Jacob Voorsanger. Broken Vows, Broken Laws, and a Forgotten God. An Unchristian Remark Reviewed by a Jew.

The present pamphlet is a response to J. J. Clemens’ “Harvest Home: A Sermon Preached in Christ Church, Houston‬.” Although intending to examine the roots of the Jewish Harvest Festivals, the sermon contained such lines as: “The barrenness of Judea and the hated monetary instincts of her scattered children are but the result of broken vows and broken laws and a forgotten God.” Writes Voorsanger in his response here: “I ask the public to permit my breaking a lance on behalf of my people… What does Mr. Clemens mean? I cannot understand it. Are the Jews of Houston and Galveston, are the Jews of Texas generally, such a detestable people of “hated monetary instincts” that the Rector of Christ Church must need break his sacerdotal staff over their devoted heads? … Alas for this indiscriminate speech from Christian pulpits!” Rabbi Jacob Voorsanger (1852-1908)” one of the luminaries of the Reform movement’s second generation,” was born in Amsterdam and immigrated to the United States in 1873. After occupying a pulpit in Houston, Texas, he served San Francisco’s historic Congregation Emanu-El from 1886 until his death. See K. Zwerin and N.B. Stern, Jacob Voorsanger: From Cantor to Rabbi, in: Western States Jewish History, 15/3.