Between the Lines

Whither our Jewish temples?

This question has recently been asked more and more often by serious observers. Insistent complaints are being heard that the synagogue in America is drifting away from religion into vulgarity.

These charges seem, however, not to affect some of our rabbis who, as the spiritual leaders of their synagogues, should be interested in keeping their religious institutions on a higher and a cleaner standard. In a number of cities in America the temple is being converted openly into a dance hall, where all kinds of “nights” are given as attractions.

“LADIES NIGHTS”

The manner in which these “nights” are advertised in the bulletins of the synagogues competes in vulgarity only with the yellow tabloid papers. It is far from adding prestige to the synagogue. It is certainly far from adding prestige to the rabbi.

Without giving the name of the temple concerned, I am reproducing here the exact text and display of an announcement which appeared this week in the publication of one of the largest temples in Chicago, offering to the “members, ladies and their guests,” entertainment. The announcement reads as follows:

“Annual Ladies’ Nite” Tuesday, March 26th at 7:45 P. M. at Frankenstein Memorial Center A Gala Get-Together A Show That Will Appeal to All Tastes Vocalists – Blues Singers Jazz Singers Operatic and Classical Comedians—Nuff Said Dancers On Their Toes – On Their Heels On Their Heads Entertainers of Note From the Shows in Town And Then—On With the Dance to the strains of Medinah Country Club Orchestra

It may be true that “ladies’ nights” are essential for certain temples in order to retain the interest of their members, but it is hard to believe that a real Jewish spiritual leader would permit such entertainment in his temple. No rabbi with dignity would permit the existence of his temple to depend upon “ladies’ nights” or any similar attractions.

A DEFINITION WANTED

The functions of the synagogue in America, just as the functions of the rabbi in America, must once and for ever be defined. Any synagogue that cannot exist without “ladies’ nights,” advertised in the above vulgar fashion, is not worth existing. Any rabbi that does not protest against such vulgarities in his synagogue is not a spiritual leader.

In the same bulletin of the same temple we find an announcement that the sermon which the rabbi of this temple will deliver is to be devoted to the theme, “Can There be a Red Revolution in the United States?” The Friday evening sermon is announced as on the subject, “Yellow Journalism.”

STRANGE SUBJECTS

One wonders: what these subjects have to do with Jewish religion? Why must they be chosen as topics for religious sermons? Is Jewish religion so limited that a rabbi must seek general subjects for his sermons? Are the problems affecting Jewish life directly not more important to Jewish community members than the problem of yellow journalism?

Something is wrong with many of our American synagogues and with some of our American rabbis. Something must be done to ascertain why our temples are becoming less and less a place for worship and our rabbis less and less particular about the quality of their spiritual guidance.