Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog and Chief Rabbi Ben-Zion Usiel were today re-elected heads of the Palestine Rabbinate which is composed of eight, rabbis. The other six elected were three Sephardic rabbis and three rabbis of the Ashkenazi community.
The elections to the Rabbinate, which take place every eight years, were hold at a colorful conclave of 42 rabbis and 38 laymen representing the Jewish National Council of Palestine and the local Jewish communities all over the country. The term of the present Rabbinate expired three years ago, but the Palestine Government, which recognizes the Rabbinate as the supreme Jewish religious institution, extended its term of office taking into consideration that war conditions did not permit new elections.
District Commissioner Pollock, who was present today at the re-election of Chief Rabbis Herzog and Usiel, greeted them in behalf of the Palestine Government. Other greetings were delivered by representatives of central Jewish bodies. Chief Rabbi Herzog, in his acceptance speech, appealed to all nations “to redress the wrongs committed against the Jewish people” and at least save the remnants of European Jews by abolishing the White Paper and by opening the gates of Palestine for their immigration. He also asked for the immediate establishment of a Jewish State. Chief Rabbi Usiel spoke of the activities conducted by the Chief Rabbinate and its aims for the future.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
