An ancient custom, said to be seldom followed in recent years in Baltimore, was reinstituted this week when a full rabbinical court of ten rabbis sat to consider a charge against Harry Magad, a storekeeper, of alleged violations of kosher food regulations.
The storekeeper was a defendant in a pending charge in the Criminal Court, accusing him of violating ordinances regulating the sale of kosher meats.
When the case came before Judge George A. Solter recently, Magad’s attorney proposed that a rabbinical court be permitted to pass on the charge, according to Jewish usage. The Deputy State’s Attorney assented to the proposal, and Judge Solter at that time postponed action on the case pending the suggested rabbinical hearing.
Magad was found guilty by the rabbinical court, which ordered him to remove all kosher symbols from his store windows. The Criminal Court charge against Magad is scheduled to be disposed of next Monday and the findings of the rabbis are expected to be reported to Judge Solter at that time.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.