The Maccabaean

Young Judaea is about to celebrate its fifth birthday. It is fitting that we should pause and consider what we have been working for; in how far we have succeeded and in how far we have failed and why, and to gather new strength for the bigger work on hand.

The most significant contribution that Young Judaea has made to Jewish life in America lies in the fact that it has brought to our children a realization of their heritage, an appreciation of the legacy that they possess in their Jewishness and of the importance of remaining faithful to their birthright. Only out of such a realization can come that noble pride of race with which we have endeavored to inspire our youth. Such a realization must bring with it also a determination to be worthy of the past by living worthily in the present, that is, by a willingness to meet the obligations and duties that confront us as Jews to-day.

Jewish history is being made very rapidly in our time. A great task confronts our people to-day. It is the rebuilding of our old home and the assumption of our proper place among the nations of the world. It is a time not unlike the period before the Revolution in the history of the American people. The Jewish Nation, to-day, needs patriots who will dare and endeavor and sacrifice to help in the second Jewish National Restoration. To inspire and fit our youth for this tremendous task is the basic motive of all Young Judaea activity.

Why do our Jewish Youth drift away from our people? American institutions, no doubt, foster a love of liberty, a spirit of democracy, and a desire for a high self-expression. An ideal like Zionism should therefore find our American Jewish Youth fertile soil upon which to flower and grow. Why then do our children leave us? I do not believe that American institutions are really hostile to Judaism.

If they have that effect it is merely because we permit them to encompass the whole life and thought of our children; it is because we do not bring Jewish knowledge and Jewish influences to bear. I believe that our children lose their Jewishness because we neglect to show them Jewish values. The latter are given no place in the intellectual, social and moral make-up of our children.

The result of the influence of the schools and settlements is to give the Jewish child the impression that all that is cultural and refined is not Jewish and, by inference, that all that is Jewish is mean and insignificant by comparison. Thus Judaism and all that it can mean in their development finds no room and is crowded out of their lives. Under these circumstances it is little wonder that many of them come to look upon their Jewishness as something to be ashamed of and a subject that is best avoided.

Young Judaea actively in the past five years has been directed toward filling this gap, in the education of our youth with Jewish knowledge, Jewish sentiments and Jewish ideals.

I believe that if Young Judaea is given the means to carry on its work it will have no small share in educating a generation of Jews that will displace the aping, spineless men and women of to-day who live in constant dread lest they betray some Jewish characteristic, with such as will bear their Jewishness as a distinction and mark of honor, ready to take part in every movement concerning them as Jews.

Enough has been said to show along what lines Young Judaea has worked and must continue to work. With our aims every Jew worthy of the name must be in enthusiastic accord. With the organization or instrument created to carry them out there may be some dissatisfaction. I have no apologies to offer for those who have been directing Young Judaea affairs