The Denver Jewish news., 1923-09-13
Israel In America

| der in whcih the need for charity will
be unnecessary.
Israel In America
Thoughts like these coming from lay
men. make ore n bit proud 10 belong to
\ the Jewish people and sentiments like
these are guarantee against that de-
generation future which so many of
them fear They Indicate willingness
, to provide Israel In America against
such II future. And it is II great testi-
mCny that the words of our rabbis,
orthodox and reform alike, are not fall
ing on deaf ears Many rabbis, by the
way. are planning to devote one of
ihcir sermons during the high holidays
to n discussion of the proposed organi
zation,
Religious Feature of Paramount
Importance
While still believe that the impcr-
tant national remedial institutions and
educational agencies should he support
ed on n national basis. / am compelled.
ont of my OWE rather extensive social
sci vice experience, to recognize the
powerful logic behind the contention
that educational and quasi-religicus in
stitutions must come first Whatever
may have been the case. fifteen years
ago. no social worker worthy of the
name would think. today. of approach
ing any OF the problems coming within
his purview. without giving due con-
sideration to their specifically Jewish
aspect The religious feature as a
factor IN social service is rs important,
at least. as the philanthrOpic aspect. At
the recent convention of the Confer
ence of Jewish Social Service, that note
was struck again and again, and its
importance fully recognized
This leads us to II consideration of
the needs OF these institutions and
movements: the combined budget of
the Hebrew Union College. the Jewish
Thcoloigcal Seminary. the Institute of
Jewish Religion, the Isaac Elchanon
Yeshiba. the ChautauIun. the Menorah
society. the Jewish Publication Society.
the Baltimore Hebrew College. the Bos-
ton Teachers Training School, Gratz
College. the Jewish Historical Society.
the Religious Work of the National
Council of Jewish Women and Temple
Sistrrhoods. the Bureau of Jewish Edu-
cation. the Young Judaea, the Bureau
of Jewish Social Research and the
Amcricanizaticn work OF, the Hebrew
Immigrant Aid Society is about $1,000, :
OOI II year. Each of tiIrse organiz'l-
tiohs has cruel struggle for existence.
Time anh again the, Jewish Theological
Seminary found itself in Il prccnrious
financial condition: the Menorah is al
ish Publication Society is continually
I'M financial straits. And yet. all of these
organizations have the approval the
moral support of American Jewry. as
fnctory method of telling American
Jewry what the needs of those insti-
tutions are. and of obtaining the funds
| required for their maintenance and de
III NDiNtIh'h''' '''N H"'
been put to tremendous eNpense-main-
ly in commissOns-tc raise whatever
money they do raise. and at an ex-
pense. as WIS brought ont in the recent
report OF the Bureau of Jewish Social
Research. ranging from 2S per cent to
45 per cent.
As this is being written. | learn that
campaign is about to be undertaken
to raise an additional endowment fund
of 81 100000 for the Jewish Theological
Seminary fund will give it an in
creased income of about $4,000 year,
and obviate Il recurrence of the ncces-
| sity that arose IL year or so ago for
| its President, Mr.. Marshall. to advance
sufficient money TO pay salaries of the
professors and teachers of the lhstitu-
! tiCn. But. when one considers the
magnitude of the work the Seminary
| is doing in training rahbiS. mnny of
whom are the spiritual guides of Jews
passing through the transitional stage,
the public will cheerfullX respond to
the appeal for added funds
in this connection. | am reminded OF
| the deep interest of the late jacob II.
| Schiff in the Seminary. As is so well
| remembered. that distinguished phil
lnnthropist and statesman was profcund'
| ly Interested in everything Jewish But,
next to the Montcfiore Home. no insti-
tuition was closer to his heart than the
| Seminary Even in his day. the de-
mand for Seminary graduates to fill
pulpits was greater than the number
available. due to its woeful lack, OF
! facilities. HIS great interest in the
/ Seminary WAS due to his deep concern
FOR the future of American Jewry
Again and again he said to me: AS