The Jewish Advance. ;
84 <Sc 80 FIFTH AVENUE.
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HENRY GERSONI, - - Editor.
MAX STERN, Publisher.
Chicago, June 14th, 1878.
SALUTATORY.
Introducing the Jewish Advance to
the public we have nothing more to say
about the principles on which this jour
nal will be conducted, than that we will
strictly adhere to the rules, which we
have laid down in our circular. It is
our ambition to make the Jewish Ad
vance a vehicle to convey useful and
pleasant information to all those who
may become readers of our journal.
Lovers of sensation, personalities, syco
phancy and mock-erudition, are not the
class of readers to whom we address
ourselves ; persons fearing to hear the
truth spoken in plain terms should
rather ignore our journal ; the Jewish
Advance will not stoop to address
itself to the uncultivated fancies of silly
boys and girls, or to the morbid taste of
hunters after cheap notoriety. We will
strive to please the intelligent, to
improve the young, to give credit to
whom credit is due, and to give in each
issue of the Jewish Advance some
thing worthy to know or pleasant to
hear.
May our veneranJft.. hernao pi the penj
and oi the pulpit find m tlie Jewisij
- Advance a worthy accession to their
ranks—we shall certainly do our utmost
to deserve such a position.
With our hearty thanks to our Rab
bins of this city, one and all, who have
given us their encouragement, and prom
ised their co-operation we send out the
Jewish Advance into the world, and
hope to find a favorable reception at the
hands of many. —Editor.
Reflections on Slievuotli.
The offering of the first ripened fruit
was to take place on the day on which
the proclamation of the Law was to be
commemorated. This may signify that
the first ripened consciousness of human
individuality shows itself simultanuously
with a susceptibility for religious truth.
At the proclamation of the Law,
Moses, the man who had made religion
and the elevation of his people his object
in life, could go up to the mount Sinai.
The whole people ot Israel had to pre*
pare themselves three days before they
heard the proclamation ; and abstinence
from certain worldly enjoyments was
one of the regulations for that prepara’
tion. It seems to be quite different in
our time. People will not forego any
pleasure or enjoyment for the sake of
the Law. Some even desire to become
(or to be considered) religious the minute
they enter a lious^of worship, no matter
what they have done a minute before or
what they will do an hour later.
According to a talmudical* passage, all
the Israelites who were present at the
proclamation of the Law, were so fright
ened by the great importance thereof
that their souls had to be restored to
them by. the angels. There is no such
danger at the present time. When we
hear the laws of truth proclaimed, we
calmly reflect—how to criticise.
Alluding to the frequent repetition of
the phrase,
“Hear, 0 Isra
el,” which occurs m Deuteronomy the
Medrash says :
This is like unto a king who has be
trothed unto him a wife with two jewels.
In the course of time, she has lost one
of those jewels. The king then said
unto her : “ now take good care of the
one which is left.” Thus, at the procla
mation of the Law, Israel said : “we will
do and we will hear (the command of
God.) ” After some time they had not
proven themselves obedient in their
actions. God then repeatedly told them
“Hear, 0 Israel.” .(Deuteronomy,Ch. 50.)
In reference to this passage, it is well
to remember that the word signi
fies “to understand” as well as “to hear.”
THE PRESENT.
/
The Jewish residents of Milwaukee
Avenue and suburban Streets are en
deavoring to establish free-schools for
German, Hebrew and religious instruc
tion. As this movement has been
inaugurated by workingmen who do not
walk on the silk-carpeted ways of life,
and whose only ambition it is to perpet
uate in their children the principles to
which they adhere, there is a fair pros
pect of success for them. Our ministers
tltwflli-cUy, Wi iitrehritf —-Y '
hearty support to such scnoois. mere
is no doubt that the Jewish educational
society will contribute its share toward
the maintenance of such schools, if once
established. It is a good sign of the
times and an augury for the advancement
of Judaism, that such a movement
comes just from those members of our
community, who need the desired in
struction for their children most. They
desire to help themselves, God will help
them. The sympathy and support of
all their brethren will be with them.
Strawberry Festivals are on hand and
pic-nics and excursions will follow suit.
Our friends are ready with their pocket
books and all, to combine enjoyment
with matters of principle. Let our
ladies’ societies, our clubs and our
young men’s associations display their
taste first in planning and arranging
such entertainments, and then their
earnestness by making good use of the
proceeds for charitable, .educational and
religious purposes. They will find liberal
support. As to our young men and
ladies—why there is bliss in prospect
to be sure.
Our subscribers will do us a favor by
sending in their orders at their earliest
convenience. This will enable us to
make out our lists correctly and to mail
The Jewish Advance regularly.
Send us the social news of your place.
We will be pleasejd to hear from our
brethren of country places. Any out
croping of prejudice should be report
ed without delay. Every Israelite is
responsible for the honor of his race and
religious profession. If he has an op
portunity to protect the latter against
prevailing prejudices, and does not im
prove it, he fails to do his duty.
' The Pnlpitsi
On Shevuoth, Hev. Dr. Kohler
preached on the text:
•‘God said unto mo, thou art my son: this
day have I begotten thee.”
