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Page 38 The Southern Israelite Southern Shorthand Business University L. W. ARNOLD, President 86 Whitehall St., S. W. Atlanta, Ga. Red Rock Co SAM E. LEVY, Pres. ABE GOLDSTEIN, V.-Pres. PRIOR TIRE CO., Inc. Peachtree at Pine Street Batteries—Woco-Pep—Oils—Service HOOD TIRES Dont Cuss—Phone Us! WAlnut 9876 We Never Close Phone MAin 2152-W Modern Hebrew School Office 593 Washington St., S. W. ATLANTA, GA. SAMUEL GEFFEN, Director SPECIAL INSTRUCTION FOR BAR-MITZVAHS Specialists In Jewish Education (Continued from Page 37) tigations carried on by the Character Measurement Inquiry, and described some of the tests used in measuring character. Various members of the class con tributed important studies along spec ial lines, notably Dr. Harry Comins, who discussed his own particular field of research, the project method of teaching children. The class was organized primarily for the men who are holding fellow ship in pedagogy at Teachers College, Columbia University, fellowships which were supplied by the Depart ment of Synagogue and School Exten sion and by the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods. There were: Rabbi Sam. J. Wolk, of Cincinnati; Messrs. Joseph Zubin, Morris Arzt, and Morris Mondzak, all of New York City; and I)r. Harry Comins, of Hart ford, Conn. Several rabbis who were summer ing in New York City evidenced in terest in the undertaking and were invited to join the class. These were: Rabbi Philip Jaffa and Rabbi Gus. Falk, Regional Rabbis of the Union; Mrs. Gus Falk; Dr. Bernard Bam- lx'rger, who was recently appointed Rabbi of Temple Beth Emeth, Albany, N. Y., and Rabbi Lawrence Schwartz, Assistant to Rabbi Harry L ev i of Temple Israel, Boston. Rabbi George Zepin, Executive Sec retary of the Uoinn, was a guest at the luncheon. In speaking of the suc cess achieved by the seminar, Rabbi Zepin said, “We are standing at the threshold of one of the most remarkable era* ever known in Jewish history, and one in which education will p l ay a ] ead , ing role. I look upon the experiment of educating a group of men for lead ership in Jewish education as one of the finest things that the Union is engaged in sponsoring.” Rabbi Lawrence Schwartz spoke of the mutual benefits to be derived from a seminar of this kind and expressed the hope that the seminar would be continued from year to year. Rabbi Falk said, “I consider the seminar of great value because it enabled those who are interested in the problem of Jew ish education to gather together and discuss methods and means of improv ing the educational system in our re ligious schools.” All those present expressed their appreciation for the services given without remuneration by Drs. Gamo- ran and Mailer and by Rabbi Poliak and voiced the desire that the experi ment would be continued each sum mer. Repentance By RABBI ALEX. ALAN STEINBACH Brlli El Temple, Norfolk, Va. Yom Kippur is significant in that it directs our minds to thoughts of re pentance. The frail human frame can not prevent imperfect links from be ing forged into the chain of human existence, and for this reason it is imperative that man should indulge periodically in self-scrutiny with the view of eliminating the dross that has accumulated in his life. If the old adage be true that a chain is no stronger than its weakest link, it fol lows logically that the most effective method of strengthening the chain of life is to strive uninterruptedly to im prove its weak links. In the moral sphere, this process is called Repent ance. If we concur in the view that evil is an inherent part of human exist ence, or as William James believes, that it is a disease of the soul, we can readily appreciate the value of re pentance as an armor against the in roads of evil. “The best repentance,” says James, “is to up and act for righteousness, and forget you had re lations with sin.” This statement em bodies the deeper purpose of Yom Kippur. The burden of sin is automat ically thrust aside through dedication to the positive moral imperatives of life. Expiation of guilt is possible only when it leads to self-regeneration through the re-establishment of a har monious relationship between the hu man soul and the power of the Divine. No matter how deeply the soul has been steeped in evil, it stands pure before God if the individual renews the ethical and moral covenant with Tim. Such a covenant breaks down the screen that has been set up between :he individual and his Maker, and re peals the benedictions of Providence. Repentance, therefore, not only re moves the consciousness of guilt, but ilso enables the individual to go on A r ith the duties of life as if he had never fallen. But repentance must be more than i mechanical formalism. As Maimoni- :les points out, it must be rooted in the outpouring of the yearning heart A life that has met disaster upon the rocks of evil can not be salvaged through the mere recitation of word formulas. The moral filth on which it crashed must first be washed away The spirit that has been stained through contact with sin, must be cleansed, and a new quest for holiness must be embarked upon. “Make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.” These words of the propne Ezekiel constitute the basis of true repentance. Spiritual rehabilitation i consummated only with the cO ^ cl0U ^. ness of having been purged. The ev that anchored the soul to the must be routed by a purifying that will scorch the shackles an mit the soul to soar heightward. With the advent of Yom KiPP - let us give ourselves over to hearted repentance. Let us app' this august day with a sincere that it will mend us spiritually or . us divest ourselves of our mo ^ ruption and garb ourseBes spirituality that will r ® n er . . ^ thy to stand face to face Divine Spirit.