The Denver Jewish news., 1925-03-05
An Answer To DR..
Eliot

alive, and an order that the sacred en-
closures of the Torah may remain in
violate. Thus Israel is constantly
made aware of its great responsibility
a. a Kingdom Of Priests and holy
nation
ON the other hand. il should be rec
I cgniZcd that one may justly take issue
with that contention, one may say.
Il am just as anxious rs my very
I Orthodox brother to remain Jew. !
do not want my children 10 marry out
of their faith, | want my people to 20
on living as a distinct entity In Amcri-
can life, but | think it is possible to
/ do that even IL the laws Of Kosher are
not rigidly observed. ! say that this
may be n valid argument and the
proof of the argument rests upon the
! shoulders of the man who asserts it,
who must prove first by his own life
| that he is able and that his children
are able to maintain their Jcwishncss,
even without Kosher. But such a man
while taking issue with his Orthodox
brother. will surely not scOff Mt him.
not ridiculc him, not insult him, but
riiice which is entailcd in adhcring to
the dietary laws, and try to understand
why his Orthodox brother makes that
sacrifice namely in order that he may
thereby strengthen in himself and his
children the sense of Jewish identity.
But. when Jewish man is 'l'hnch-is
tref," when on principle he orders pori;
or order to show his defiance to Jewish
customs as such, when he cats ham
with special smack, enjoying it even
more than the Coy" ms seems to have
been the case with the young people
whom DR.. Eliot speaks about-such II
Jew, | say. is neither Orthodox nor
Reform but anti-Jewish, such Jew
is avOwediy aiming for the destruction
of Jewish identity altogether, and such
Jew well deserves the rebukc not on.
ly of good Jews but of all good Amer
leans, because the hest that the lew
rs people can do for America. is Ia
live his own Jewish life, at its highest
to cultivate his own Jewish heritage at
its best, and TO derive from his own
Jewish background, history and tradi-
tion, that inspiration which will help
him to give of his noblest self as parent
1t, e.;
citizen and member of humanity.
think DR.. Elict's rebuke has done
and will do much to clear the atmos.
phere in the Jewish camp. would
parnphrasc his advice to the jew. He
said 'be loyal and he not assimilated. g
| would say "be not asSimilatcd by
hut rather to-America even while you
remain loyal to Judaism
Assimilation in the sense of adjust
ment to an environment has been
Israel's great power and unique talent
ever since the beginning of Diaspora.
Jewish history is a series Of adjust
ments to ever changing climates and
fNNA 'hiAANAlNE llA'lilANs llNl llltli
was Immediately after the first exile
the Babylonian Civilization, then there
was during the second Commonwealth,
the Greek Civilization, then there was
the Roman Civilization often the sec
ond Destruction, there was the Moham-
medan Civilization in Spain in the
1lfh 11th mud fsltlt ,F Ia.
Middle Ages; and in each instance
Judaism emerged from its contact en-
riched and strengthened. having taken
from each n special hue which it has
added to itself, yet without itself suf-
fcring any loss Of its own Inherent
character. And thus through its power
TO adapt itself without losing its inner.
ent character Judaism has been able
to SURVEYOR adaptation to environ.
ment is the law of survival in the
luman world rs in the animal world
The first time when that process was
arrested was the time when due to tho
nnimosity NJ the Medieval Christian
. HUl'll III l4NIbH' lllt jew was com
PEELED to live in GhettcS. segregated
from the rest of the population. Witt
the development Of the Ghetto began q
type of Judaism which may be called Il
hothOusc growth The normal contact,
between Judaism and its environment
We're cut Off and the jew was throw
back upon himself of course he cOult
net have helped remaining jew, jew
. ish life became very self-conscious. to,
sclf.conscious if anything. 1t WIS q
Judaism induced by artificial stimu
lation, persecution discrimination. seq
rcgation. and in many ways it was 9
great misfortune When finally, after
six centuries Of Ghetto. the walls be
gan to fall and Jewish population,
were gradually beginning 10 he enamel
patod in Germany in Italy, in Eng
land, In America. the breath of air wa,
almost too much. There were defec