resistance. We should realize
that the task of building up the lew
ish civic virtues is not one in which
laissez faire can be any element. We
have left things TO slide far too much
already. l believe that you in Eng
land have much to offer us in the way
both of example and precept. You
have here among your ministers and
among your lay leaders men with
whom 1t Ii an honor to associate and
exchange ideas. and if you can train
send them out to us as ministers you
will be doing great service.
81 shall be leaving England in II
fortnight, and l shall not hesitate, if
am asked questions in Australia about
the state of Jewish civic education in
the Mother country, to say that it holds
many lessons which we can learn. l
TN ready now to cooperate in any