The Denver Jewish news., 1920-11-10

uc III thc ldliih6S VI ooi
youth cannot, be laid at the doors of
Judaism. That much is clear. Does
then the fault lie in us Of the present
day? l do not think so. AT least we
have recognized the trouble and have
the satisfaction of knowing that we
may roll 1t back TO the middle of the
last century. When the West-European
Jew received emancipation and the Jew
from East or West set foot on these
shores he was so intoxicated with free
dom that it turned his very sober head.
In trying to explain to the world that
he was no different from other EIen
and that the era of universal brother
| hood had arrived, he explained his
Juda ism out of existence. He boosted
that Judaism was just ethical mono
theism and that the synagogue service
in its transformation was such that
any stranger might take part in and
| feel at home. Still the newly enfranch-
migrants in this land had behind them
a living tradition which they could
not forget and whose effect continued
thru all the changes, especially since
at home certain ceremonies continued
to be practised. But having taken (in
the synagogue) the symbolism, the
atmosphere, the color out of Judaism
they left dry bones and the new gen
erat had no breath of life to breathe
into them. The result is today that
Judaism has lost all contact with life
Judaism, as our young people know it
and as we know it, has no answer for
the problems which stir us today. And
yet, thru all the ages Judaism con
linucd within itself the solution for
every trouble and every doubt which
faced our forefathers.
'And why? Because we have n wrong
conception of Judaism. Judaism is not
merely religion. Judaism is religion
plus Judaism is mode of living,
philosophy of life. Is there woman
within sound of my voice who does not
not experienced it within yourselves.
has it not been thrust upon you from
without-this truth that Judaism is
religion plus? And that plus is the
whole content of historic Judaism,
from Bible times down to this very
hour. And it is that plus which we
have tried to tell ourselves does not
exist and is of no value. Yet, that
something more than religion. than
Just ethical monotheism, it is that
which would revitalize our dead bones
and make Judaism living comfort for
our youth.
"Why will we not awake to the
beauty of Judaism, to its consolation
to its virility? Why do we not make
Judaism applicable to everyday life:
When l was child and l stood up
when my grandparents entered n room
it. was not because my governess had
| said that it was the correct thing, but
rather because Moses commanded: (:
Thou shalt rise up before hoary
head" And so for every phase of life.
the Bible has its precept and its
answer. If our youths are minded TO
become social workers, then social
service for its day and far beyond is
taught in all the prophets. Would our
youth study applied economics, then
land distribution, the right of min-
critics. the protection of servants anu
minors is found in Leviticus and Den
toronomy. Would he be physician.
in Leviticus. l do not mean
that modern science is taught in the
Bible. l do mean, however, that
Judaism always had its solution for
ing issues and solved them. That is
what we should make our youth under
stand, that we have long. vital
history, that we always met our prob.
lens and solved them and that we can
do so today if we have the will to live
the Jewish life. Why are we deaf to
he cry of youth? When will we go
| to the children of our foreign orthodox
brethren and give TO them an Amer
ican, modern, orthodox service that
they can understand and from which
they can draw strength? Why do we
leave our youth to struggle alone? !
live in n large city which happens to
be an University town. Forty percent
of the students are Jews and they come
from all over the country. Now
Judaism no longer, even among the
orthodox, has ncighbOrhoOd syn
agogues, and Jewish social life no
longer ccnters about the synagogue.