The Denver Jewish news., 1925-02-26
ORG AIMING JUDAISM
ALONG COUNTY LINES

A novel experiment In the organi.
zaliOn Of communities for religious
purposes has just been mnde by the
United Synagog Of America la con
ncction with its extension work In
rural aud seml-rural communities.
| II is believed by Rabbi samuel NJ
Cohen, executive director Of the United
Synngog. aud Rubbi Grossmnn its Edu.
cn'iouul Director, that this experiment
may point the way to the method that
will make It possible for Jews living
in small communities to satisfy their
own religious urge, aud nt the same
time bring the lessons of Judaism home
to their children without the neccs-
sity which has occurred In 50 many
eases, of pulling up stakes and mi.
grating to the larger center.
| The section in which this experiment
is being made includes the towns of
pitiston, Nanticokc, Shenandoah. Ber-
wick, Lchighton, Forrest City, and
number of smaller communities in the
county. These towns cover Il radius
from Wilkes Barre to Scranton. Pa.
The communities Included In this cx-
pertinent run anywhere from between
twenty to one hundred and ten families
and none Of them is in n position to
solve its religious problems indie
pendcntly.
The United Synagog in its attempt
to bring Judaism closer to these com
munities conceived the idea Of Il con.
ference of all of the communities in
volved, which was held in Wilkes-Barre
ON February 1st and at which the
North Sastcrn Pennsylvania Branch of
| the United Synngog was formed
| Representatives We're present from
all of the communities named, and the
stories that they told Of their struggles
| wns moving narrative of the plight
of the jew in the American Galuth.
Most Of the communities were orgnniz-
ed. and had synagogs, but none of
them were in a position TO maintain
religious schools of modern char
actcr which would I've attractive to
the children. The synagogs We're pre-
sided over by Schochatim and Melam-
dim, highly respected men, but not
tions, and to meet the requirements
of modern Jewish youth. Some com
munities. like Stroudsburg. had nothing
AT all in town that was Jewish. Other
communities like Lchighton and Nan
ticoke had synagogs to which the men
bcrs are devoted, but which do not
serve American requirements.
| Even some of the Shochatim were
prepared to ndmit defeat. They rec
ocnized their own. innbility to cope
with conditions Either n new method
would be found. was the conccnsus of
| opinion. or Judaism would suffer.
Many of the men present said in the
course of the discussion, that unless
n new method could he found, they
would he compelled to abandon the
towns and take up like again in some
of the larger cities.
As result of the discussion it was
decided to organize under the auspices
Of the United Synagog and arrange a
plan whereby each Of the communities
would he served by weekend rabbis,"
|
In accordance with the program of the
| United Synagog. would establish
schools, ranging from the kindergarten
to classes for adults, and also n course
of extension lectures,
At the same time. a Young Peoples
League of the United Synagog was or
is the plan of this Young Topples
League to have meetings at stated in
tcrvnls in various sections of North
Eastern Pennsylvania, and to carry out
a cultural program in accordance with
the plan devised by the parent organi-
zati0n. Several meetings have already
been held, and reports that have been
| received of these meetings show that
the young people of North Eastern
Pennsylvania are becoming very en-,
thusiastic about the project.
1t Is the hone of the United Syna-
gog that if this experiment proves II
success, similar plans can he worked
out for other rural sections.