Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-07-22

Of his discussion Of the present position
Of Reform Judaism In the United States
and Its prospects for the future. where.
In he made the prediction that new
Jewish religion would arise In America,
declared:
To-day the various groups In Ameri.
can Judaism are just beginning to draw
together. Suspicion and antagonism
are slowly giving way to understanding
and cooperation. Orthodoxy. both ma
tive and foreign. IL building like instI.
tutions and organizing itself In manner
quite similar to Reform. More and
more tao 1t is accommodating itself to
the conditions and forces Of American
environment. In many respects foreign
Orthodoxy In America stands today
about where Reform Judaism stood
forty years ago.
Judaism Absve An
"And Reform Judaism In turn is
slowly inaugurating program of In
ternal growth and spiritual enlarge
ment. Already we sense 4 growing In
sistence upon the spiritual and social
content Of Judaism, an urge to lift 1t
still further and more positively above
the confines Of mechanical conformity
to traditional belief ~ psactice. and.
reaMrMing IN staple, direct term
Judaism's basic spiritual, social and
ethical principles. to apply these to the
compelling problems Of life. both Jew.
lsh and general. In their program
above all else Judaism must remain
thoroughly and permanently Jewish.
"As result Of this gradual conver-
gence of these various groups and
forces In American Jewry and, Of the
slow but sure formulation of this POSI-
tive program, new Judaism promises
to be born in America In time. Juda-
ism which will probably differ from
present Reform Judaism almost as
much as it will differ from orthodoxy,
a Judaism which will be modern, POSI-
tive, constructive, thoroughly Jewish
and thoroughly religious.
THAT this American Judaism Of to-
morrow, may, nay probably will, be
much unlike our Reform Judaism of
today does not alright me; for not the
preservation OF Reform Judaism in
America is our goal, but the prOpoga-
ton of a living Judaism; naught else.
And in this modern Judaism and our
power to upbuild it l have complete
faith"
Montefore Opens Meeting
Claude Montefiore, leader Of Liberal
Judaism In Great Britain and presi-
dent of the Jewish Religious Union In
London. in opening the conference de-
clared that the gathering was not in
tended to be provocative. I'VE believe
In continuous revelation applied to mod.
ern conditions. in adaptation Of ancient
doctrines to modern life" Mr.. Monte
fore stated, adding, at will be best to
avoid all illusions to Jewish national.
ism regarding which there are many
differences among u.s."
Rabbi Louis Wolsey, President Of the
Central Conference Of American Rabbls,
Speaking on the subject Of ceremOnials
In the Jewish religion declared that
these were not final or sacramento.
Israel Not Nation"
Rabbi Samuel Scbulman Of New
York urged that 1t was "a mistake ia
emphasize those things which Judaism
has In common with other faiths, which
is merely offering the world ditto"
"The possibilities of the synagog have
never been exhausted, In fact they have
not even been grasped. Even mod
ern thinker like Wells speaks of the
Jew God not realizing that he is the
God who created heaven and earth,
Rabbi Schulman stated. "Israel," he
continued, 'ls not nation In any nc
cepted sense Of the term. Israel is an
historic people with n unique mission
it Is community to which everyone
Is welcome. We must reject all ideas
that nationality is based upon blood
kinship. We must also establish that
race is no obstacle to any one to accept
our religion and become member OF
the House of Israel.