The Denver Jewish news., 1921-10-19
LACK OF TEACHING

their IceilnSs. yes. IuSt L nave
been doing it for so many years and
1 don't mind it," And SO on and so
ON. And this represents in sum total
the attitude OF most of the younger
element of Reform Jewry toward the
Day Of Atonemcnt. There seems to
be an utter lick OF understanding of
the day; its Significance and its pur-
pose. Now instead of devoting this
editorial to Yom Kippur we are going
10 use the thought expressed above to
lead us to Il discussion of the ignor-
ance that the average Reform jew
has OF his faith. We do noe want to
protest; all we ask is that they con-
slider these statements carefully and
advise of any errors. Where does the
average. Reform Jew, especially the
young man or young woman from the
Decentralization period to the age of
say twenty-five or thirty go for re-
ligious teachings? In Christian com
munities there are weekly prayer
meetings; at the y. NJ. C. \. there
are always study groups for religious
subjects there are Mems Bible Glasses
and WOmen's Bible Glasses and all
sorts of meetings, formal and in
formal for the Teaching of the tenets
of the Christian religion. Now where
and when do our Jewish men and
women learn ubout their religion
obout the meaning and Significance of
their holy days? Thru sermons? When?
On the holidays? That can give you on
ly smattering of the subject. Do
you know of Mems Bible Glass! !!
DO you know of n Woman's Bible
Glass? Do you know of young
peoples Bible Glass: Do you know
OF any group that is constantly seek
ing knowledge about the Jewish faith?
You will answer of course that you
do know of one Bible class where for
ty or fifty women may go once week
or once every two weeks. But isn't
it true that it is always or usually
a forced issue? That there is laca
of desire for Jewish teaching? Rabbi
GOldensOn of Congregation Rodeph
Shalom, Pittsburgh. said in his New
Year eve sermon that we should at
tend service on the holy days because
of n personal urge, because we felt
that we had to come; that we needed
to come; that there was II call we
could not resist. How can there be
such an urge If there is IA lack OF un-
dcrstanding of the purpose of the oc-
casion; If we are Influenced primarily
by habit or custom and occasionally by
superstition. 1t seems to us that the
spiritual side of our natures must be
nourished exactly as our mental or
physical sides. We must exercise our
grow dead spiritually as we grow
dead physically thru lack of exercise.
Think of any group OF young men or
young women you know, or of any
group with whom you habitually as
sociatc; do any of them give n single
hour year to the study of the Jew
ish religion; to the study OF Jewish
history; TO the study of Jewish litcra-
turc? We know of innumcrable groups
and we know of none that gives of its
time to those subjects. So how in the
name of sense can they go to Yom Kip
pur service "cold' as the expression
goes and hope to get much out of it.
Unless they can bring something TO
such service they will go away as
empty as when they came. What can
be done to meet this the most serious
problem in our lives? There is II pc
culiar sort of self-consciousness in the
Reform jew that makes him timid
when called upon for any special dis
play of his religion. Take the Cath
olics for example There we find an
utter lack of self consciousness i'll
their outward observance of religious
FERNS. We have seen Catholic rclig-
ious professions in which prominent
members of their community have
taken part the priestly vestinents ana
all the other paraphernalia used; ana
VIC have wondered if the Reform Jews
of this country would tanc, part III
such n demonstrations. They would
feel themselves too conspicuous; their
extreme scnsitivcncss would utterly
preclude such IL demonstration. Ana
this peculiar scnsitiveness TO what
they probably think in. their inner
most minds is not in keeping with
their ratlonalism, serves to limit tilelr
interest in organized religious "or-
ship. We may not be making our
selves clear on the subject, but we
think that our religious leaders VIII
understand the thought we are try
ing to put across.-The jewish Cri-
tcrion.