The Denver Jewish news., 1923-07-05

against this mas been a wise one. 40
not say that 1t has not, hut 1 do say
that In the considerably over a quarter
CT century in which j hnve hhd to
do with Jewish affairs In this country,
I have never heard the subject discuss
etl in any group or any society or con-
ference OF which 1 was member,
which think Is at least a pretty. fair
Indication that 1t has not been so dis
,ussed, and that this or that or the
ether organization has decided upon
this policy, which OF course affects all
the Jews, on their own account.
Let me take yet another instance of
lack of any kind of understanding and
tnls is matter Of great Importance.
1t Is needless for me to tell you that
during the last eight years the Jews
Of this country have been, and very
the condition Of their brethren in
Europe and in Palestine because of the
ravGges of the World War and the
dreadful conditions which followed 1t.
That Jews in America had their own
religious, educational and charitable
work to consider and carry on. goes
without saying. One would hardly
suppose that there could have been any
lnck Of understanding upon this point.
namely. that the necessary work on
behalf Of the Jewish community md
the Jewish life In America should be
carried on with a complex understand
ing OF the necessary work for Europe
and for Palestine. And yet this is very
far from being the case.
have known campaigns to he car
ried OF for European relief. for .Pales-
tine md for local purposes, almost at
the same time and overlapping each
other. 1 have known agreements, or
xhnt were equivalent to agreements,
to have been reached with regard to
such matters and the agreements not
observed. In my own immediate con-
tact with this work. have come across
people who are immensely concerned,
.,r appear to be immensely concerned,
about the Jewish cultural life In East
ern Europe, or the educational work
in Palestine. who have never in the
slightest way Interested themselves in
.uch work I'm America or lifted a finger
for It.
Now 1t ia possible that the. need for
work ON behalf Of Europe will dimin-
.sh and cease before long and 1t. is to
he hoped that 1t will, but 1 have the
feeling that no person in the Jewish
community in America has n moral
right to have his voice heard on be-
half Of the work In Europe who does
not take his share in the work In
America.
The sober, practical sense. which Is
one Of the distinguishing features Of
America, ought to be reflected not sim
ply in the economic and social life Of
the Jews who settle here, but find a
place In the management of their re-
iiri0us and educational affairs.
Yet, upon even SO slight matter as
q prayer for the Government. which
one might think would be uniformly
iecd in all synagogs in Amcricn. we
have not reached an understanding.
nome congregations have departed al
together from the ancient form and
htiers use a form whose antiquity 1
have not studied, hut 1t was plainly
crcatcd for a monarchial government.
Hts form has not changed by the inser-
Hon Of the "President of the United
stntes" instead of His Majesty tn.
King"
1t is probably not an important mat
fer and yon may think that 1t is rather
trivial to have been brought forward,
yet 1t illustrates my thesis for this
perd OF an understanding because am
one of those optimistic souls who be-
lieve that If an understanding is Great
ed on small points, 1t may bring an un-
derstanding in large matters. / do not
expect to see brought about in my
lime. nor possibly In any time. COM
plete uniformity In religious thought
md practice throughout the United
States or elsewhere. The Christian
Church has never attained it. The
Mobammedan has not attained it, and
VIC certainly have not attained 1t. These
differences are probably as inevitable
as the differences in the human mind.
We have people who are radical and
people who are mystics, and people who
fists, and we probably always will
have such distinctions. But we might
well agree on some things. We might
agree that our Congregations are not
audiences for the PURPOSES Of listen