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Jewish Internes Withdraw Court Action Following Letter of Apology from Six Gentile Internes

July 7, 1927
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The three hazed Jewish internes will withdraw their charges today against the six Gentile internes of the Kings County Hospital accused in attacking their Jewish colleagues on the night of June 20.

“When the case of the six internes will come up tomorrow in court, the lawyers of the Jewish internes will withdraw their charges according to an agreement reached today by both sides.” Rabbi Louis D. Gross stated yesterday to Mayor Walker when the latter called him as witness in the continued public hearing of the investigation.

Rabbi Gross declared that the decision to withdraw the charges was reached at a conference where the Gentile internes offered to send a letter to the attacked Jewish doctors expressing regret and apology and promising that in the futue no acts of prejudice will be committed. The letter will be made public tomorrow after the consent of the court to the withdrawal.

“We do not seek any revenge or punishment for the acts committed.” Rabbi Gross stated at the hearing. “What we are interested in is that the conditions in the hospital be improved and that general cooperation be extended on the staff. The letter of apology which is composed by the six accused internes expresses specifically that their prejudice and discrimination practiced in the hospital was because of religious differences.”

In answer to the Mayor’s question whether the withdrawal of the charges from court may also mean that the complainants are willing that the public hearings now being conducted by the Mayor be discontinued too, Rabbi Gross emphasized that the decision reached with regard to the court trial has nothing to do with the continuation of the hearing at City Hall.

“The case in court refers only to the incident of the attack on the Jewish internes, while the hearing conducted by the Mayor has as its mission to investigate conditions in the hospital from every angele. We cannot know what the results of the findings may lead to. Therefore, we don’t intend to withdraw from the Mayor’s hearing,” Rabbi Gross explained.

The Rabbi also stated that the decision to withdraw the hazing charges was adopted with the consent of the Rabbinical Council under whose direction the charges were investigated.

“The Jew never seeks revenge,” Dr. Gross stated to a representative of the Jewish Daily Bulletin. “When we were approached by the accused internes with their letter of apology, where they express their regret, we agreed to withdraw our charges in the traditional Jewish spirit of forgiveness.”

Answering the Mayor’s question how cooperation will be guaranteed for the Jewish internes in the Kings County Hospital in the future, Rabbi Gross stated that such cooperation can only be guaranteed by the action taken after the findings of the bearing conducted by the Mayor which will give a graphic picture of the general spirit and conditions now prevailing at the hospital.

“The withdrawal of the charges from court gives the Mayor a clear field for further investigations without being hampered by court procedure,” the Rabbi concluded.

FIRST ISSUE OF “REFLEX,” MONTHLY MAGAZINE, OUT

“The Reflex,” a new American Jewish monthly in English, appeared yesterday. The magazine is edited by Dr. S. M. Melamed.

Contributors to the publication include Dr. A. Coralnik, E. C. Linderman, Leo Glassman, Dr. Isaac Goldberg, Rufus Learsi, Harry Sackler, Prof. Franz Oppenheimer, Dr. Max Raisin. A. Revutzky, Maurice Samuel, and others.

The magazine is published by the Gilboa Publishing Company. of which Dr. A. J. Rongy is president.

The Society for the Advancement of Synagogue Music has announced an international prize competition for a sacred musical composition. A prize of $500 is offered for the best composition written to the Hebrew text of “Adon Olam.” a liturgical poem contained in the Jewish Prayer Book.

Manuscripts must be submitted not later than December 1, 1927, to Cantor Reuben R. Rinder, Temple Emanu-El. Arguello Boulevard and Lake Street, San Francisco, California.

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