Jewish colonists in the Ukraine and White Russia were exempt from observing Collectivization Day, proclaimed by the Soviet authorities for October 14, coinciding this year with the Day of Atonement.
Over the signature of Peter Smidovitch, vice-president of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics, telegraphic instructions were issued today by the Wzik, All-Russian Executive Committee, to the Ukrainian Comzet and the Crimean Zik, to exempt the Jewish colonists. “If the carrying out of the Collectivization Day on October 14 meets with hindrances in the Jewish colonies, the Wzik has no objections to postpone the Collectivization Day for the Jewish colonists for a following day. Inform the respective authorities and take the necessary measures.” the instructions stated.
The instructions were issued following a session of the Wzik, when attention of the members was drawn to the coincidence of the holiday and the collectivization day. The correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency learns that Mr. Smidovitch was interested in having the Jewish colonists participate in the collectivization day voluntarily, without compulsion. In order to secure Jewish voluntary participation, the exemption order was issued, showing that the authorities had no anti-religious purpose in the setting of the day for October 14.
Rabbi C. David Matt was installed as Rabbi of the West Philadelphia Jewish Community Centre.
Among those who took part in the installation ceremonies were Dr. Cyrus Adler, Leon Braker, Maurice Levick, Mrs. Samuel Felt, and Louis E. Levintahl.
For the last two years Rabbi Matt has been in Buffalo. Before that he was in Minneapolis for fourteen years.
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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.
