DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
December 24, ism
and The Legal Chronicle
I6
REFORM
(Continued from Page 12)
established congregations in
the United States, 123 (including
the largest) were members of the
Union of American Hebrew Con-
gregations. The Board of Dele-
gates, the defense organization of
that time, had just amalgamated
with the Union. The Union led
the field in educational work and
might in the course of time have
absorbed the Jewish Welfare Fed-
erations which were headed by the
same men who led the Union, and
thus an all-inclusive Union of
American Israel might have re-
sulted. But the rush of immigra-
tion from Eastern Europe began
about 1881, and the new arrivals
came so fast that they could not
be completely absorbed in the pre-
vailing patterns; they organized
new institutions for themselves.
Still the Union of American He-
zrew Congregations is the strong-
est religious union in the country,
and the future may see its virtues
and importance for all American
Israel increased manifold.
Reform aided the growth of
Judaism in America by stressing
the similarity between Jewish and
American ideals. This does not
mean that Reform gave up the
traditional and unique spirit of
Judaism to make it merge with
the American scene. But in search-
ing for the basic elements of Jew-
ish idealism and spiritual democ-
racy, it was discovered that the
goals of the prophets, the psalm-
ists and the rabbis were the spirit-
ual counterpart of the political
goals of democracy. Isaac Mayer
Wise spoke enthusiastically about
the ideals of Judaism finding their
fruition in American democracy,
but he attacked those who said,
"first my country then my relig-
ion," by affirming that it should
rather be "first my God, then my
country." The ideals of America
searchlight of God's goals. The
must always be scrutinized by the
duties of citizenship had to be
patterned after the more inclu-
sive duties of universal mankind.
National goals had to follow re-
ligious goals.
Through this understanding the
Jew in America felt at home. He
realized that if he were a good
Jew, he would be a good Ameri-
can. His religion gave to the Re-
form Jew the impetus to throw
himself into community work, to
become a leader in the Red Cross,
Community Chest, and other chari-
table and progressive movements
in his community. Thus it has
come about that Reform Jews have
been so closely identified in every
community with progressive en-
deavors. The Reform Jew has se-
cure knowledge that his religion
lived and marched with the high-
est elements of his environment.
In these and many other ways,
Reform came to the American
scene at a critical time to save
Judaism from the outworn con-
cepts of a waning medievalism, so
utterly alien to the American en- ,
vironment; as a result, Judaism
has thrived and grown in the
American world. Through its phi-
losophy of continual revelation, its
understanding of the present and
vision of the.future, taken together
with its ever careful searching of
the past, Reform has helped the
Jew adjust his religion to the
progressive world and at the same
time retain its essential verities.
Reform not only brought light
to the dark days of the past and
enlisted rabbis and laymen of
knowledge and intelligence and
created institutions which could
thrive in the American scene, but
it wielded a powerful influence
upon the movements that seem to
be opposed to it. Conservatism and
Orthodoxy in America have been
profoundly affected and aided by
the Reform movement, for the
progress of Reform encouraged the
advocates of these other groups
of Judaism to search out their
greatest strength and likewise to
adjust to their environment. And
the patterns of their synagogual
life, with their Ladies' Auxiliaries
and Men's Clubs and. Youth
groups and the rest, found their
origin in the example of Reform.
All of American Israel bears the
beneficient stamp of Reform.
There is even greater need for
the vital teachings of Reform Ju-
daism in the world of the future—
that world which presents such
amazing opportunities for growth
in lofty ethics and universal
brotherhood, in religious under-
standing, and cooperation. To this
great task, we of Reform Judaism
should consider it a privilege to
dedicate ourselves to that, as we
saved Judaism in America, we may
now do our share toward bring-
ing salavtion to all mankind.
200
ut
Of The
Ashes ...
Once more brute force is extending
Two monuments surviving from ancient
times proclaim the destruction of Juda-
ism . . . two tyrants, who had subdued
its sway . . . once more the shrill cry
of destruction echoes the length and
breadth of a continent . . . the power
the world, boasted that the religion of
of evil throws its shadow over what was
Israel and its people had been de-
once peaceful villages and farms .. .
stroyed . . . that the teachings of the
once more churches and synagogues
Prophets had been consumed in flames.
are put to the torch and a people scat-
tered in the vain hope of breaking their
spirit.
The presence of Jews in the World
today makes mockery of those boasts.
Out of the ashes rose a new deter-
mination to survive . . . a new deter-
Today's tyrants, like those of yester-
year, will soon learn there are some
things beyond the power of the sword
mination to keep alive the dreams and
. . . beyond the reach of the torch.
hopes of mankind . . . a new deter-
Out of the ashes, still aglow with their
mination to proclaim by act and deed
newness, will arise once more the eter-
that faith cannot be destroyed by
nal dream of mankind, a world of lib-
tyrant's edict.
,
erty, freedom and justice.
1:8:1411-Ortf - CH:fiX14:1-0-0
CHANUKAB GREETINGS
May the Chanukah Candi( s light up the world that is
darkened by bigotry, prejuc ice and slavery. We sincerely
hope that the holiday seasc n will usher in a new era of
peace, freedom and the Am erican way of life.
00-0000000000
Sam's C ut Rate,
Incorporated
RANDOLPH at MONROE
CAMPUS MARTIUS at WOODWARD