This is “the essence of Judaism, that
man is the child of God.” The con
sciousness that he is a child of God,
permeates the life of the believer, cheers
him in trouble and sustains him in need. (
This consciousness permeates his life
and his actions and teaches him justice
toward his fellow man, who is “a child
of God like himseyf.” With this con
sciousness Igrael has gallantly fought
his way through all difficulties of cent
uries } it has sustained him above the wa ■
ters of destruction, when he was tempest
tossed by the rage of his enemies—it has
kept him just, charitable and distinct as
“a nation of priests.” On the day of the
proclamation of the law on Sinai, heHias
conceived this knowledge, and it has
proved since to be a heavenly manna,
giving health, vigor and strength in the
desert of life. A glass of this manna,
“the essence of Jewish belief, that man
is the child of God,” has been preserved
for future generations, and it is enough
to feed the whole human family with
virtue, hope and happiness, etc.
On the day of confirmation the contrr
mands stand in the same position as our
fathers stood on Sinai. The voice of
God imparts to them the knowledge that
“they are the children of God,” and all
the advantages and the duties which
The following is a synopsis of the ser
mon, delivered by Dr. Felsenthal on
last Shevuoth. As his text the speaker
took of Deut. 5 the first three verses,
setting forth the idea that God made a
covenant not with our fathers alone, hut
also with us.
The covenant will last and must last
until the end is reached for which it has
been concluded ; that is, until spiritual
darkness will have vanished before the
rays of the sun of Sinai. Taken as a
whole, Israel, since more than 2000
years, remained faithful to the covenant,
and adhered to the God proclaimed by
Moses and the other prophets. Individ
ual Israelites did sometimes become
traitors to the flag. But since the times
of Cyrus, Israel, considered as a unit,
did not waver in his fealty.
In this fealty we find the true and the
only explanation for the wonderful-pre
servation of Israel and of Israel’s re
ligion. Truly, a perpetual miracle !
The storms of the centuries’did rage in
vain,—our flag remained unbent. And
so we proudly still confess-to be under
the obligation to keep the covenant, and
to be watchful custodians of the great
inheritance.
Shall this be now-a-days otherwise ?
Has the rising Jewish generation of
America a right to forsake the old and
hallowed'flag ? Ah, my young friends,
you say that the old Jewish religion is
antiquated. What reason have you for
such an assertion ? You only confound
the essential with the accidental, the
substance with the forms. If you would
only exert yourselves a little to become
acquainted with the Religion of your
people, you would soon better appreciate
it, and would become convinced that
Judaism is in the f ullest harmony with
modern culture and modern thought.
You charge Judaism with being exclu
sive, and you desire an all-embracing' .
"Religion of Humanity.” But your
charge is unfounded, our Religion is a.
religion of humanity, and is as liberal aa
any new religious system you might
construe for yourselves. \
You oppose spiritual thralldom, and
are afraid that the Jewish Church might
enslave your thinking faculty. How
little do you know of the religion ti>
which you are dedicated by your very
birth ! You would indeed be more fet
tered by the God-denying materialism,*
which prevails now so widely, than by
the very few and, moreover, very rational
dogmas of Judaism.
So come then, and be reminded of the
great trust reposed in you, young Jewish
America ! God concluded his covenant
not with our fathers alone, but also with
you.— ^
After the singing or a proper nyimi uy
the choir, the minister continued to
address the confirmands. lie sought to
impress them with the idea that, more
than anything else,Religion is a necessity
for them if they wish to become truly
happy in their future years. Religion
will lead their vessel of life safely to its
goal, and preserve it against becoming
lost or wrecked. There was once—so
the speaker illustrated his admonition
a man crossing the ocean for the first 1
time. He often came to the captain’s,
office, and noticed there a little instru
ment. “What is this, captain ?" he
asked. Politely the captain answered:
“This is a compass.” “Can you not do
without it ?” continued the traveller.
“Oh no,” said the captain, and went on
explaining to him how indispensable this
ltfiScnYuien'i v»'i.,^an^ll|^e o'uuiti mi- '
possibly overcome all *uie dangers to
which he would be exposed without the
compass. He also gave him the reason,
why it was encased in a box and covered
with a glass lid, and so forth. So let
religion he your compass. And do
especially not throw Jcxoish religion
behind you. The covenant is obligatory
for you too. I tremble if I contemplate
the possibility that anyone of you might
venture out on the stormy and dangerous
ocean of life without the guiding com
pass of religion. Still more, your fathers
and mothers tremble for you and look
forth into your future with anxiety,
afraid that you might sink, &c., &c.
Rev. A. Norden’s address contained
the following idea on the
Text: Let there be light.
The 'Torah revealed unto Israel on
Sinai, can only be comprehended and
truly practiced by the light of investiga
tion and'not by a ready acceptance of
dogmas which have no significance and
are not accessible to the rational in
quirers.
Our children should, therefore, be not
merely confirmed for the sake of the im
posing ceremony, but first instructed,
thoroughly acquainted with the Law
and its wholesome teachings, and then
the solemn act of confirmation. The
command is
Ihou blialt
inculcate it into thy children from th$»w
root pty to sharpen, to make it clear ami*
comprehensive.
The ceremony closed with an exhorta
tion to the confirmands by the minister,,
and the blessing by parents and minister*