Impressive exercises marked the funeral services yesterday of Nathan Lamport, prominent Jewish philanthropist. On an open air platform in front of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, of which he was the President and benefactor for more than a score of years, the body of Nathan Lamport rested yesterday while a crowd of several thousand lined the surrounding streets and stood in silent tribute as the last rites were pronounced.
From the steps of the Yeshivah Building, 301 East Broadway, which is soon to be deserted for the five-million dollar structure, which Nathan Lamport helped make possible, speakers told the attentive throng of the generosity and kindliness which made the deceased a pioneer in orthodox Jewish educational circles in America.
The ceremonies at the Yeshivah followed an impressive service at the Jewish Center, 131 West 86th Street, of which the deceasd was a member. Upwards of one thousand men and women, representing many ranks in Jewish life attended the services at the Center. A cortege of fifty-five cars followed the hearse to the East Broadway services. Enroute to the Yeshivah a stop was made at the Tefereth Jerusalem Synagogue of which the late Mr. Lamport had been President.
“Posterity,” declared Rabbi Leo Jung of the Jewish Center, “will remember him as the master builder, to whose ability the new Yeshivah Building will stand as an everlasting memorial. His was the historic privilege of becoming a Jewish pioneer, who used the best of yesterday for the tomorrow. He was a unique personality, to whom the religion of his forefathers was not a congenital burden but an effervescent joy. His passing will cause deep sorrow in many lands.”
Rabbi Joseph Luckstein, speaking in behalf of the graduates of the Yeshivah, at the Centre services, pointed out that the Yeshivah was the crowning ideal of Mr. Lamport’s life. Relating an incident which occurred just prior to his death he reported Mr. Lamport as visiting the new Yeshivah structure and then turning and saying: “I have visited the Yeshivah and now I am content to die.”
Mr. Gustavus A. Rogers paid a tribute in behalf of the Board of Trustees.
Cantor Jasinowsky chanted the El Mohle Rachamim.
Eulogies at the Yeshivah services were delivered by Rabbi M. Z. Margolies, President of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of America, Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein, President of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, Dr. Bernard Revel, head of the Faculty of the Yeshivah, Rabbi B. Leibovitz of Poland, and Rabbi Aaron D. Burock of the Yeshivah Faculty.
All the speakers hailed him as a pioneer in orthodox Jewish educational work in America. “Nathan Lamport by his own example pointed the way for a resurgence of orthodox Jewish feeling in the United States.” declared Dr. Revel. “Not only did he live the life of an Orthodox Jew himself, but by his generosity to the Yeshivah he made it possible for a new generation of young men to carry the teachings of the Torah to the community at large.”
“Nathan Lamport planted not only for the present, but for the future,” declared Rabbi Goldstein.
A prayer was chanted by Cantor Rakavsky, a graduate of the Yeshivah. Graduates of the Yeshivah served as active pallbearrs. The list of honorary pall bearers included the board of Directors of the Yeshiva, among them Harry Fischel, Vice President, Samuel Levy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Yeshivah College Building Fund and Harris L. Selig.
Temporary interment took place at the Union Hills Cemetery. The body is to be transported to Palestine for burial.
Harris L. Selig, in a statement issued yesterday enogized the late Yeshivah leader as a zealous and untiring worker for the cause of Jewish learning in the entire United States and as a man of sterling qualities whose generosity was a stimulating factor in arousing orthodox Jewish community to unparalleled degree of contribution for Jewish educational purposes. “His $200,000 contribution was indeed the beginning of a new epoch in the realization of orthodox Jewry of its greatest need, and preponderant responsibility towards the future of higher Jewish learning in this land,” he declared.
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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.
