Vogelstein Says Union of Hebrew Congregations Trying to Raise Generation of Idealistic Jews Who Will

“We are endeavoring to raise up a generation of God-fearing, law-abiding, idealistic men and women who will be a credit to Judaism and faithful servants to mankind.”

Ludwig Vogelstein, of New York, chairman of the executive board of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, thus defined the guiding purpose of that organization in his address at the semi-annual meeting of the board here Saturday evening, at the Hotel Sinton.

“The Union,” said Mr. Vogelstein, “is the national organization of 282 Reform Jewish congregations in the United States and Canada, and the consideration of its welfare is equivalent to considering the progress of the American Jew and his loyalty to the faith of his fathers.

“It is appropriate to record that our activities have extended in many directions. Our regional rabbis are actively engaged in their field. We are planning a district council meeting for Atlanta, Ga., in the month of March. We are planning a Metropolitan district rally in New York on the anniversary of Isaac M. Wise’s birthday and plan to combine with it the dedication of Isaac M. Wise Memorial Hall in Temple Emanu-El.

“A convention of the World Union for Progressive Judaism is scheduled to take place in London on July 28th of this year; we are entitled to thirty-five delegates there.

“We have indirectly assisted in the publication of the two volumes of the late Professor David Neumark’s book on Jewish philosophy, and we have agreed to assist in the jubilee edition of Moses Mendelssohn’s works.”

Mr. Vogelstein paid tribute to Adolph S. Ochs, who, as chairman of the Hebrew Union College Endowment Fund, successfully raised over $4,000,000 for the College, which is affiliated with the Union, and announced that plans for the erection of the new library at the College will soon be completed.

Stressing the importance of additional funds for the removal of the deficit and for the widening of the scope of the Union activities, Mr. Vogelstein said:

“If we are to fulfill our duty, we must apply our organization more forcefully than heretofore in the field of religious education in the larger sense of this term. This requires four different types of activities: training of rabbis, training of teachers, bringing the spiritual message to isolated districts and creating literature and text books. All these activities are on our program, but the woeful lack of funds has hampered us in every direction.”

Mr. Vogelstein, in the course of his address, commended David A. Brown for his work as chairman of the board of finance, and Hon. Alfred M. Cohen, chairman of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew Union College.

He paid tribute to the memory of Louis Marshall and of Joseph Schonthal, Columbus, Ohio, whose memories, he said, will be a blessing to the Jews of America.

Referring to the outbreaks between Jews and Arabs in Palestine last August, he said:

“We sympathize with our brethren who have suffered so severely. This event again shows us clearly and beyond dispute that we who have been privileged to live in this country which guarantees us the inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness must prove ourselves worthy of our favored position and should be in the vanguard of spiritual development and religious progress.

“Our brethren abroad are at a disadvantage in having to concentrate their thoughts upon the defense of their civil rights. Our situation is secure and we can say with the prophets: ‘Not by might nor by power but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’

“It is our duty therefore to concentrate more than ever before on the spiritual development of our brethren in this country and thus to make our contribution, as Jews, to the developing of civilization of America. Our history and our tradition have prepared us for this task. For over 2,000 years we have been a literary people have devoted ourselves to the study of the Scripture.

“Isaac Mayer Wise recognized that in the new surroundings different forms and methods are required but he was thoroughly imbued with the spirit of our Prophets and our Sages. He did not plan to abandon the essentials of our religion when he discarded certain antiquated customs.

Our hope lies with the next generation. We must prepare for expansion. We must create facilities to receive into our organization such congregations which are drifting away from Orthodoxy and Conservatism.

“We do not wish to make any unseemly propaganda in this direction but we must hold out a hand of welcome to our brethren. We believe in the unity of Israel but not in monotonous conformity. As true liberals, we must permit each person to achieve his salvation in his own way.

“However, we know and need not be afraid to emphasize the fact that our strength lies in a spiritual conception of our faith and we believe that we can serve the modern man, especially the modern American generation, by emphasizing the eternal truths which have come down to us through the Bible, the Prophets and the Sages of Israel.”