American Jewish Congress Resents Catholic “good Friday” Threat

Dr. Israel Goldstein, president of the American Jewish Congress, said today that his organization had received many calls from a number of areas in Greater New York reporting that Catholic laymen had visited Jewish shopkeepers, requesting that they close their stores for three hours on Good Friday and leaving for display signs reading that the closing was “in observance of the death of Christ.” In a number of instances, Dr. Goldstein said, there had been implied threats of economic boycott for refusal to comply with the requests.

“The Jewish community, indeed all men of good will, properly resent any effort by members of any religious group to impose on other groups their own religious practices and observances by threats or coercion, whether explicit or otherwise. Such attempts are not conducive to developing the atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect in which alone the religious freedom of all groups can be secure.

“Good Friday, this year,” said Dr. Goldstein, “coincides with the second day of Passover. I am certain that our Catholic neighbors in New York City would be equally resentful if Jewish groups made an organized effort to induce Catholics to close their places of business on Thursday and Friday in deference to the celebration of Passover. Religious zeal is praiseworthy provided it does not express itself in the form of coercion of any other religious groups nor impinge on the religious convictions of other persons. Such excesses should not be sanctioned by Christian and Jew alike.

“Friday, April 11, the second day of Passover, will be observed by many Orthodox Jews who will close their places of business for the entire day. Others may choose to observe or not to observe the second day. In any event, however, their observance or non-observance will be motivated entirely by their own conscience and not by either compliance with or defiance of the coercive methods of members of other religious bodies,” Dr. Goldstein concluded.

ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE TERMS THREAT “IMPROPER AND UN-AMERICAN”

Former Supreme Court Justice Meier Steinbrink, national chairman of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, issued the following statement today: “Inquiries have been directed to the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith regarding a campaign to persuade merchants and other business people in the City of New York to close their places of business between the hours of noon and 3 P.M., on Good Friday and to post placards announcing that such closing will be ‘in observance of the death of Christ.’

“Apparently some overzealous people have approached Jewish and Christian businessmen in this campaign and in some instances, according to press reports, threat of boycott or other economic reprisal have been made against Jewish merchants who expressed reluctance to post the placards or to close their business during the specified three-hour period. Such threats can readily lead to serious religious tensions,” the statement said.

It added that “we have ascertained by direct inquiry the policy that will be followed by some of the major enterprises in New York City. The important food store chains such as the A&P. Gristede, and others will remain open all day Friday. Similarly, all banks and large department stores–whether Christian or Jewish owned–will not close their doors on Good Friday. If the policies of these large stores or small businessmen dictates that they keep their doors open, resentment or retaliation by implied threat of economic sanction is highly unfair, improper and un-American.

“At a time when it is of prime importance to cement good relations among Americans of different faiths, each of us must be careful to avoid actions which might be disruptive of the progress that has been made in our great country,” the statement concluded.