Church Vacation Schools Aid Christian Children to Know and Understand Jews

For the purpose of promoting a better mutual understanding and respect between Jewish and Christian children in St. Paul, twelve Church Vacation Schools under the sponsorship of the Ramsey County Sunday School Association have been conducting special courses through the Summer. Beginning with a study of the Old Testament, the children were given a picture of ancient Hebrew life and then were brought down to present-day conditions.

Coming down to date, the children studied the lives of outstanding Jews of today including Albert Einstein, the scientist; the Rothschilds, financiers; Julius Rosenwald and Jacob Schiff, philanthropists; Henri Bergson, philsopher; and Rabbis Stephen S. Wise and Abba Hillel Silver.

“In addition to this,” Miss Winne Plummer, director of the schools, stated yesterday, “we took the children to the Temple of Aaron where Rabbi Herman Cohen showed them the Jewish form of worship and explained the symbolism of the altar and other parts of the edifice. We had a number of Jewish children visit the schools also. Finally we discussed with the children Jewish music, art and poetry. As a result we have established a mutual understanding and respect as a basis for friendship.”