Chief Rabbi Jacob Kaplan, of France, reported here today that 24 rabbis from Algeria had already been placed in the refugee-swollen Jewish communities of France as spiritual leaders. Dr. Kaplan made his report at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Conference of European Rabbis. He said also that various French Jewish communities had increased the number of Jewish religious and other personnel to meet the needs of the newcomers.
Rabbi Kaplan told the meeting that the arrival of the Algerian refugees represented a religious gain for many French Jewish communities and added “indeed, the influx of our co-religionists from Algeria constitutes in itself an important spiritual asset to Judaism in France.” He stressed that a great deal still is needed to be done to meet the spiritual needs of the newcomers and that it was necessary to open ritual bathing houses, day schools, Talmud Torahs and other institutions.
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