Storm Over Zion

Many a U.S. Jew fears that Zionism appears to split his allegiance to the U.S. by committing him to a sentimental allegiance to Palestine. Many a Jew resents any thought of divided allegiance, believes it gives anti-Semites a talking point.

Last week this question raised one of the biggest hubbubs in the U.S. Jewish press since the Reformed Jews broke with the Orthodox in the last century. Reason : Houston's Beth Israel Congregation by a 612-to-168 vote passed a startling statement entitled "Basic Principles of Reformed Judaism."

Said the Houston statement: "We are Jews by virtue of our acceptance of Judaism. We consider ourselves no longer a nation but we are a religious community. . . . We expect neither a return to Palestine nor a restoration of any of the laws concerning the Jewish State. . . . Our nation is the United States of America. Our nationality is American. Our flag is the 'Stars and Stripes.' Our race is Caucasian.

"We accept as binding only the moral laws of Mosaic legislation and Prophetic teaching. We reject the rabbinical and Mosaic laws which regulate diet, priestly purity, dress and similar laws which originated in ages and under influences of ideas and conditions which today are entirely unsuited, unnecessary and foreign to ... progressive Judaism in modern America."

Reaction came thick & fast: rabbinical students at Manhattan's Jewish Institute of Religion voiced "strongest indignation." Rabbi Stephen S. Wise's pro-Zionist monthly Opinion called the principles "nothing less than unbelievable . . . treasonable to the household of Israel." The Congress Weekly, organ of the pro-Zionist American Jewish Congress, accused the Houston congregation of composing "a set of 'Nuernberg laws' of their own."

Spiritual father of the Houston statement was Beth Israel Trustee Leopold L. Meyer. But the congregation's young Rab bi Hyman Judah Schachtel, son of an Orthodox cantor, got a few hard raps. He had come to Houston from Manhattan's West End Synagogue only three weeks be fore the principles were adopted. But he stood by them. Said he: "If I had written the principles I would have made some changes. I endorse them in the main. . . . Our congregation does not oppose Zion ism. We simply do not participate in it."

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