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Golden Jubilee of Reform Udaism Begins

January 24, 1923
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Business sessions of the Golden Jubilee Convention of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations were under way following the formal opening Tuesday morning. At the same time there were meeting in different parts of the Hotel Astor representatives of the National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, Mrs. Joseph Wiesenfeld of Baltimore presiding, and of the National Federation of Temple Brotherhoods, presided over by Justice Irving Lehman.

When the U.A.H.A. opened the business session of its Golden jubille, 3600 delegates, rabbis and laymen assembled in the Grand Ballroom. Louis Marshall was chosen chairman. The principal paper was read by Julian Morgenstein, President of the Hebrew Union College of Cincinnati.

"The antidote of an anti-Jewish spirit is more Judaism" Mr. Marshall declared in welcoming the delegates. "Ignore your enemies and meet prejudice by quietly acting as good America citizens. It is not consonant with our dignity to enter into a controversy with those who utter falsehood for selfish purposes and to compass vulgar ends".

Julius Rosenwald of Chicago denounced the "sacramental wine scandal", in a speech which was roundly cheered Wednesday morning. Mr. Rosenwald said:

"Sacramental wine is becoming a scandal. Our rabbis are becoming bootleggers. We don’t want any privileges. We want to be like other Americans. The Union of American Hebrew Congregations should petition Congress to stop issuance of permits for sacramental wine".

Consideration of a proposal to participate in "all the laudable efforts under way" for the reconstruction of Palestine, is being urged by a group of prominent Rabbis at an early session. The next of the resolution was drafted following a luncheon today attended by delegates and visitors favoring closer cooperation by Reform Jews in the Palestine tasks. The speakers were Assistant District Attorney Geismar, Rabbi Alexander Lyons, Mrs. Richard Gottheil and Emanuel Neumann, Secretary of the Keren Hayesod Dr. Hoseph Silverman presided. The guests included Louis Lipsky, Herman Conheim, besides Rabbis Ranson, Fram Raisin, C. H. Levy, A. H. Silver, Joel Blau and others.

The original draft of the Palestine resolution recommended support of the Keren Hayesod in view of its non-partisan program and character of its institutions.

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