European Rabsis Open Three-day Conference; U.S. Delegation Attends

The fifth Conference of European Rabbis opened here today for three days of sessions, with Israel’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Nissim in attendance, as well as lay Jewish leaders and rabbis from Turkey, the United States, Canada and a number of other countries. Among the chief items on the agenda are Judaism and international cooperation, Judaism and modern man, and the authority of the rabbinate in modern times.

At the opening session today, presided over by Britain’s Chief Rabbi Israel Brodie, Chief Rabbi Nissim proposed that all rabbis in countries outside Israel be required to obtain at least part of their training in Israel.

The American delegation here included Rabbi Israel Miller, president of the Rabbinical Council of America; Moses I. Feuerstein, president of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America; and Max Stern, chairman of the UOJC’s commission on over seas affairs. Canada was represented by Rabbi Walter Wurzberger, president of the Rabbinical Council of Canada.

Invitations to the conference had been sent by Dr. Brodie to Moscow’s Chief Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin and Chief Rabbi Moses Rosen of Rumania. Rabbi Levin sent a message wishing the conference success and stating that illness had prevented him from coming here. Rabbi Rosen, similarly wishing success to the conference, stated that “for reasons beyond me, I could not accept your invitation.” One religious leader from East Europe is attending. He is Rabbi Jeno Schuck, of Hungary.

Among other rabbis here are Chief Rabbi David Asseo, of Turkey; Dr. Jacob Kaplan, chief rabbi of France; Dr. A. Schuster, chief rabbi of Holland; Chief Rabbi Elio Tcaff, of Italy; Rabbi Alexander Safran, of Geneva; Dr. Solomon Gaon, chief rabbi of the Sephardic community in Britain; and Chief Rabbi Isaac Cohen, of Ireland.