Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-04-15
FORCES IN MODERN
AMERICAN JUDAISM
Address Delivered Before Denver Lodge,
10. B. B., BY Simon J. Heller

m'Hl usually culNnntcS from the same
group Of Jews who complain about the
double allcgicncc. Zionists never In.
tended tha, all the Jews in the world
shall be brought together Ia Palestine.
Palestine IL primarily to be- II haven
OF refuge for those who desire to escape
from persecution. plllage, and hunger
It is primarily for those who desire q
place where they may live free aud
contended where they can bc cpermitted
to workout their destiny free Of mole.
station. II never was Intended that the
Jews who are comfortably settled else
where should be removed from there /;
II was never Intended that the Jews
OF America, either In whole or In part
60 to Palestine. The Zionists bc-
lleve however that II legal.
ly assured and publicly secured home
is established for the Jews in Pales-
tine and they are so recognized among
the nations OF the world. that the lot
OF the Jews outside OF Palestine viii
be improved and that Zionlsm will be
the force which will eliminate ignor-
snce, blgotey and Intolerance. When
such n state IL established there will
be no more false accusations, such as
the ritual blood charge, and the Pro
tocol OF the Elders OF Zion. Then other
false and malicious charges can gain
no headway.
Persecution has hnd the tendency 10
cement the Jew In America where
freedom has been SO cheap. the gradual
loosenlng OF the bonds has occurred. so
that the bond OF brotherhood which
united us has fallen apart In our hands,
United States was our Zion; conse-
Quently II dropped that word from their
prayer book, Yet recently there came
to our shores the murmuring Of anti
semitism from across the sea, and
from the pages of history. Thus
bigotry. hatred and superstition as well
as intolerance must make us realize as
was once well said, III we do not hang
together. We will hang separately"
Persecution has had the tendency to ce-
ment the Jew, and thus while the orig
inal leaders In the Zionist movement
were either OF the Orthodox group, or
those that were pure Nationalists with
out reference to any religious view, the
force and the possible effect OF Zionism
has gradually been realized by all OF
the Jews OF the world. so that today II
Gun no longer be called an Orthodox
movement, but an International Jewish
Movement, 1t is today the movement of
all classes.
The tragedy OF the Jew IL always to
the fore. He must realize that, he
must rely upon himself to avert or
smeliorate Its horrors. To do this, in
dividusls or isolated groups are power
less. There must be cooperation among
all Jews. In short to be strong we
must be united and ultimate unison can
only come through the establishment
OF Jewish State.
While the other forces which have
already been discussed are not leading
to a peaceful, harmonious and happy
settlement OF the Jewish question, ]
believe that with the establishment OF
a political Jewish stRte-with legally
secured and publlcally assured home
for the Jews In Palestine there will no
longer be Jewish question. That
ZionIsm is popular force, in Modern
Judaism Is evidenced by the change OF
sentiment In the ranks of the B'nai
Birth. Fifteen years ago II was almost
blasphcmous to mention the word Zion
ism" on the floor OF B'nai Birth
Lodge Today we recognize the force
OF Zionsm RS the solution of world
problem, by contributing large sums for
rehabilitation work in Palestine by our
rehabilitation program. Zionism is the
great moving force of modern Judaism
hIu Is lHt Hhlul ohtEloN III Va uli th'
other forces. 1t Is the greatest force
because 1t, II anything, Is the solution
OF the Jewish problem.
Assimilation has been urged as the
solution OF the problem. When Maurice
Samuel the author Of Ye Gentiles. was
in Denver last summer, had the pleas
ure and good fortune to attend n gath
erins in his honor, where general dis
cussion was had pertaining to the jew
ish question. In that group was gen
tile, one OF the leading citizens Of this
city, who stated that be realized that
IA long as the Jew was on the face OF
the earth. under the present circum-
stances, the problem would continue. He
asked Samuel II intermarriage was not
the solution and gave it as his opinion
that such was the case. Mr.. Samuel
answered that intermarriage and as
similation was not the solution of the
problem, but the elimination Of the prob.