Jews in Shanghai this evening hold the most solemn religious observance of their Calender, the Day' of Atonement. "On this day, the 10th 'Of the seventh month (Fist) the' ritual of [stonement ax defined in 'Leviticus reaches its climax. The Day (Yama) as itis simply called is the only fast provided in yon this day that the Jews fare required to "aMlct their souls", that the High Priest enters the Holy of Holies, that he' foffers incense "before the mercy seat and, sprinkles. it with blood, that the scapegoat Azazel is sent away Into the wilderness, beating upon him all the iniquities of the peop Judaism, from 100 B.C. onwards has laid great tress on the Day of Atonement so that itis now Feqarded a2 the most Important religious func-lon of the faith, 1 forms, of cours, a AL the present time when a war it bel waged all over China, and yet is technically nol 18 war, It should not be dificult to explain the position of the women and children who have been evacuated to Hongkong. The Anal notice which Jed to their evacuation Is within recent memory, but from Information filtering, back to shanghai itscems that several of these evacuees unnecessarily distressed by assertions that their evacuation wes purely voluntary and that therefore there was on them no obligation fo make the journey. The evacuation was, of course, voluntary In the technlesl, or should It called the Pickwickian, sense. "It was neces sary for that point to be made clear because otherwise the authorities might have rendered {themselves liable for legal claims which they were not prepared to meet At the same time 'Ro reasonable or intelligent reader of the notice jean deny that, like a royal lnvitaion, it con Veyed.a_ virtual command, For the' sake. of Feeord let it be quoted!
Book's reference to Christ as the "propitiation in' common with the rest view of the serian situation which nas rit "in Shanghai, the las of ves that have] Secured! in the Sttlement and the. vital need (f-reducing commitments to a minimum 30 tha {he imited defence forees thie solemn festival will no doubt be taken to bring that matter to the notice of Jewish leaders whose. "generosity" In charitable causes Droverblal. In this respect Brilish Jews have Set an outstanding example in iheir own] country. There is no reason to. believe that their ce-religionists here will og behind tu the effort. and children a¢ easly a5 practieabi 'This journal was In no doubt of the meaning and strongly endorsed the need for the' evacuee tion desired, "Tt said:
"The slalcment makes Int abundantly clear hot the evacuation (us proposed ly csental for the]
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.