(By Our London Correspondent)
British Jewry has been thrown into a considerable turmoil recently by the revival of the old charge of dual loyalty in an article from the pen of Rabbi Israel Mattuck, rabbi of the Liberal Synagogue here. Rabbi Mattuck’s article, on “Liberal Judaism and the Modern State,” which appeared in the “Spectator” of October 10, at once provoked discussion and gave new emphasis to the controversy between the orthodox-nationalist Jews and the Liberals; comments have been made in the press and Dr. Joseph Hertz, Chief Rabbi of England, replied in the “Spectator” to the assertions of Rabbi Mattuck. Now the Board of Jewish Deputies, at its meeting of Dec. 19. took up the matter and correspondence between the Board and Rabbi Mattuck has taken place.
The whole issue centers around certain remarks made by Dr. Mattuck in the course of his article intimating that Nationalist and Orthodox Jews are lacking in loyalty to the State, that is. Great Britain. It was claimed by him that Zionists, because they are looking to the reestablishment of a Jewish land, and Orthodox Jews, because of their prayer for a return to Jerusalem, are either inconsistent or only half-heartedly attached to England. This is of course resented by the Orthodox Jews and Zionists who regard it as an insult, especially damaging because it was published in an influential non-Jewish paper reaching thousands of Britishers. The situation was aggravated by the tone of Rabbi Mattuck’s reply to the letter addressed to him by the secretary of the Board of Jewish Deputies, C. H. L. Emanuel. A heated debate consequently took place at the last meeting of the Board. Dr. Mattuck was attacked and defended and the proceedings at times became so tumultuous that the chairman, Mr. D’Avigdor-Goldsmid, haddifficulty in restoring order. Mr. Magnus declared that the matter would have been dropped “if the press committee had had from Rabbi Mattuck some expression of appreciation and understanding of its point of view. They might have expected respectful attention to the views of the representative Anglo-Jewish body. But Rabbi Mattuck’s letter had not taken that tone.” Mr. B. A. Levinson, Liberal member of the Board, speaking in defense of Dr. Mattuck, “said that in writing that article Rabbi Mattuck was not representing the opinions of the Liberal Synagogue. The members of that synagogue did not agree at all with the policy of ventilating Jewish questions in the general Press. Dr. Mattuck had said that either orthodox Jews were disloyal–which they were not–or they were inconsistent. That was merely putting a point of view, and it was not the duty of the Deputies to correct Dr. Mattuck or anyone else. If they seized the opportunity to try and belittle Dr. Mattuck, they would not succeed; they would only give the impression that orthodox Jewry was getting very annoved with Dr. Mattuck.”
The “Jewish Chronicle”, in an editorial of Dec. 24, approves of the attitude adopted by the Board of Jewish Deputies.
Thus a new spark has been thrown into the controversy between the nationalist and orthodox element and the Liberals in England and no doubt we have not heard the last word yet.
Solomon Fishman of New York City, having the highest individual ranking in examinations at the first year class at the Harvard Law School was awarded the Shelton. Hale scholarship of $250.
Among the recipients of the ten Harvard Law School Association scholarships of $250 was Hugo Frederick Blumenberg of Wheeling, West Virginia.
JEWISH COMMUNAL ACTIVITIES
{NOTE}A gift of $16,600 was presented to Rabbi Solomon Foster of Newark, N. J., by Congregation B’nai Jewshurun as a testimonial on the occasion of his twenty-fifth anniversary in the rabbinate. These twenty-five years have been spent with the B’nai Jeshurun Congregation.{/NOTE}
The congregation marked the occasion with a three-day celebration which came to a close Monday night with a reception to Rabbi and Mrs. Foster. Among the speakers were Governor A. Harry Moore, Acting Mayor Howe, Rabbi Louis Wolsey, President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis and Dr. Julian Morgenstern, President of the Hebrew Union College.
A Fellowship Service was held at which the principal speaker was Dr. Abram Simon of Washington, D. C., President of the Synagogue Council of America.
The Jewish Community of Dayton, Florida, will conduct a joint drive of the United Jewish Campaign and the United Palestine Appeal.
Dr. Leo J. Fractenberg, representing the United Palestine Appeal and S. Cohn of the United Jewish Campaign, addressed a gathering at which it was decided to undertake to raise $15,000 during the week of February 8th for the United Jewish Campaign, the United Palestine Appeal and the local community center for 1927. Mayor B. F. Brass was chosen Honorary Chairman of the Campaign; Harry Pepper, Chairman; Rabbi I. S. Ravitch. Vice-Chairman; Max Roth, Treasurer and Samuel Azen. Secretary.
The initial contributions included a $1,000 donation from a non-Jew, Mrs. S. L. A. Dreyfus,and $500 by S. A. Kahn.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
