70 The International Jew

1908-1909

Protest made to Governor of Arkansas against "Christological

expressions" employed by him in his Thanksgiving Day proclamation.

Professor Gotthard Deutch protests against "Christological prayers" at

the high school graduating exercises at Cincinnati .

Jewish community in Tamaqua,· Pennsylvania, defeats resolutions

providing daily Bible reading in schools.

Local Council of Jewish Women of Baltimore petitions school board to

prohibit Christmas exercises.

Boycotts were instituted in New York against merchants who opened on

Saturday.

Special efforts at this period to introduce the idea of the Jewish Sabbath

into public business. Jews refused to sit as jurors in court, thus

postponing cases.

1909-1910

On demand of the Jews, the school board of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania,

votes to discontinue the recitation of the Lord's Prayer in the school.

In Newark, New Jersey, the rabbis ask the night schools to discontinue

Friday evening sessions, because the Jewish Sabbath begins at sundown

on Friday.

The work of introducing the idea of Jewish national holidays into public

life especially active.

1910-1911

An attempt to have Hebrew officially recognized was frustrated by

Supreme Court Judge Goff.

Chicago Jews have election date changed because the official date fell on

the last day of the Passover

How the Jews Use Power 71

Jews oppose Bible reading and singing of hymns in Detroit schools.

Rabbis force Hartford, Connecticut, school board to drop "The Merchant

of Venice" from reading list.

New York Kehillah does two contradictory things: favors bill to permit

Jews to do all kinds of business on Sunday, and pledges itself to co-

operate in the strict enforcement of the Sunday laws.

1911-1912

Jews in Passaic, New Jersey, petition school board to eliminate Bible

reading and all Christian songs from the school.

At request of a rabbi, three principals of Roxbury, Mass., public schools

agree to banish Christmas tree and omit all references to the season from

their schools.

A Jewish delegate to the Ohio Constitutional Convention suggests that the

Constitution be made to forbid Chris~an religious references in schools.

The Council of the University Settlement at the request of the New York

Kehi!lah, adopt<this resolution: "That in the holiday celebrations held

annually hy the Kindergt~_rten Association at the University Settlement

every feature of any sectarian character, including Christmas trees,

Christmas programs and Christmas songs, shall be eliminated."

1912-1913

Jews at Jackson, Tennessee, seek an injunction to prevent the reading of

the Bible in City schools.

Annual Convention cf Independent Order B'nai B'rith at Nashville,

Tennessee, adopts resolution against reading of the Bible and singing

Christian songs in public schools_

Chicago Board of Education, scene of much Jewish agitation, approves

recommendation of sub-committee to remove Christmas from the list of

official public holidays in schools.