Qffiai
MARCH I. 1929
No. 19
ART AND CHARITY
Editorials
Several weeks ago our colleague Rabbt Is&erman wrote a timely editorial on the subje<t of unregulated solicitations for funds by outsiders for cause* of uncertain claim,
We do not desire to trespass on our colleague's field. We do wish though that he would come bark to th* topic and hammer away at it until some action is taken by comcienfious spirits in the eotnmunity. A reg-ulating instrument is needed to protect soft hearted citizens afflicted with misguided generowty against as&auks on their good nature*. �
Were the machinery for which Rabbi [sterman is pleading, in existence, we should have been spared the depressing spectacle of a collection plate being ratded on behalf of a couple of talented Jewish artisr-> who were billed for a performance in a local theatre.
The artist* in question are undoubtedly highly gifted. Their types of performance perhaps also have a measure of propagandist value for the cause of projecting Jewish art. THey desrrve appreciation and support. But was k m good taste for the Jtwjih women to go around, as they did, begging for special donations for these art*t* to help them in their poverty f The peculiar feature of dm bit of exercise in nobility is that very few of these zealous art enthusiasts were sufficiently interested in Jewish art to attend the first performance of the same artists which was held here sercral month* ago. Strangely, too, this eruption of sympathy for the exponents of Jewish art occurred before the second performance, that k, before most of tbe generous patronesses* even had a chance to find out for themsdvtt wixtiver the artists and their art weire worth while or not.
Art is an important influence in We. Those who appreciate higher values will pay due regard to the ennobling function of art. But it is degrading art to treat k as an object of caarity^ � to call into play motives for ks support wiudj air appikabig to ti�e �pfcere of p&Zaatferop* . Arti&u are inspired people. They contribute a note of beauty in the accord of life which caQs forth an experience of expansrvenesi and amplification of the
nrk. Tber should be treated with de�cacr aad deference. Compensation
f * . m f
giren to them should not be regarded as large* handed out by the ?f fluent to the undejprmlegtd.
No doubt the good folks who went around collecting money for x couple of poor people from New York who were coornxg here to perform as artists were xospred br a laudabie impulse� the kind of impulse wjtucfi thcxz*4a their other coouhunal rndearours. Rut Aer jmfct hare
gone about the matter wsh more tact and fmrar They might hare waited unt3 after the appearance oi the artists; until after they were inspired by the magic at the art; and ilnu>�u into a fit erf ecstatic apprctju-Then while riding oo the crest o� emotion they mjght hare gathered
a band of enthusiasts and mcmi-cd to tender their offerings oft the ahar of art.
It is *tiui luuct tsar WT untstnt the zacs � <v& CMC Wie**
C 1
Our hope B dut a the future ckarkaUr dgposed souk wiH to qrffereafttitt. berweca art and chaj.ii*
WEARING THE HAT IN THE SYNAGOGUE IS
CHUKKATH HAGOY
Rabbi Kertlinand M. Is&crman
1*he most acrid argument propounded by the chainpions of orthodox Judaism against liberal Juiiar>m is that the liberal Jew has altered the traditions of his faith to follow .the customs of 1m neighbour* (Chukkath Hagoy), that the chantey liberal Judaism has effected in the prayer-book, in mode of worship, wc-rc due to the dc^rc of the liberal Jew to imitate the non-Jew. After all there is nothing objectionable in adopting a good and worthy custom of a nej|?hlx>ur. On the contrary, it i\ die part of Wisdom lh do bo. If tlir use of an or^an can add beauty to a religious service, why should the bynago^uc ban the or^'an. There 11 nothing of Christian theology, which ]'�> unacceptable in :w organ. And the liberal Jew has introduced the or;* an not because it would make the synagogue service wmcwhai Lkc liie church service, but Ixrc.tusc die organ has but an added dignity to the atmosphere of worihip, The motive for the inrroduction of the or^aji has rx-t-u utilitarian and not imitative.''
In adopting.a'firi�_custom of our neighbor, (he liberal Jew not only used common sriivc, but he even, followed tradrtronal Jewish precedents, for very frequently the Jew has adopted Chukkath Hajjoy to beautify his ceremonial worship. Kveu Kin:; Solomon sent to the Phoenicians for artisans that he mi^lit utiliy^-iheir artistry in his temple. But a sliort while ago, when the Holy Hlossom Synagogue passed a law making die wearing of hats optional with the worshi|�per at certain services, the hue and cry was rajved that worship hatlevj was but slavj^i nniutjon. Now for our thunderbolt, in a scholarly, treatise,, which wa�� read at die last meeting of the Central Conference'of American rabbis, Prof. Jacob /. Lauter-bach of the Hebrew Union College, noted '1 alinudx: authority, dr>cus*>ed the subject "Should One Cover the Head when Participating in Divine Worship'" In his reply, winch is buttressed by Talinudx:, and Midrash*c quotation* as well as by copious references to rabbinical opinion, Profev-sor LaUterbach points out tJtal ru* only is the practice of covering the head in the syna�u�;tje or while reciting prayers, not only not <>upj>jrteii by any express statement m tlie Talmud, but man-y contrary statements are found. The custom <A wearing the hat at worship was a Chttkkah Hagoy, a custom of the (Jennie, adopted by the Jewv of Babylon and Spain-from their non-Jewish neighbours, and later on adopted by Jews in other lands. If the charge of Chukluih Hagoy is to influence Jewish religious opinion, then the Jew t<, avoid that charge and to be consistent must ccave to wr/rship with' h s nat on. Dr. LautertacVs artjde is found in the thirty-eighth vol'-in-iT of the proceedings of the Central orfifercno: of Amrnuun Rabbis. We siiaJ be ^iad to furnish rcpnnis of that artxle frat* *M rrtytra uxruu^i: Lac ou^e of the CAN ADM n Jhwi i K; VIKW. \Vc ajc giad also to pf.^;nt out the fine appreciatt�jfi of aiioi^T p/*nt of r>ew m LauterbachS ifTKlt. XN'* cju'jtc irf/m die anxle;
"The practKt of coverrj^ U,c head A hen entcrmv ^ >>/ugo^, and whrn recTtuig prayers or perform n? any ot)*cr reli^t�>us cennifrfiy, fc not upon atny uJjU^dx. law ^nd cannot be scpjx>rTed by any repress
statement m the Talmud, MJLHV exprev^ vtatementi
of the Talmud .rather pumT ttj nit <LWitr*r\. 'J ;j.^ r>rac.t;ce i^> merciv a
� " ' 4
currii-flT, Mtnitag, tiul fir^l 2pptazt<i amrx>^ tiic Jtwv ^ Hiby^^j. course of nine rr sprcriG to c'tnrr tfx;nTr*> ^n4 craiir c*osencti custom ani^ri^ Onhodox Je-A-v.
M^*-----^-------^
MOUDBU
for the Homu
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