Page:Jews and Judaism in America (Ezra).djvu/13

[ 7 ] and has but a limited knowledge of Hebrew, and the pulpit essays he delivers are adorned with poetic flowers culled from his book of quotations to the delectation of simpering young misses. He organizes Browning clubs, Shakespeare circles, Ruskin guilds, a culture circle and Thomas Davidson class. He may occupy the Jewish pulpit, writes a recent critic, he may be the recipient of a large salary (as he usually is) but it is questioned whether he can be properly termed a Jewish rabbi.

Another extinguished, I beg pardon distinguished, reform rabbi, on his return recently from Japan, whither, he had gone to advise the Mikado how best to make peace with Russia, occupied himself in revising and reorganizing the missionary system of the Presbyterian Church. Truly, remarked another journalistic critic, our European brethren have not the faintest idea of the manifold occupations of an American rabbi!

It has not been stated in vain, and there is a great substratum of truth in the statement that, the history of the Jew seems to indicate, in general that his faith flourishes only at the soil of persecutiompersecution [sic], and in an atmosphere of intolerance and oppression. As soon as these accessories are lightened or removed, the necessity for the comforting influence of his religion seems to pass away; and he becomes at first lax in matters of ritual, then indifferent in matters of faith, and finally altogether callous. No where does this colour of belief show manifestly and strongly itself than in the land of the free—America. The reform movement in America was begun on or about 1825. Its advocates never intended it to be as it is represented in its present condition. Our sages have a wise saying to the effect that, good actions beget good actions, and evil beget evil. The latter is truly applicable to Reform Judaism. First, moderate reform, then radical Judaism, and then