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RELIGIOUS LIFE OF BALTIMORE JEWS By
THE
Eev. Db. Charles A. Eubexsteix.
religious life of Baltimore
Jews gives scope for a very interesting study.
Starting with a few scattered Jewish families in the early part of the last century the Jewish community of Baltimore today exhibits a congregational activ-
Without ity that has long been noted in the religious history of American Jews. taking into consideration the religious institutions maintained by recent or comparatively recent Jewish settlers in Baltimore, of which there is a very large number, five large congregations, all in a flourisliing condition, testify to the
uniform
religious activity that has characterized Baltimore Jewish families through three
successive generations.
What
is
especially noteworthy
is
the fact that this relig-
ious development has been of a varied kind, showing that the religious evolution of
the Baltimore Jewish community is not due simply to the process of natural growth, but also to the influence of certain men, laymen as well as rabbis, who left their impress upon the Jewish life of Baltimore. The five congregations whose respective histories form the greater portion of the history of Baltimore Jews present practically five distinct phases of Judaism, both as to belief and practice, from uncompromising orthodoxy to equally uncompromising reform. The history of the Jewish congregations in Baltimore begins with the year 1829. That was an eventful year for Jews of Maryland, because with the charter
granted to the first Jewish congregation in the State, Jews in Maryland for the first time practically enjoyed the full rights of American citizenship. It must be recalled that in the settlement of Maryland in the middle of the seventeenth century full civic rights were withheld from Jewish settlers on account of their faith. The profession of Christian belief was then an indispensable qualification. After the formation of the American government an attempt was made in 1796-1797 to remove that disability from Maryland Jews. By the laws of the national governmen no Jew could be debarred from the full prerogatives of citizenship, including the right to hold ofiice; yet in Maryland that specific right was denied to Jews because of their faith. Such discrimination was so contrary to the spirit of the American constitution, and so offensive to the liberal tendencies of the age, that an earnest attempt was made in the Maryland legislature in 1818 to remedy the anomalous situation. The attempt was productive only of long and bitter discusThe agitation, however, was not sion, and ended at the time only in utter failure. altogether in vain, for men's consciences Avere gradually aroused and much serious thought was given to the injustice inflicted upon the Jews of Maryland who were fast becoming a large and influential portion of the population of the State. The next time the matter was agitated, therefore, there was greater hope for success. In 1825 what was known as the "Jew Bill," carrying with it the removal of all disabilities from Jews, because they professed a different faith, passed both houses of the Maryland legislature. The success of this measure was largely due to the influence of the Etting and Cohen families, who had long been residents of Baltimore and who had long enjoyed the general esteem of the community. The "Jew Bill" passed by the Maryland legislature in 1825 became a law in 182G. Following closely upon this favorable legislation there was presented a bill 33