The Denver Jewish news., 1920-11-10

serves. liSy must seth~O tne SHLl'
agogue, 1t does not come TO Them What
is true of the University of Pennsyi;
vania in community of every shade
of Judaism is undoubtedly true in other
university towns.
Have We tried to solve the problems
that are troubling our young people to-
day? Have we tried TO find in Judaism
an answer for the social, economic, in
dustrial. political unrest of today
How do We combat radicalisIn? By
denying that we have part or lot in it.
How did we meet Ethical Culture and
Christian Science? BY Illuminating
against those Jews who went over.
Yet Ethical Culture is only the young
est child of modern Judaism. aud u
concerted attempt could easily have
shown that the parent was deeper,
richer in content and thus more soul.
satisfying to the Jew who could re-
main within the fold and get all that
Ethical Culture offers with the added
comfort of an old, aristocratic and
historic background. As for Christian
Science. merely denouncing those
people whose minds are SO constituted
that by denying evil they think they
can eradicate it, will surely not bring
| about results. Yet Judaism has u
wealth Of spiritual healing to offer as
is proven by the fact that the HasidiIn
an entire Jewish sect not of recent
| growth but centuries old, have their
| saints who intercede for the people
pray with or for them, and heal their
| physical and mental diseases by prayer
and sympathy. The casting out of
devils, once you grant the devils, is as
old as the Oldest priesthood. The
| elimna ton of evil, sin, disease, thru
| the efficacy of prayer and faith is as
I old as mans trust in God. L. there no
concerted desire OH the part Of our
leaders to find a constructive Jewish
answer to these destructive questions!
Are we Jews only strong and fearless
under persecution? Must we be al
ways II race of martyrs to be true
Jews? Is Judaism only worth dying
for, never living for? Then, IL that is
the horrible truth, let us welcome this
anti-semitic persecution which has in
vaded the last stronghold of liberty
and freedom. Must it be said Of us
that only while we lived confined with
| in the Ghetto, restricted in our actiyi.
ties and circumscribed in our interests,
that our light SO shone before men
that our domestic life was an example,
our sobriety and our chastity proverb-
ial? Is it true that we have energy
enough only to keep alive one little
fame from the divine, spark? Is IT
true that when we get out into the
broader world that clear blue flame
must flicker and ,waver because the
winds of indifference and disslpated
energy blow upon 1t? DO YOU believe
| that only absolute concentration in the
one light Of religion IA poseible to ns:
Are we SO small and weak and in.
life as observing Jews? Then why are1
| there seven branches to our candle
stick. if we cannot supply brilliant
flame. not only for the centre one Of
religion, but for all the other six
education, parental obligation, civic
consciousness, social service, loyalty,
steadfastness. ..-f yr
"And what after all Is my answer:
A return to conservative Judaism. ]
do not mean to ask you to practice
duties which you have been taught are
unnecessary and Incompatible with
modern life, nor do l ask you to regard
the Community Of Israel as other than
religious. But do ask you to live your
Judaism. You cannot put on your re
ligion as you do your Sabbath clothes
on Saturday morning, to take 1t on
again the end of the day. Sabbath
clothes have gone out of fashion. Your
religion, your Judaism, must be with
you every minute of your waking day,
coloring all your thoughts, influencing
all your actions. Judaism must be an
instrument of life. And for this to
be so, you must know Judaism. Be
conservative, conservative in thought,
conservative in living, conservative in
religion. BE not afraid Of symbols.
The TOrah. the lulab. esro& the
memorabilia you know what / mean
the scroll of the Law, the myrtle
branch the citron. the 7-branch candle
stick-are living symbols of a living
Law. Shut them up in glass case
as museum specimens, and you shut
away the poetry and the beauty that
symbolize hard truths and dry facts.