Jews of Baltimore Going Strong for Open Forum Talks

Now, more so than ever, Orthodox Jews are becoming acquainted with the history of their race, are keeping abreast of Jewish literature, learning things about the Talmud and gaining knowledge on conditions in Palestine.

Generally speaking, the Jewish community here is collecting considerable data on things Jewish-information of decided interest.

An open forum epidemic has hit this town. It reaches its height every Friday evening. A few years ago a Jewish forum meeting was non-existent. Today there are no fewer than half a dozen places where discussion gatherings hold sway.

After the sundown services in the synagogues Friday, after the evening meal in the homes, the open forums are opened. The length of one depends on the speaker, the subject, the debate that sometimes follows. It may be one hour or three hours.

To a few hours, chiefly, goes the credit for instilling this new activity in their midst. At the Beth Tfiloh, Shaarei Zion and Shaarei Tfiloh Synagogues, their spiirtual leaders being Rabbis Samuel Rosenblatt, Israel Tabak and Nathan Drazin, respectively, open forum meetings are conducted during the winter season practically every Friday evening.

Then, there are the Young Israel of Baltimore and the Adath Bnei Israel Organization, which hold similar meetings the same time.

The majority of the occasions the rabbis lead the discussions themselves. At other times, they exchange pulpits. Now and then prominent persons-leaders in their fields-are the speakers.

When it is considered that three of the largest Orthodox synagogues here are the scenes of such gatherings and that generally they are well attended, it can be seen that Baltimore’s Jewish open forum outbreak is a successful adventure.