Conference of Jewish Ex-soldiers in Germany

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

Ninety-two delegates from all parts of the Republic attended the conference of the Union of Jewish Soldiers who fought at the front, held here. Dr. Loewenstein, in opening the conference, recalled the memory of the 12,000 German Jews who had fallen in the war. Addresses were delivered on the political situation. Dr. Loewenstein has been reelected President.

The current issue of the “Schild,” the organ of the Union of Jewish Soldiers at the Front, reprints a report which appeared in the “Berliner Zeitung” in 1881 of a meeting of Jewish ex-soldiers attended by over 2,000 members. The President, Herr Wolfsberg, speaking at the meeting, said that to have 2,000 Jews who had seen service in the German Army out of a community of 60,000 was a complete repudiation of the anti-Semitic legend that Jews tried to evade military service.

DR. WISE AWARDED ZETA BETA TAU MEDAL FOR SERVICE TO JUDAISM

Rabbi Stephen S. Wise was awarded the Gottheil Medal, which is conferred by the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity, to the American who is considered to have rendered the greatest service to Judaism. The medal, of which Rabbi Wise is the first recipient, will be awarded annually in honor of Professor Richard J. H. Gottheil, who was for eight years president of the fraternity. The award to Rabbi Wise is made for the year 1925 following his selection by a committee of eleven prominent Jewish editors throughout the United States.

The Awarding Committee which selected Rabbi Wise included the following:

Herman Bernstein, editor of the “Jewish Tribune,” New York City; Alexander Brinn, editor of the “Boston Jewish Advocate”; Joseph Cummins, editor of the “California Jewish Review”; Jacob Fishman, managing editor of the “Jewish Morning Journal,” New York City; Felix N. Gerson, editor of the “Philadelphia Jewish Exponent”; Charles Joseph, editor of the “Pittsburgh Jewish Criterion”; Isaac Landman, editor of the “American Hebrew”; Rabbi Gerson B. Levi, editor of the “Chicago Reform Advocate”; Rabbi Mendel Silber, editor of the “New Orleans Jewish Ledger”; Leo Wise, editor of the “American Israelite,” Cincinnati, Ohio.

In a preliminary discussion editors suggested the names of Calvin Coolidge, Charles Evans Hughes, Louis Marshall, David A. Brown, Stephen S. Wise, John W. Herring and Lewis Browne. President Coolidge received serious consideration from the committee for his Omaha speech against bigotry, which was regarded as having done much to disarm the Klan, and thus indirectly of the greatest service to American Jewry. Because of his advocacy of tolerance expressed in a speech before the American Bar Association, which was regarded as of great service to the Jewish people, former Secretary of State Charles Evans Hughes was urged for the award. Louis Marshall, president of the American Jewish Committee, and David A. Brown, chairman of the United Jewish Campaign, were also recommended. Lewis Browne was mentioned for his book, “Stranger Than Fiction.” Consideration was given the Rev. Dr. John A. Herring for his activities as chairman of the Committee on Good Will Between Jews and Christians.

The Gottheil Medal will be officially awarded to Rabbi Wise at a banquet of the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity members at the Hotel McAlpin, Monday evening, May 10.

The Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity, which honors Rabbi Wise, is an organization of Jewish college men with undergraduate chapters in 32 universities and alumni chapter in 25 cities.

Arrangements have been made with the Cooper Union School to permit observant Jews to change the date of their examination from September 9th, the second day of the Jewish New Year Holiday, to some other week day. These arrangements were made by the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

Representatives of the Jewish Trade Unions of Worcester. Mass. have pledged $5,000 to the United Jewish Campaign and the United Palestine Appeal. Louis Epstein was elected chairman of the committee.