Radio to Be Used to Carry Message of Judaism on Pacific Coast

Radio, newest of sciences, is to be used to carry the message of Judaism, one of the oldest religions, to a great scattered unseen audience in the West.

That is the program launched by the Board of Jewish Ministers of Northern California and its members believe that nowhere else in the country has the broadcasting of religious services been conducted on as expansive a scale as they contemplate.

In a word, they intend to broadcast from San Francisco a specially prepared Jewish religious service on each of the five major holy days of the Jewish calendar—Rosh Hashonah, Yom Kippur, Chanukah, Purim and Passover..

The idea, adopted at the last meeting of the Board, was suggested by the unexpected success of a special Rosh Hashonah service which was broadcast this year through the cooperative effort of the Board of Ministers and the Jewish Welfare Board.

It was the second time that a Jewish service had been carried on the air in the West. Once before, several years ago, when Congregation Emanu-El conducted services on Yom Kippur in the Civic Auditorium before the completion of the new Temple, a microphone was installed near the altar.

WOULD AID SHUT-INS

Then this year the plan of a specially condensed service, conducted solely before the “mike” was proposed to bring religious inspiration to shut-ins throughout the West, especially to service men in government hospitals.

“The result of that broadcast,” says Rabbi Elliot M. Burstein, president of the Board of Jewish Ministers, “was far more than we ever anticipated. We expected that it would be heard and listened to attentively by thousands along the Pacific Coast but the response we have received in letters and messages far exceeds our most optimistic expectations. We have received word that convinces us that thousands of shut-ins from British Columbia to Mexico listened to the service—men and women in sick beds, in hospitals; aged, infirmed people unable to leave their homes. And, strange to say, we received a heavy response from service men in hospitals and from prisoners.”

It was the reading of these messages that induced the Board to undertake the program of five religious broadcasts a year. It is the intention of the Board not to broadcast a part of each service but to arrange for the conducting of a specially prepared service on each occasion that will bring to listeners-in a concise, and yet complete, spirit of the holy day.

This innovation will be another step in the determined program of the Board of Ministers to further the Jewish cause in every possible way and to carry the message of Judaism to as many as may be inspired by it.

While the radio plan has won much favorable comment, there is much talk in the Jewish community of another move made under sponsorship of the rabbis to spread the teachings of Judaism—the youth of the city being the subjects of the effort.

At the recent high holy days, all of the local congregations held at least one children’s service on both Rosh Hashonah and Yom Kippur. These were not only services for the children but services actually conducted by the boys and girls themselves. At stipulated hours, the elders gave way to the young people and those who are to carry on in later years showed their religious fervor by holding services for themselves.

The rabbis have expressed themselves as highly gratified with the interest shown and the program of children’s services, conducted on a bigger scale this year than ever before, seemed destined to become an established part of holy day observance.