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Page 5 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.