The laying of the cornerstone of the Jerusalem Synagogue and Centre, which will take place in Jerusalem next Monday before an assemblage of Palestinian notables, will be observed in this country by the United Synagogue of America, it was announced yesterday by Louis J. Moss, president of the United Synagogue.
Mr. Moss announced that a special ceremony will be held Monday by delegates assembled at Washington for the twenty-second annual convention of the organization. The ceremony will feature a special address by Professor Abraham Neuman of Philadelphia, chairman of the Palestine Committee of the United Synagogue of America. Included in these ceremonies will be the reading of messages from prominent religious leaders in Palestine, who are expected to be present at the laying of the cornerstone.
INITIATED BY AMERICAN GROUP
The Jerusalem Synagogue and Centre will give Palestine its first modern synagogue-centre and is expected to play an important part in the spiritual life of Palestine Jewry. The project was initiated by the United Synagogue of America and is now a joint effort of that organization and the Jeshurun Congregation of Jerusalem, which was founded by Henrietta Szold, and serves mainly English-speaking Jews resident in Palestine. Funds for the erection of the synagogue and centre were raised by the United Synagogue of America several years ago. An architectural competition was held recently among Palestinian and foreign architects to determine the best plan for the structure.
Rabbi Israel H. Levinthal of the Brooklyn Jewish Centre, chairman of the Jerusalem Synagogue and Centre Committee of the United Synagogue of America, will play a prominent part in the ceremonies attending the laying of the cornerstone.
RABBI SILVER PRAISES PROJECT
Rabbis and Jewish leaders in various fields united yesterday in praise of the new synagogue and centre. Rabbi Abba Hiller Silver of Cleveland declared: “The Jewish youth of Jerusalem need a recreational and cultural centre. Jerusalem, likewise, needs a modern architecturally satisfying synagogue which I hope will be headed by a great spiritual leader whose influence will be felt among the young generation of Palestinian Jewry.”
Dr. David de Sola Pool declared that the erection of the Jerusalem Synagogue’ and Centre will bring to the Jews of the Holy City “a sorely needed instrument of spiritual life and will serve all mankind as a symbol of the spiritual union of the Jew with Palestine.”
Praise for the new structure was also given by Louis Lipsky, chairman of the United Palestine Campaign; Rabbi Arthur H. Neulander, president of the Long Island Branch of the Rabbinical Assembly of America; Adolph Ochs, Mrs. Samuel Spiegel, president of the National organization of the Women’s League of the United Synagogue of America; Mrs. Israel Davidson, president of the New York Branch of the Women’s League of the United Synagogue of America, and many others.
Five Jewish co-eds received special awards and sixteen were giv### letters at last night’s annual ###men’s athletic dinner for mem### of the women’s teams at the ### Avenue Hotel.
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