Jewish Christian Conference Held in London

Three hundred and eighty-one delegates representing the Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Quakers and Jews were present at the Conference to create a better understanding between Jews and Christians which was opened here last night at the Liberal Synagogue. One hundred and eighty Jewish delegates were present.

Rabbi Israel I. Mattuck, who presided, stated that despite the differences in the various religions, there is one underlying principle which unites them all. This is the unity in the belief in God. This forms a foundation upon which all religious beliefs can meet on the ground of mutual respect.

Mrs. Hanbridge, head mistress of the Foundation School in the London East End stated that sixty per cent of her pupils were children of foreign Jews and forty per cent were English Christians. Once a week a common service is held which is approved by the Chief Rabbi and the Bishop of Kensington. Other speakers at the Conference were Father Day, who baptized Hans Herzl; Reverend Mellone, Lillie Montague and Laurie Magnus, Quakers, and Edward Bernstein.

Clzude Montefiore, in closing the Conference, confessed at first he was hesitant about the practicability of calling such a conference for the purpose of bringing about a meeting between the majority and the minority not in the spirit of abnegation. “A common platform between the Jew and the Christian exists”, he stated. “Christianity and Judaism are the two great religions upon which European civilization is built. The Conference has strengthened my belief in England, for only England could have produced such a conference. The aim was not a spiritual tug of war, but recognition of one religion by the other, instead of mere toleration.”