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The Southern Israelite
Does Business Kill Religion?
How the Jewish Layman’s Whims Distort
Synagogal Worship
Rv RABBI MICHAEL AARONSOHN
This article is a fearless,
unequivocal sermon written
especially for The Southern
Israelite by one of the most
picturesque religious teach
ers of this country. Rabbi
Aaronsohn, though still a
very young man, has a record
unique in the history of the
American Rabbinate. At the
beginning of his theological
studies at the Hebrew Union
College, he volunteered his
services in the American Ex
peditionary Forces to fight
in France. In the battle of
the Argonne the young rab
binical student was complete
ly blinded while performing
mi act of great courage, for
which he was later decorated.
When he returned to the
United States he resumed his
studies despite his treynend-
ous handicap, and graduated
as a Rabbi in 192.1. Since
then Rabbi Aaronsohn has
ban touring the country as
the Field Representative of
the Union of American He
brew Congregations. In this
capacity he has had ample
opportunity to come hi con
tact with the American Jew
ish business man. His clear
analysis as to what is wrong
with the layman's attitude
toward religion will undoubt
edly attract nationwide at
tention.—The Editor.
I find that the career of our clergy
men has been misshapen by the whims
*nd the raprices of the laity. Unique,
ndeed. is the layman who applies his
commercial skill to the business of
conducting a religious organization
and religious institution. Because of
inefficiency of the laity in deal-
^ religoous organizations many
Rabbis have been compelled to put
their robes of priesthood. Eccle-
1 d garments are worn only on
1 occasions. Outside of these
ex ceptional moments many of our
Rabbi.s must needs act the part of
financiers. They must divert
' r talents from the study and mas-
and of general culture and Jew-
*sdom to the concrete problem of
_ a -ming the religious institution,
k e ( ^° ar( l of Trustees vote for the
r of a structure which shall
^ - ame and honor to the congre-
been n . ^ 0Wever > after the temple has
•edicated with pomp and cere-
to th ♦ 6 must apply himself
t k L e securing funds to meet
mo • ments on Dotes due on the
‘ well these things! The lay-
asked for a beautiful house
of worship. He has asked for decorum
in worship. He has asked for a reduc
tion in length of worship from three
hours each day to one hour each week.
He has asked for the removal of the
hat during the hours of worship. Ho
has asked for the translation of the
liturgy into the vernacular. He has
asked for the introduction of a pro
fessional choir. He has asked for ser
mons in English. He has asked for
brevity in prayers and sermons. He
has asked for the extension of spir
itual hospitality to all peoples. He has
asked to bring the women down from
the gallery to sit with their brethren
in the auditorium proper. He has
asked for lectures on current themes
and for book reviews from the pulpit.
He has demanded that the pulpit he
not used for the purpose of expound
ing unpopular arguments, such as
birth-control, socialism and, formerly,
Zionism. With each of these proposals
for innovation the Rabbi has bowed
his head and concurred. What has been
the outcome of this series of indul
gences? The business man has simply
A humanitarian movement of wide
importance to the Jews of the East
ern part of the United States has re
cently been launched in Asheville, N.
C., in the establishment of a Tuber
culosis Sanatorium Association, under
the auspices of the fifth Grand Lodge
District of the Independent Order of
B’nai B’rith. Under the leadership
of Joseph Fromberg, of Charleston,
S. C., President District Grand Lodge
No. 5, a series of meetings have been
held at Asheville, and the Jewish com
munity of that city have shown a re
markable enthusiasm in the proposed
project; and at one of the meetings,
Mr. S. Sternberg, of Asheville, of
fered a tract of land, consisting of
about 33 acres, as a site for the
Sanatorium.
This land is admirably situated for
a hospital site, being sufficiently out
of the city to be free from the noise,
smoke and dust of city life, and yet
near proximity to make purchasing of
supplies convenient.
Mr. Sternberg’s offer has stimu
lated interest in the project to such
an extent that although no systematic
campaign has as yet been launched,
a sum in excess of $10,000.00 has al
ready been pledged by various citi
zens of Asheville.
The Tuberculosis committee of the
District Grand Lodge consists of
Julius Reis, of Washington, chair
man, and the following members: Dr.
Leon Banov, of Charleston, S. C.; Dr.
Herbert Rosenberg, of Atlanta, Ga.;
Mr. Julius Lowenbien, of Asheville;
Jac. Rosenberg, of Jacksonville, Fla.;
J. Lyons, of Roanoke, Va.; Wm. Levy,
of Baltimore.
camouflaged his undisciplined aversion
to public worship. One more push on
the part of such a laity, and the Rabbi
may be shoved off this log of liveli
hood.
