Lionel De Rothschild Reports on Work of Jewish War Memorial

(J. T. A. Mall Service)

The work of the Jewish War Memorial in its threefold purpose of strengthening the arrangements for the training of rabbis, stimulating Jewish religious education and improving the status of the rabbinate was reported on by Lionel de Rothschild, president of the Memorial.

Jews’ College, Aria College and the Yshibah Etz Chaim were the educational institutions to receive support of the Jewish War Memorial in their plan to strengthen the arrangements for the training of rabbis. Since its first contribution of $2500 made to Jews’ College, the Memorial granted increasing sums totalling $38,750, with a grant of $10,000 for the last year. These grants enabled the College authorities to raise the salaries of the professors and to provide for an additional Professor with an English education.

In their determination to encourage the flow of suitable students to Jews’ College, the Council of the Jewish War Memorial entered into an arrangement with Aria College which entitles the Council to elect five students to the College. The Jewish War Memorial has also contributed to the Yeshibah Etz Chaim, which is an important factor in the training of rabbis.

Due to the limited funds only two scholarships have thus far been established. One permanent scholarship was endowed through the generosity of Sir Max Michaelis. The Council created a fund for the Samuel Henry Emanuel Scholarship.

Toward its efforts of “stimulating, co-ordinating and raising the standard of Jewish religious education throughout the Empire,” the Council of the Jewish War Memorial reports its achievements.

“The benefits of this fund have been far-reaching,” the report states, “and its influence in furthering all the objects of the Central Committee for Jewish Education throughout the Empire has exceeded our most sanguine expectations. Area Committees have been formed, and numerous beneficent Jewish activities have been developed throughout the United Kingdom.

“For upwards of twenty years the cry of all communal teaching organizations has been for a Director of Jewish Education. The Central Committee have made that appointment a reality. The influence of the Committee has been described as unequalled by any other corporate body in the religious life of the country. This influence is not limited to the United Kingdom, but materializes in every part of the Empire. The expenditure of small money grants in small and struggling communities reacts as a stimulus and encouragemet to local effort, and, indeed, often determines whether religious education shall live or die in the area.

“For the training of teachers, the Central Committee have assumed a direct responsibility. They have taken over the duties of the Teachers’ Training Committee, and are actively engaged in developing the work. The entries for the Jews’ College Teachers’ Examinations have been greatly extended, the additional expense having been guaranteed by the Council. During the last three years, sixty-six students have passed one or more of these examinations. Of this number, forty have already become teachers of Hebrew and Religion.

“The Committee also gives support to the Glasgow Hebrew College, and the Teachers’ Training Class in Leeds, and makes small grants in other centres where teachers are instructed.

“The Annual Educational Conferences have served to instil a wider and deeper interest in Jewish religious education. Seven hundred and five Jewish educationalists have attended these Conferences. Five Conferences have been held, and others will follow at regular intervals.

“The Central Committee are responsible for a number of publications which will have proved to be in great demand, and are of great educational value.

“Interest in the Mrs. Nathaniel Cohen Memorial Library, the gift of the Union of Jewish Women, has been stimulated by the War Memorial. Some 1,500 or 1,600 books are lent each year, and whereas before the foundation of the Jewish War Memorial it was little used, it is now visited by several hundred readers each year is in constant use.

“A salary compatible with material comfort of life is the first requirement which the Jewish War Memorial would wish to see fulfilled, but here again funds are lacking,” the report states in speaking of the work toward improving the status of the rabbinate. “Whenever application is made to the Council for assistance, either to help support a Teacher and Minister or to assist in finding a suitable man, the question of salary is always carefully examined and the Council have already succeeded in effecting some improvement in the general standard in this direction. The same applies in the case of appointments to Dominion communities.

“Qualifications and fitness, which are essential to the status of the Minister, are scrutinised very closely before a recommendation is made. The grants of the Central Committee to small communities are very often made in direct aid of salaries, and to serve to assist in improving the salary of the Minister or Reader, where these offices are combined.

“The Council have not been able to deal adequately with the problem of underpaid Ministers, but they have been able to found a pension scheme, which was placed before the community early this year. This scheme, like the rest of the Council’s work, only represents a beginning, but as it becomes more generally understood and appreciated it will afford considerable relief in a direction where relief is sorely needed. The tragedy of a congregation dying of inanition owing to the necessity of its Minister continuing in office long after he is past work, is one which this scheme will, in the course of time, remove altogether from the records of Anglo-Jewry. The Council have set aside $15,000 as a special reserve fund, the income of which will help to supplement the benefits derivable for the contributing Ministers and Congregations.”

The report is signed by Lionel De Rothschild, President; Robert Waley Cohen, Chairman of the Executive Committee; Anthony De Rothschild, Treasurer; F. C. Stern, Honorary Secretary; Alfred Eichholz, Chairman of the Central Committee for Jewish Education.