The Denver Jewish news., 1924-01-31

The one hundrcdih anniversary of
Ben, Israel Congregation OF Cincinnati.
(Rockdalc Avenue Templc) The oldest
Jewish congregation of the Middle West
was celebrated ON Friday and Saiur-
day. January 18th and 18th Special
anniversary services were held at the
temple on Friday evening. Saturday and
Sunday mornings. and n congregation
dinner was Held on Saturday evening
mt the Hotel Gibson. Speakers Of note
delivered addresses and large audience
filled the temple at the different
services
The feature 0f the celebration was the
banquet held on Saturday evening.
isrnel Iangwill, the distinguished Jew
ish author. who is now in this country.
was The principal speaker. Others who
spoke We're Hon. George Carrel Mayor
of Cincinnati. Ralph W. Mack. president
Frcibcrg. president of the National Fed
Grafton of Temple Sisterhoods. Mrs.
Adolph Rosenberg. prcsiden; Of the Sis
tcrho'd of the Temple and DIR. David
Phillipson, Rabbi of the Congregation.
\ message from President> Calvin
Coolidge addressed to Or. Phillipson
WIS read at the dinner in which he
offered congratulations on the ami
vcrsary and expressed his wishes for
the continuing prosperity and spiritual
service of the Temple and congregation.
An elaborate program was offered at
the Friday evening service which mark
ed the opening of the one hundrdth an
niycrsary celebration. The significance
of the centenary WAS pointed out by
DIR. rhiliipso:i in his address and was
followed by DIR, Charles r. Thwing.
president emeritus OF the Western Re-
serve University Of Cleveland. who
Spike on Looking backward and For
ward There was also nm address by
Dr. Abram Simon, president of the Cen
trnl Conference of American RahbS on
American Judaism in the Making"
Tiicrc We're musical numbers and pray
crs appropriate to the occasion.
"Our celebration has Quickcned our
attention to the story of the century
travcrscd." said Rabbi ph!llipson. 1T
has been n marvellous century. Not
for me in thcs. few preliminary re-
marks. shall II be to review the nmaZ-
ing tale of mems achievements in the
various lines of endcavor during the
last three quarters of THE nineteenth
and the first quarter Of the twentieth
century. which period our congregation
al life spans. But to one feature of
this onward course. brief reference must
be made for il makes clear the sig
nificance of the celebration | refer to
the religious development w'nich the
liberal movement in Judaism spells
and whereof this congregation is enc
of the leading representatives. The
congregations centenary is n replica of
.he whole story of the reform move
ment in Judaism. This makes our
celebration of the centenary very mean
ingful. 1t is n story of progress. of
constant going forward. of the breath
ing of the spirit upon the dry bones.
What has come to be called American
Judaism is finely illustrated by this
congregation. Bene Israel that has run
the entire gamut from strict conform
ity to traditional until the free spirit
that conforms its lifn today.
Il have just used the term, Ameri-
can Judaism. This suggests the third
and last point TO which ! would adj
advert as making this celebration sig
ni.icent The congregation has for
many years been particularly known
as reprcscu ing that atction Of Jewry
whose watchwortl is Jews in religion
and Americans in nationality" The in
fluencc Of this stand of the congrcga-
ion thrl, its pulpit has been | believe
most marked 1t has performed n ire
mendous service in making clear to the
surrounding world that the Jews are
not an alien community within the
larger community. that they are dis
tinguShed from their fellow citizens in
ality. that they are at one with all
their fellow Americans in everything
that makes for the veal of the muni-
cipality. the state and the country. This
congregation and this pulpit have never
hnd any reservations in this matter. In
every national endeavor, the members
of the congregation have stood shoulder
to shoulder with their fellows of ali
faiths.
"Tlf" result of this long continued
and constant prociaiming and practice
has been that there is possibly no city