In an effort to prevent the Senate and Legislature of the State of Ohio from passing a burial-supervision law similar to the one in force in the State of New Jersey, “The Protective Orthodox Jewish Burial Association” was incorporated recently to “keep surveillance over, and take action for, or against proposed legislation relating to funeral and cemetery matters affecting the Orthodox Jewish people or religion.” Such a bill has been drawn up by the Cincinnati members of the National Funeral Directors’ Association, and is expected to be introduced during the present session of the legislative bodies. Nathan Vigran, attorney, (Continued on Page 4)
is president of The Protective Orthodox Jewish Burial Association.”
Though there is nothing in the proposed law, as it reads at present, which would affect Jewish bruial practice, Mr. Vigran points out that the licensing commission, under the law, could do almost whatever it wished, and could make embalming compulsory in certain instances, as they did in New Jersey. Gordon Weil, the only Jewish undertaker in town, denied this in a statement made to the representative of the Jewish Daily Bulletin. The only difference would be that experts would supervise all funerals. He stated that the undertakers would be glad to cooperate with the new association and straighten out the differences.
The Tract Commission of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the Central Conference of American Rabbis has just issued Tract No. 11, “Judaism and Democracy,” by Rab Louis Witt, of Dayton, Ohio. This tract is one of a series that are available to educators, legislators, editors, etc., of every creed and faith.
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