old members of the congregation, some of whom had become faithless to Judaism, and others of whom had come under the sway of new-time cults and latter-day spiritual fads. After describing the present spiritual state of this and other Reform Congregations, summing up his own activities in this temple during the last 3 years, the speaker proceeded to outline his plan for the reconstruction of Reform. He then spoke, in part, as follows:
“What I ask of this, Congregation and of others like it is that they cease to be Officially Reformed. The principle which Reformed Judaism has. established once and for all is that of change and development, of the possibility of adaptation to new surroundings.. What I ask of this congregation and of similar congregations is that they be true to this principie, that they develop, that they change, that they .open themselves to new influences, that they become increasingiy Jewish. What I ask of this congregation and of similar congregations is that their synagogues be based upon this cardinal principle: Intt- mate contact with and affection for the scurces of Judaism.
"What are the sources of Judaism? They are, first, the living Jewish people; second, the Torah (that is, the literature) of this people, its history, its language, its land; third, its living traditions, customs, observances, its aspirations.
"Who are the living Jewish people? They are the bulk and body of the Jewish masses, the poor as well as the rich, the lowly as well as the learned, the immigrants as well as the natives. They are the Jews whether they be in this congregation or elsewhere, who have been trained in Jewish schools, through Jewish books, in the Jewish spirit; who find in Judaism a source of strength and light; for whom Judaism is a religion, that is, their most sacred possession. The living Jewish people are those who live Judaism and in whom the power to create Jewish values in religion, in philosophy, in social service,
in literature, in art, has not been diminished. It becomes the duty of a congregation such as this to have a share in the life of the living Jewish people, to share not alone its burdens, but also its hopes and joys."
Continuing, Rabbi Magnes outlined a new plan of activities for the congregation, suggesting a service on more traditional lines, with the use of.the old time prayer book, advocating the re-introduction of the Bar Mitzvah and more extended study in the religious school of the Temple, and the establishment of classes for men for the study of Judaism. This sermon has created considerable of a stir and the American Hebrew, which published the same in full, has since presented several letters commending the stand taken bv Dr. Maenes.
PROFESSOR SCHMIDT ON JEWISH COLONIZATION IN PALESTINE.
The following letter was recently received by Mr. Richards, chairman of the Committee on English Publications of the Federation of American Zionists, from Professor Nathaniel Schmidt, of Cornell University, Ithaca, New York:
I should have acknowledged long ago your kindness in sending me the two pamphlets on Zionism and THE MACCABAEAN. I read them at the time with great interest.
My own attitude to the question that has stirred the Jewish world so deeply in recent times is briefly this. I sympathize with every effort for the improvement of the political, social and economic condition of the Jews in all lands, and for their deliverance from race hatred, religious prejudice and social obstracism everywhere. I believe in the establishment of numerous Jewish colonies in Palestine, in the purchase of lands and houses by Jews everywhere in Syria, in the immigration into Syria of large numbers of orthodox Jews suffering persecution where they now live and of as many reformed Jews as can be