Jewish Children in Nova Scotia Are Excused from Religious Instruction

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

To remove the necessity of Jewish children being present curing the Christian devotional period observed in the public schools of this city, the School Board has changed the daily opening time of schools from 9.15 to 9 o’clock, but will allow any pupil to enter school at 9.15, without being marked late.

The rule has been established as the result of protests from Jewish parents against their children being compelled by school regulations to begin the school day at 9.15 and listen to the teaching of the Christian religion for the first fifteen minutes of the session.

Bible reading and recitation of the Lord’s Prayer were introduced into the public schools here last September for the first time, at the request of the Sydney Ministerial Association, the membership of which is entirely Protestant. Catholics agreed to the innovation, in as much as the creeds do not clash on these points. The Jews of the city, however, protested but die not press the matter to a decision. A month later, the Ministerial Association asked permission to have the Ten Commandments hung in each school room and the request was granted, with the approval of the Catholic clergy. This action of the School Board evoked a stronger protest from the Jewish parents and at the last meeting of the School Commissioners, the difficulty was solved by the promulgation of the new rule regarding school hours.

The arrangement is unsatisfactory to some of the Christian clergy, who have expressed the fear that the privilege of entering school at 9.15, will encourage Christian pupils, to absent themselves from the morning devotional exercises.

There are about 260 Jewish children in the Sydney public schools, and approximately 4,500 Christians.

Rosa Raisa of the Chicago Civic Opera Company will give the first of a series of annual scholarship fund concerts at the Auditorium theatre Chicago on January 22. The proceeds will go to a fund for music students in Chicago and will be maintained by an annual concert. The scholarship will be administered through the Jewish People’s Institute of Chicago for the benefit of deserving students regardless of race or creed.

The committee of awards is composed of Mrs. Julius Stone chairman: Philip L. Seman director of the Jewish People’s Institute: and Mrs. Walter Heller, presiding officer of the women’s auxiliary of the institute.

Congregation Ahavai Sholom of Portland Ore has elected Rabbi H. Parzen of St. Paul for a period of two years. He will succeed Rabbi Elliott Burstein who accepted a pulpit in San Francisco.