The organic changes that have gradually made their appearance in the body of American Jewry have now reached a stage when they can no longer escape the attention of all concerned about the Jewish future in this country.
The factors that have hitherto operated to conserve the Jew as a group and to restrict him, to a great extent, to the peculiar habits and environments of his origin, can no longer be depended upon. Indeed, it is to the progressive failure and disappearance of these factors that one may trace the drift and the tendency to break away from allegiances previously adhered to with the utmost tenacity.
Already it cannot be denied that some of the main conserving Jewish influences have begun to lose their charm and their attraction for the growing generations. The synagogues have lost their influence and are no longer a moral guide to the young generation. The old life of the synagogue, never exclusively a life of prayer, but a wonderful combination of prayer, study and social intercourse, is neither known, practiced nor understood.
JUDAISM AT TURNING POINT
In conditions such as these, one cannot reasonably look forward to anything but a shrinking membership both of the synagogues and of other Jewish institutions. A group which does not prepare recruits to replace those that pass out with the years, cannot look forward to a happy continuance.
Viewed in this light, it must be admitted that Judaism, at least in this country, is at its turning point. It may of course be argued that Judaism has in the past faced conditions just as critical, and has survived. But an argument of this sort would be fallacy of the most dangerous order. Whereas, Judaism as an organized institution may have been faced with prescription and asimilation, it was generally still in possession of a living and growing tradition and a habit of family life which provided a cohesive force sufficient to compensate for any other changes.
It would be perilous to rely upon a repetition of historical events and to look forward toward a continuance of American Jewry despite the unhappy prognosis which must be drawn from the condition of the patient. But when one talks of assimilation and a breaking away from tradition and old associations, it does not necessarily mean a successful merging and disappearance in one’s environment.
ASSIMILATION PAINFUL
On the contrary, the young must learn to realize that assimilation is not alone dependent on the Jew, that it is a process even more painful than separateness. They must be made to understand that their descendants will not by a mere dissociation from the synagogue or from tradition be able, by some miracle, to shed their Jewish characteristics. On the contrary, they will always remain an unwelcome minority and will at best be regarded only as welcome strangers.
From the foregoing, one may arrive at a number of general conclusions.
The new generations need new ideals which will help them to maintain contact with the past while adjusting themselves to the future. The ideals to be placed before them must be built not only on the past but also the present and the future. They must be made to realize the path which they are to tread; that their’s is a struggle from which they can only emerge successfully if they have the will for sacrifice and if they can learn to act and live as part of a united front, and as a fit part of the community they live in. The teaching to be put before them must also be designed to fit them for the economic struggle and for the fight against the prejudices with which they will be confronted in life.
THE GROUPS TO BE FUSED
No longer is the young Jew or Jewess to be faced with the puzzling picture of principles designed to attract either orthodox, or reformed or freethinkers. An organization, if it is to appeal successfully to the young, must stand for principles equally recognizable by all, whether orthodox, reformed or freethinkers. It has to be so framed as to work, without prejudice, for a united body which will act singly in the struggle which its members must be expected to face. This form of organization, too, must be designed to act as a melting-pot in the sense of fusing together the various minute groups of different origin and of joining them into an indissoluble whole.
The form of organization and its functions, tentatively proposed, are as follows:
Organize an American Honor Society for the Young Jew and Jewess to develop a personality to serve, love and protect each other fraternally; to worship truth, justice and peace; to develop and worship ideals that bind people together.
Purpose (1) Control and direct the behavior of the Jew
(a) With restricted immigration the American Jew will develop a type influenced by local conditions, control and direct them. If people are to live together, it is imperative that the individual fit himself into the scheme of things, and that the individual business or undertaking be coordinated with the human community.
(b) Synagogues have lost their influence, and are not a moral guide, especially to the young generation.
(c) In 25 more years, the membership will shrink still more.
(d) Judaism is at its turning point ! It faced critical conditions in the past and survived. That was also the opinion of the monarchs, and where are they?
(e) In the past we had traditions, religion, and family life, all of which is overthrown by the young.
(f) The young must realize that their children will not be able to shed Jewish characteristics, and will always be an unwelcome minority.
(g) Youth is drifting out of tune with his elders, and is not influenced by religion or traditions.
(h) The modern Jew needs new ideals, built on the past, present and future, to give him courage in his struggle. Only if he knows that he is part of a united front, will he be fitted to take part in the economic struggle.
(i) New York is the largest Jewish city, but its Jews are not united.
(j) Organization must stand for principles that will interest all, whether orthodox, reformed or freethinkers.
(2) Use the Synagogue during its idle hours as a meeting place.
(a) But neither the rabbi nor the congregation members should be leaders of the young nor influence them.
The problems which the organization should solve should include: fighting discrimination, counteracting criminal tendencies among the young, collecting for charity of all kinds, from the congregation as a unit and from its individual members, demanding, and not begging; conducting an arbitration court, an employment bureau, collecting statistics and other data to help the young in selecting their future work; conducting ethical and scientific lectures, a loan society for first-aid, cultivating sports, arranging entertainments, making available to youngsters the advice of their elders partly through the help of Big Brothers and Sisters.
Each community should have its own leader, with “Service” as a motto.
Each community should have a volunteer leader, who is interested in every member, to provide honor circles where service only will earn a title.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