A competent congress of lay leaders
should deliberate upon the intellectual,
spiritual and eleemosynary needs of
the community, so as reasonably to
prevent a riot of emotions ami an an
archy of idealism, which bring about a
confusion of activities, a lamentable
lop-sidedness in philanthropic endea
vor and a grotesque isolation of the
temple from the masses.
Wore it not for the impelling forces
of habit, family loyalty, friendship
with the minister or the instinctive
personality urge for fellowship, few
men and women would expose their re
ligious personality in public worship.
The religion of a man usually is se
lected for him before he chooses and
develops a technique of livelihood.
But since the instinct of self-preser
vation is pre-eminent and to know
that which before us lies in daily life
is prime wisdom—the pursuit of busi-
Mr. Lowenbein has been interested
in tuberculosis for a great many
years, and the regular visitation of
the various tubercular institutions in
and around Asheville has been a spe
cial hobby of his. He has been spoken
of by patients to whom he has
brought cheer, as the “Angel of
Asheville,” and it has been his dream
for a great many years to see a sana
torium at Asheville built and operated
under Jewish auspices.
Mr. Lowenbein has been assisted in
the launching of the movement for a
sanatorium by Dr. Milton Hahn,
Messrs. Persky, Patla, Rabbi Jacob
son, Kartus, Winter, Simon and many
others of Asheville, N. C., represent
ing the local community. The Ashe
ville lodge of the I. O. B. B. has put
its entire strength behind the move
ment, and through its president and
secretary, the local organization has
formed the nucleus for a Sanatorium
Association which will be extended in
a short while, it is hoped, throughout
the entire Eastern part of the United
States.
The committee having the planning
and construction of the Sanatorium is
composed of District Grand Lodge
President Fromberg, together with
Mr. Lowenbein and Dr. Leon Banov.
Dr. Banov is the City and County
Health Officer of Charleston, S. C.,
and it was largely through his ef
forts that a similar institution was
established on a County-wide basis
at Charleston. He has familiarized
himself with the various phases of
construction and operation of tubercu
losis sanatoria, and his expert advice
(Continued on Page 12)
ness usually supersedes the thought
of religion. By business I mean any
occupation which enables a man to
preserve life and to satisfy his wants.
It is beyond my power of discrimi
nation to isolate the physician from
the tradesman and even the priest
from the manufacturer, in things
spiritual. In the fulfilment of the eth
ical codes which bear the seal of re
ligious wisdom and truth and goodness
the physician is no more punctilious
than is the dealer in rags and junk.
Nor is the man of the cloth more de
voted to his family and to his na
tion and to his race than is the maker
of celluloid novelties. I judge not the
spiritual quality of any man, what
ever be his occupation, lest I be judg
ed nnd found wanting in sincerity in
the public exercise of that emotion
which I believe most sacred and most
personal.
The magnificence of ecclesiastical
buildings, the superb craftsmanship of
melodists and preachers testify, in
part, that the temple has lost its in
trinsic appeal. They who smile at the
credulity of the star-gazer and idol-
worshiper now choose their temple
according to its outward and visible
allurements. How feeble is the faith
of a man who must be drawn to his
wife by artificial magnetism! It is
pleasant to recall that President Her
bert Hoover worships in a building
which, for a time, could accommodate
only fifty persons.
It is well for us to remember that
religion and church are not inter
changeable terms. While religion is a
natural, inalienable impulse, church is
a social institution always in the pro
cess of transformation. As a social
institution the temple will abide,
though the religious yearnings of man
may never find within the temple a
fountain of life and light and joy.
The ordinary man will continue to go
to temple as he goes to a Rotary
luncheon and as his child goes to pub
lic school—with enforced enthusiasm.
A few weeks ago I found myself in
the auditorium of a little synagogue
somewhere on West Forty-seventh
Street in New York City. I came to
honor the memory of my sainted
father. In that little room with me
there were about sixty other young
men, who had come for a similar pur
pose. I was told that this congregation
is made up, for the most part, of mem
bers of the Jewish Theatrical Guild
of America. The music of their rhyth
mic responses, the accents of their
voices, the old familiar melodies chant
ed so vigorously touched me as rarely
I am touched when at worship in a
temple which possesses grandeur of
style and within whose embrasure
may be heard the thrilling voices of
a well-drilled choir. Personality is im
mortal. And the personal element
alone can bring the layman back to
the temple.
—Copyright 1930 by Seyen Art*
Feature Syndicate.
B’nai B’rith Lodge Sponsors Tuberculosis Sanatorium
in Asheville, N. C.