Jewish Community of Egypt Lodges Protest Against Riots; King Receives Chief Rabbi

King Farouk today invited Chief Rabbi Haim Naheum Affendi to an audience during which they discussed the anti-Jewish riots which have occured in Egypt during the last few days.

The Jewish community of Egypt today submitted a protest to Egyptian Prime Minister Nobrashy Pasha. No official information concerning the demands of the Jewish community was available, but the correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency learns that the community protest refuted the official claims that the anti-Jewish outbreaks were not organized and were solely the work of “riff-raff.”

It is understood that the community statement pointed out that the attacks on Jewish religious and cultural institutions throughout Egypt were made simultaneously and with obvious premeditation.

CHIEF RABBI REVEALS HE WARNED PRIME MINISTER THAT JEWS FEAR RICTS

The official attitude of the Jewish community here to the anti-Jewish riots of the week-end was expressed today by Chief Rabbi Nahoum, in a special statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

“I am concerned with the riots,” Rabbi Nahoum said, “only by reason of the extent to which they have caused prejudice-against religious and cultural institutions of the Jewish community. Our main school, where 1,300 pupils get their education free of charge, was literally looted. One of our greatest synagogues has been desccrated and pillaged, and our scrolls of law, which our people have preserved for thousands of pears, have been destroyed and burned. In Alexandria, three of our synagogues have met the same fate. In the East, where tolerance and religion have always gone hand in hand, excesses of this kind have never been recorded.

“As far back as Thursday evening.” the Chief Rabbi disclosed, “I had an interview with Prime Minister Nokrashy Pasha. I showed him leaflets that Jewish merchants had received requesting them to close their promises during the next day. His Excellency was categorical in his statement that the strike was not compulsory and that the duty of the Government was to protect us should we be attacked.

“Nevertheless, I advised our co-religionists to abstain from opening their premises on Friday. This adivce was carefully follwed, as everybody witnessed. Despite these procautions numerous assaults took place against Jewish stores. Deplorable as they are, I am not directly concerned with these. As chief of the Jewish community in Egypt, however, I am shocked by the undignified assaults sustained by our religious and cultural institutions. The acts of vandalism which took place have rightly aroused our indignation.

“Despite these events which have occurred without the least provocation on our part, our confidence in the Government has not been reduced,” the Chief Rabbi con- tinued, “for we are sure it will take energetic steps to punish the culprits. Under the regis of King Farouk the Jews of Egypt have enjoyed a state of peace unequalled anywhere else. Never have we been attacked, and we have always lived on good terms with our fellow-citizens. But the outrages which have taken place lead us to appeal to our severeign whose loyal subjects we remain at all times.”