The Denver Jewish news., 1924-11-06
MODERN WOMAN RETURNS
TO JUDAISM.
Jewish Author Declares Alienation Of
'The New Woman" Is Temporary.

Now York City-In a message on
Judaism and the Modern Woman" ad-
dressed to the Jewish women of
America through the National Council
of Jewish Women. Mrs. A. Irma Cohen
of Cincinnati. author of AN Introduc-
tion TO Jewish Music" expressed the
conviction that the enforcement of mod
crn women from Jewish interests t., in
almost every instance, only temporary.
II is her belief that the memory of
Jewish experiences in early life serve
to reawaken an interest in Judaism on
the part of those who had come to be
lievo that modernity and Judaism were
incompatible.
'Who is this mcdcrn American
Jewess with whom our problem lies?
She was born in most instances. during
the last quarter of the past century.
If. by chance, her birthplace was
across the ocean. she was brought here
in early childhood. Her father had
either had little Hebrew instruction
in the Old World and had forgotten
practically all of it, or had received a
bare rudimcntary schooling in this land
instruction that offered neither
knowledge nor spirit. Her mother eth
er could or could not read and write
There were few graduations of her
preparation. If reared abroad. tho
mother had had no schooling and had
lived most of her few European years
reared in this land. she had passed
through some or most of the public
school grammar grades.
"Both parents were uprooted beings,
trying to send weak tcndrils into this
new soil. If they had had any ac-
quaintance with the old Jewish life. it
had been brief and superficial, and
their eyes had already been turned to-
ward the unknown New World. They
had no understanding Of, no apprecia-
tion Of, no love for the old associations.
They had started out cmpty-handed
and cmpty-heartcd. They were the
product Of the ruthless struggle for
| physical sclf-preservation in an un-
propitious transportation. They had,
! therefore, neither the blessings of the
past nor the proud pain Of the present,
neither the spiritually rcassuring in
| formation of their forebears nor the
religiously disconcerting knowledge Of
their children. Their daughter was
an American She went to school
either through High School or also
through College She was away from
home much; and insofar as she and her
parents had spheres Of association,
( their worlds were divorced, Her par.
ents cruditics disturbed her, and her
crudities disturbed her neighbors.
with her schooling completed, her
real inner struggle began. Her chief
inhcritanccs were an awkward, apollo
getic selfconsciOusneSs before the Gen
tile world. aud an empty. hungry heart
She was hurasscd with all the ques'
tions born Of human doubts and Of Jew
ish experience. She had heard sOmC
myth Of the Jewish home, the religious
spirit Of which brought peace to the
soul. She had known no such home
The so-callcd educated world about hel
scofrcd: and this sconing became al
attitude Of mind To he intelligent
one must doubt-doubt everything evel
held sacred, doubt everybody who pro
fcsScd an ideal"
After discussing the influences tina
accomplish an awakened loyalty, Mrs
Cuhon concluded: Under this awaken
ed impulse, she draws understanding