The Denver Jewish news., 1924-05-22


the first time entered the dining room.
oh-surely my eyes are deceiyinS me
| open them wider and wider in aston
ishmenr. But no-thc Superintendent
is walking toward me with outstretcl-
ed hands and wishes me Il happy, heal
thy Passover. He shows me to my
seat. No-No-it is not iisment OF
the imagination. All that l behold
causes my blood to surge through my
body. as it has not surged for many
weary days.
Woul,. you see of it too? The tables
have been arranged TO form horse
shoe. and at the head sits the Master
of Ceremonies and the older men pa
tieutS; and grouped around the sides
are the Younger men and the women
The men, in accordance with the Gus
tom, wear hats. Each patient is the
posscssor of Seder Service prayer
book, distributed by the Hospital and
printed in English as well as Hebrew,
so that the beauty of the service might
not be lost to those who were unfa-
miliar with the Biblical language. The
symbols of the feast are placed upon
the tables; quiet reigns supreme save
for the voice of the Master.
How clean and fresh smells the din
ing room, How the table appointment
glitterS, The candles shed a soft glow
| on the Master. The walters stand
white coated; snowy white are the
linens and the curtains. Everyone with
prayer book in hand. awaits the eve
ning's ceremonies. The Master rises 10
inform us that he personally super
] vised the preparation of the foods, and
that we need entertain no fear that
any particle of food is not kosher.
For he is the official 'Mashgiach" Of
the Hospital.
The ceremony begins Heads are
bent low over prayer books. The
Masters voice reaches to every corner
of the room. oh. those beautiful
words. words used by our fathers gem
erations ago. Surely God heard him
too. "Oh kind is the Lord and sracl-
ous-a Lord who does not forget his
children and the covenant he establish
J ed with them" Gods presence seems
to fill the air. Now the prayers are
audible-the Master chants the Hag-
gada We read in the books what each
symbol of the feast represents. The
English prayer books helped contrib
ute "to a festival which by its his
tory. association and home ceremonies
is of inestimable value in creating 10y
atty to our faith and ,cemcnting house
hold union.'
Suddenly Il childish voice rises above
the soft chant of the adult prayers.
1t is the youngest at the table, in
this instance an eleven year old boy
from the Children's Preventorim,
asking the ccnturies-old Questions
which are SC familiar Il paIr of the
service
Ma Nistnoh Halailo Ha-seh
Michol Halolas." Why indeed, does
this night differ from all other nights?
A glance through this cheerful dining
room, rcsplendont with glisteninG sill
yer and table appointments and glow
ing with that evanescent spirit which
is life and hope tells you why. For
here are eyes sparkling with ambition.
eyes that Il year ago We're dulled with
despair: here are bodies. no longer bent
and broken under the weight of Il
dreadful disease, but strong and firm in
\ the promise of new life that awaits
them; here are faces, faces that not
so long since were lined and shadowed
by the grim finger of approaching
death, now wrcaihcd in joyous smiles,
Here are hearts once more beating in
tune with the ages old hopes and am
billions of the Jew.
May God bless every home with as
traditional II Scdcr rs was held at this
Hospital. May God bless these public
spirited persons Who arranged Sedcr
which Will never be forgotten. ut least
in the mind of this young lady. What
true Jews they must be; how deep in
their heart is the root of Judaism
planted What devoted men and women
of Israel these are who have the cause
of the less fortunate jew and Jcwess
so at heart; who are endcavoring to
instill in the soul of the Jew the love
for the tradition that is his alone. and
to pcrpetuatc the memory of our noble
suffering ancestors. that suffering may
not have been in vain.
To quote Louis Marshall of New
York, recognized as one of the leading
Jews of the world: Jews of America
need not fear attacks from without.
But they have every reason to fear