"What is there in my Reform Temple which I could not get in the Unitarian Church down the street?" ("American Israelite," Jan. 14 1937.)

That is why Rabbi Emil G. Hirsch, Sinai Congregation, Chicago, co-editor of the Jewish Encyclopedia, foremost leader of Reform Judaism for four decades, could say -

"If ever we come to consult who are our co-religionists, we will discover that we have much more in common with the Unitarians and the Ethical Culture people than with Orthodox Jews."

If you were to substitute Reform Jew for "circumcised Jew," I would agree with your contention, as no "Reform Jew could consistently (or rather logically) become a Catholic." He would have to be converted to the basic principles of his forefathers in Israel before he could "consistently" become a Catholic. First, because the principles of Judaism proper are unchangeable, as the Jews of old and Catholics believe, and not evolutionary as Reform Judaism holds them to be. Second, a Catholic must believe in miracles, as did the Jews of old, he must believe that God, the Maker of nature, is above and beyond nature. Therefore God can and has acted directly without going through the ordinary, immediate cause leading to an effect, which we designate as natural. Here are ten Old Testament miracles Jews must believe.
       1. The Ten plagues of Egypt - Exodus, chapters,7,8,9,10,12.
       2. Parting of the waters of the Red Sea - Exodus,14.
       3. Feeding with manna - Exodus,16.
       4. Death of Cor, Dathan and Abiram for rebellion against the authority
              of Moses and Aaron - Numbers,16.
       5. Budding of Aaron's rod, as sign that he was God's priest- Numbers,17.
       6. Feeding of one hundred men by Elisha with twenty loaves-4th Kings, 4.
       7. Resurrection from the dead by touching the bones of Elisha -4th K.,13.
       8. Deliverance of three children from the fiery furnace - Daniel,3.
       9. Deliverance of Daniel from lions - Daniel,6.
       10. Deliverance of Jonah from sea monster - Jonas,2.
   Reform Judaism denies these, and other miracles, the denial of which relegates the Old Testament from the reading desks of synagogues, and the pulpits of churches, to the folklore shelves of libraries.
   Again, Reform Judaism denies belief in a personal Messiah. This in itself is an utter denial of the divine promise around which the Judaism of our fathers of old in Israel centered. Belief in a personal Messiah is the central hope of Israel, for which all true Jews have prayed morning, noon and night throughout the Jewish ages. That is why Rabbi Schecter said, while president of the Jewish Seminary of America,

"The statement of some moderns, to the effect that Rabbinism did not hold the belief in a personal Messiah essential, is unscientific and needs no refutation for those who are acquainted with the literature" ("Some Aspects of Jewish Theology," p.110).

From the literature to which Rabbi Schecter refers, I present for your consideration the opinion of Moses Maimonides, the greatest Jewish authority on the Torah during the past eight hundred years. He said -

"One must believe and regard it as true that the Messiah will come. One must not think that his coming will be postponed; if he delays his arrival, wait for him. One must not fix the date, for, nor read into the Bible one's opinion concerning his coming -. One must believe that, in acordance with the predictions of all the prophets from Moses to Malachi, the Messiah will be more exalted and more honored than all the kings that ever existed. Whoever harbors and doubts or whosoever lowers his dignity, such a one denies the Torah.- It is part of this tenet that Israel will have no king except one from the house of David and the progeny of Solomon. And he who opposes this dynasty denies the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, and the words of his prophets" ("Commentary on M. Sarh," 10, principle 12).

   Reform Judaism is a man-made religion; it originated in Germany during the first part of the last century. True Judaism is God-made, it dates back to the covenant made by God with Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees twenty centuries before the Christian ages.
   Thus it ought to be plainly evident to you, Mr. Isaacs, that when it comes to things basic to Judaism - its unchangeable principles, miracles, and belief in a personal Messiah - I, a "circumcised Jew" transformed into a Catholic Christian, am in harmony with the faith of our saintly fathers of old in Israel from Abraham to Moses to Malachi. On the other hand, you are in harmony with Rabbis Samuel Holdheim and Abraham Geiger, of Germany, the ex-Orthodox Jews, who originated Reform Judaism, and not with the faith of the Torah Jews of old.

Sincerely in the Messiah
D.... G........

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