Britain’s Chief Rabbi Asks Aid for Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Joseph H. Hertz, Chief Rabbi of the British Empire makes an eloquent plea to the Jews of America to support the Jewish Theological Seminary, “the spiritual rumpart of American Jewry,” as he calls it in a letter to Rabbi Max Drob, Chairman of the million dollar endowment fund campaign for that institution, especially at this time, he says, “when the forces of reaction and race-hatred have joined hands against them”.

Dr. Hertz was the first graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary. Following a short incumbency in Syracuse he was called to Johannsberg, South Africa. His work as spiritual guide of the Jews of that far-off country attracted attention in every part of the British Empire and when a little over ten years ago, it became necessary to elect a successor to the late Chief Rabbi Dr. Herman Adler, he was chosen unanimously.

Over $400,000 out of the $500,000 which is this city’s quota of the Jewish Theological Seminary Endowment Fund has already been raised, it was announced at a meeting of campaign workers. The meeting was held in the Seminary building, 531 West 123rd Street. Temple B’nai Jeshurun, according to the announcement of Sol M. Stroock, Chairman of the campaign, has exceeded its quota of the total for the city with $50,000. Leyer Goodfriend, president of the Temple Ansche Chesed, reported that his congregation had raised

a total of $30,000. Other contributions were announced, among them gifts of $5,000 each from Daniel, Simon and Lurray Guggenheim.

Philadelphia began a campaign to raise its quota of $150,000 toward the Jewish Theological Seminary million dollar endowment fund at a banquet at which over $70,000 was raised. A special committee headed by Julius Mastbaum and including Dr. Cyrus Adler, Col. Samuel D. Lit and Ellis Gimbel, will conduct an intensive drive during the next thirty days to raise the balance.