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THE JEWISH CHRONICLE

8

THE JEWISH CHRONICLE

Issued Every Friday by the Jewish Chronicle Publishing Company,
general Manager
ANTON KAUFMAN

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dogmas, as hurtful to the best interests of • Jews and Judaism. We.
maintain stoutly that one cannot be a Jew and a Christian Scientist at
one and the same time. When Christian Science propagandists will
be perfectly frank in the admission of this truth, we shall perhaps
change our attitude in the matter of throwing open the doors of our
synagogues to their congregations. .

Is Haman's Charge Justified

The recurrence of Purim reminds us that the specious pleas of
the Anti-Semite have not changed much in the course of the ages.
Editorial Contributor
RABBI LEO M. FRANKLIN,
I lafhan, the arch enemy of the Jews, couched his accusation against
the Jews in these words to the King: "There is a certain people scat-
The Jewish Chronicle invites correspondence on subjects of inter- tered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of
est to the Jewish people, but disclaims responsibility for an indorse-
thy - kingdom, and their laws are different from those of every people ;
ment of views expressed by the writers.
neither keep they the king's laws, therefore it is not for the king's
All correspondence and society notes to insure publication must profit to stiffer -them." -
The accusation that the Jew is different from the peoples among
be sent in so as to reach this office Tuesday morning of each week.
- ---- whom he lives ; that he does not enter harmoniously into the life and
Entered as second-class matter March 3, 1918, at the Post Office at Detroit, Mich., under the Act of
thought of the majority ; that in every company he remains the stranger ;
March 3, 1879
---: that his customs and habits set him apart, is old as the ages. Nor is
it altogether without justification. Whether one agrees or not to the
FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 1917
racial interpretation of Jewish history, he must concede that the Jew
represents a distinct entity in human history. He stands apart as a
Liberalism Run to Seed
personality separate and distinct from the majority. But the thing
During recent weeks a well established Jewish congregation in a to be emphasized is that mere difference is by no means of necessity
neighboring city dedicated • a beautiful new house of worship. Its a token of inferiority. The very reverse is actually true. It has been"
officers and members were justly proud of their achievement in having those who have dared to stand alone, who have left their mark on the
erected to the glory of God and for the honor and service of Judaism pages of human history. The prophet has always been the one man
a house of worship that in architectural beauty would rank with the of his generation who dared to stand over against the multitude. A
best church edifices in their city. . They felt, as they might justly feel, Moses towered above the masses who would' not or could not under-
that the new synagogue would offer a renewed impetus to the Jewish stand his dreams and his ideals. And as with individuals, so with peo-
' life of their community ; that it - would attract the old and the young to pies. The Jew can afford to stand alone and be pointed out as differ-
their-religious services in larger numbers than heretofore, and that it ent from the peoples among whom he lives so long as his distinctive-
would in a general way be conducive to deepening and strengthening ness is for good and not for evil. Indeed, in some sense it is part of
the Jewish consciousness of the people. the mission of the Jew to maintain his separateness. While the mul-
But scarcely was the new synagogue ready for dedication when a titudes around him grovel in the mire of materialism, he must repre-
request .came to its officers from a neighboring Christian Science con- sent the dreamer looking aloft. While others know no values save
gre gation, asking for the use of the building for 'a rather long period those that can be measured in terms of figures and the dollar sign, the
for the conduct of its services. The request was one, the granting or Jew must preach and teach and practice the doctrine that "not by
refusal of which 'required tact and wisdom. Not caring to trust their bread alone cloth man live." It is only when the Jew stands apart as
own judgment in the matter, the officers put the case before a - number one degraded, as one without a sense of higher values, that his dis-
of leading reform rabbis in the country, asking for counsel in the tinctiv-cress is a mark of inferiority. Haman's accusation should em-
his fact, and the Purim story should bring to the Jew an
matter, and it is gratifying to state that there was practical unanimity phas;
n of the fact that it requires more heroism many times to
. in the replies of all those addressed. And strange as it may seem, the apprt„
than to allow one's self to. he submerged by the domi-
advice given was in opposition to the rental of the synagogue for stand
nating majority.
Christian Science services.
At first blush this may appear as a sign of illiberality on the part
of the Reform rabbis of America. Why should not a Jewish house of
, A Correction
worship offer its hospitality to a sister congeegation in the time of its
In our issue of last week the Managing Editor made a slip by
need? Ordinarily we should say that there is every reason why the
ish
house
of
worship
should,
under
such
circumstances,
open
its
stating
that Professor Ralp. Philip Boas, author of the article, "The
J ew
who
t,
those
o
f
fac
tter
arc at all Problem of American Judiasm," was not a Jew, and that therefore his
doors wide in welcome. As a ma
t
ti
me
ti
th
a
me again article was of the greater interest since it reflected the standpoint of
now
se
k
ca
and
acquainted with the facts in the
Christian congregations have enjoyed such hospitality at the hands of one outside our ranks. As a matter of fact, Mr. Boas is anardent and
the leading synagogues of the land. In Cincinnati, Congregation Bne enthusiastic Jew. For a considerable period he was a teacher in one
J'eshurum, but recently housed a Christian congregation for many of the Jewish religious schools of Chicago, and it is said that at one
months after its own house of worship had been destroyed by fire, and time he entertained the idea of studying for the rabbinate.
. The writer feels that Mr. Boas' diagnosis of Jewish conditions is
within the past two months Congregation Beth El of this city offered
the hospitality of its Temple to the North •Methodist Church even the more worth while because it comes from the pen of a Jew. We
do not agree with Mr. Boas in all the points he makes, but we beliOe
before the flames that destroyed it had been extinguished.
But in the case of the Christian Science Congregation, there are that there is cause. for gratification in the fact that young, scholarly
certain matters to be taken into consideration which may be utterly Jews in America today are thinking seriously of the - problems by
ignored in the case of other Christian churches. ,While the Protestant which the Jews and Judaism arc confronted.
'churches of Christianity do not hesitate now and then to seek converts
among the Jews, they do not, except in the rarest instances, fool them-
Now comes Norman Hapgood with the suggestion that, the
selves Or the Jew into believing that, accepting their faith, the Jew
can yet remain the Jew. Even the ridiculous resolution passed by a United-States should assume the suzerainty of a Jewish state in Pales-
recent Episcdpal Convention, that the converted Jew mightretaiii his tine. What would the magazines and newspapers do if the Jews and
racial and religious customs, does not really contravene this point. J udaism did not furnish them with all sorts of fantastic follies with
But the average Jew who has gone over to Christian Science, whether which to fill their columns?
justified in doing so by the actual rulings of the church or not, never
ceases to proclaim that being a Christian Scientist, he is a better Jew
Judaism stands in need today not only of an educated ministry, but
than ever. This we hold is utterly misleading and so long as the as well of an interested laity. We like to indulge the happy thought that
Christian Science church does not officially and very publicly pro- it is gradually getting both.
nounce against the truth of this position, Jews would be not only.
foolish, but utterly unwarranted in giving their house of worship for
We make a great fight against the caricature of the Jew on the stage;
Christian Science services. It is only liberalism run to seed that will
that is as it should be. But what about the Jew who in his daily life makes
take a contrary position in this matter.
a
constant caricature of himself ?
All this is said in no spirit either of malice against or fear of
Christian Science. We believe that there are those who have been
spiritually and physically benefited by the teachings of this cult. But
we regard Christian Science, because of the misrepresentations of its
'influence upon the Jew at the hands of Jews who have accepted its

Phones: Cherry 3381 and 1526