Since tonight and tomorrow Yom Kippur will be observed, Monday’s mailing is being sent out today.

In Tel Aviv The Israel Conservatory of Music is located on Louis Brandeis Street. This old guy was always amused that none of his English students could ever identify who Brandeis was. Today’s thoughtful and interesting essay, while not focusing on the significant contributions of Louis Dembitz Brandeis to American jurisprudence, explains his central role in the creation of the golden age of American Jewry.

Old Israeli guys of American origin, most of whom experienced the beginnings of that golden age before emigrating, ponder current developments in American Jewish life with bewilderment. The essay goes far in establishing a historical context for understanding the current challenge American Jewry faces.