Morris Rothenberg, president of the Zionist Organization of America, yesterday announced that the differences that have arisen between the leaders of the Cleveland Zionist District and Rabbi A. H. Silver, have been adjusted as a result of conferences held between Rabbi Silver and the local Zionist group, together with Mr. E. M. Baker, honorary president of the Federation of Jewish Charities of Cleveland, who acted as intermediary.
An agreement was drawn up between the parties which reads as follows:
“With a view of reconciling the differences which have long existed touching Zionist matters and other Jewish communal activities in Cleveland, the undersigned Cleveland members of the national executive committee of the Zionist Organization of America who sent a communication to the president of the organization relative to the invitation which had been extended to Rabbi A. H. Silver, regret their action which was the outgrowth of many unfortunate misunderstandings that are likewise mutually regretted.
“Rabbi A. H. Silver regrets the criticism made by him against the Cleveland members of the national executive committee and the leadership of the Cleveland Zionist District.
“It is agreed that the new Zionist unit organized in Cleveland shall not be known as a district and that it will revise the resolution adopted at the first meeting of the organization in such a way as to eliminate the word ‘honest’ from the phrase ‘to create a spirit of honest Zionism.'”
The agreement is signed by Ezra Z. Shapiro, A. H. Friedland, Geo. J. Klein, Alfred H. Sachs, Max F. Kohrman and Abba Hillel Silver.
Commenting on the agreement, Mr. Rothenberg said that Zionists throughout the country will be deeply gratified to learn that this regrettable dispute has now come to a close through the manifestation of a spirit of generosity and good will on both sides. They will earnestly hope that the agreement which has been entered into will lead to mutual cooperation in all Zionist work between the existing Cleveland Zionist District and the newly formed group, which will be known as the Cleveland Zionist Society, and is to be an integral part of the Zionist Organization of America.
Rabbi Silver, in an interview with the Jewish Daily Bulletin, while on a visit to New York City yesterday, expressed his complete satisfaction with the settlement. He declared that when peace overtures were made to him he indicated his readiness to agree to such peace provided the officers of the district expressed their regrets for the communication which they had sent to the New York Zionist office, asking the recall of the invitation which had been extended to Rabbi Silver to address the Zionist gathering in Washington. The officers expressed their regrets and in turn Rabbi Silver voiced his regret at the criticism which he directed at them in consequence.
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.
