A Vaad Ha’Kehillah or federation of local orthodox synagogues has been organized and its initial project is to awaken community sentiment against further inroads here by “mushroom synagogues.”
The Vaad is comprised of thirty synagogues and its expressed purpose is to “effect unity among the orthodox element and to safeguard their interests.” Gedaliah Convissor, local Hebrew educator, who is identified with the Agudath Israel Congregation, has already coined a slogan: “Don’t Substitute the Dance Hall for the Synagogue.”
Samuel Miller, president of the Vaad, declared: “Every year, about the time of the High Holy Days we are faced with the same evil. In the guise of satisfying public demand, mushroom places of worship spring up, urging the public to come to them, and our regular congregations, whose doors are open all year round and who maintain rabbis, cantors and other budgetary requirements, must suffer. We appeal to the public to attend the permanent edifices.”
The Vaad also has delegated to itself power to endeavor settlement of disputes among individual Jews.
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.
