J. D. B. News Letter

A controversy that threatened to disrupt one of the oldest congregations in this city was brought to an abrupt close yesterday when Rabbi Marvin Nathan, for twenty-five years minister of Congregation Beth Israel, tendered his resignation to take effect September 1st. The recent Wall street debacle, the tendency to build “bigger and better” synagogues, the shifting of the Jewish population, all combined to make this controversy a leading topic of discussion among the entire community. Beth Israel is one of the oldest conservative synagogues in the city. Among its membership and on its board are some of the leading Jews of the community. Rabbi Nathan is one of the outstanding ministers enjoying in the fullest measure the esteem and the respect not only of his own congregation but of the entire city.

The synagogue of the congregation is located at the corner of Thirty-second Street and Montgomery Avenue, in that section of the city popularly referred to as Strawberry Mansion. And here is where the rub comes in. In recent years Strawberry Mansion has become a stepping stone in the social ambitions of a large element of its population. For a number of years Jewish residents of other sections of the city, notably the downtown section, acquiring little wealth, moved to Strawberry Mansion. Jewish residents of Strawberry Mansion acquiring a greater wealth, moved to other sections, notably Germantown and its environs. Congregation Beth Israel fell a victim to this shifting condition. In the course of time its membership was divided between the residents in the vicinity of the synagogue and those who moved to Germantown. Rabbi Nathan felt that the congregation should dispose of its present building so that it might erect a greater and more beautiful edifice somewhere in Germantown.

A prominent lady, not a member of the congregation, whose identity is not disclosed, at the request of the Rabbi, it is said, was willing to advance the sum of $150,000 provided the congregation raises an additional $150,000 and provided further that a new edifice is erected. A number of efforts were made to meet the requirements of that offer. The Wall Street crash carried with it the fortunes of some of the leaders in this movement with the result that the offer was lost. After making a number of attempts to stir the congregation into activity, Rabbi Nathan two weeks ago issued an ultimatum to the directors in which he made it clear that unless this new building venture is launched he would not care to remain as spiritual leader. After a number of meetings which were characterized by heated discus-