More than 500 persons attending a community, prayer rally here last night demanded that the Iraqi government reveal the fate of nine Jews imprisoned in Baghdad last fall who are believed to have been executed recently. The Canadian Jewish Congress, whose Eastern Region sponsored the rally at the Spanish-Portuguese Synagogue, has asked the Iraqi authorities to give the prisoners a fair trial if they are alive or, if they are dead, to return their bodies for burial according to Jewish ritual.
The participants in the rally recited prayers for Jews in mortal danger in Iraq and other Arab countries and kaddish for those believed executed. The rally was addressed by Aaron Kattan, a local community leader originally from Iraq, Ralph Lalouz, vice-chairman-of the CJC’s Eastern Region and Rabbi Howard Joseph of the Spanish Portuguese Synagogue.
Congregation Kehilath Israel of Newark, N.J., which closed its doors several months ago, has donated 31 Torah scrolls for needy synagogues in Israel. They were presented today to Israel Consul Michael Shashar by Sam Stein, president of the Congregation, and members of the Board of Directors at the Israeli Consulate in New York. Shashar promised to forward them to Israel next week.
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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.
