The law passed by the Greek Parliament yesterday, imposing compulsory Sunday rest upon the Jewish population of Salonika, is in political circles here considered a direct breach of the international minorities treaty which was signed by the Greek Government in August 1920, guaranteeing the full right of the Jews to observe their religion.
Although this international treaty with Greece has not yet been ratified by the League of Nations on account the unsettled international status of the province of Thrace, it is considered that the treaty is binding. During the Peace Conference, Venizelos, as the representative of Greece, gave a written assurance that the Jews would not be affected by any law enforcing a compulsory Sunday rest upon the rest of the population.
This right of the Jews was further confirmed by a special royal decree issued on April 12th, 1923, concerning the recognition of the Jewish community in Greece, expressly stating that Saturday shall be considered the weekly day of rest for the Jews of Salonika.
The Joint Foreign Committee, representing the Board of Jewish Deputies and the Anglo-Jewish Association, intends to bring this matter to the attention of the Council of the League of Nations, when it convenes for its next session at Geneva.
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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.
