Chillul Tefila Bifarhesia, as well as halachicly challenged
verbiage and dress, are external manifestations of a critical
lack of personal yiras shomayim which has lethal consequences.
This was not necessarily the case, however, for the German
immigrants who came in the 1840s and 1850s. Many of them were
strict in their observance, doing their best to live according
to the Torah. It was only in the 1860s and later, when the
Reform movement swept the country, that things changed
drastically and ritual observance declined. The first Jewish
immigrants were men [and women] of strong Jewish loyalties and
generally adhered to traditional Jewish practices. They were
quite innocent of reformist ideology. To them Judaism meant
living in accordance with the traditional orthodox code. As soon
as a handful of these pioneers settled in one place, they
usually instituted congregational high holiday worship. Shortly
thereafter they bought a piece of land for a burial ground. With
little delay they then advertised for a man