May Settle Dispute Between Sephardic Chief Rabbi and Jewish National Council

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

The conflict which has been raging for past several weeks between Rabbi Jacob Meir, Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Palestine, and the Vaad Leumi, National Council of Palestine Jewry, may be amicably settled.

This opinion was rendered yesterday by the World Union of Sephardic Jews, to which the conflict was referred for mediation.

The controversy started when a delegation representing the National Council called on Lord Plumer before his departure from Palestine to bid him farewell on behalf of Palestine Jewry. During the audience. Chief Rabbi Jacob Meir expressed his dissatisfaction with some of the provisions of the Palestine Communities Ordinance, a subject of controversial nature within the Jewish community for the past several years. It was charged that Rabbi Meir did not inform the members of the delegation that he would touch upon this subject during the audience. The action was in particular surprising in view of the fact that the National Council, with which Rabbi Meir was closely affiliated, was the leading champion of the principle of unity of the Jewish community in Palestine and led the fight against the oppositional elements grouped around Rabbi Sonnenfeld and the Agudath Israel, who fought against the Communities Ordinance.

On the following day Rabbi Jacob Meir published a statement in which he outlined the reasons for his action and declared himself in oppositon to some of the principles of the Ordinance which aims at the organization of Palestine Jewry into an official community to be known under the name of Kenesseth Israel, but from which groups or individual members have a right to secede and form congregations of their own. One of the objections of the Chief Rabbi was the granting of suffrage within the Kenesseth Israel to women.

The National Council, of which the Palestine Rabbinate is the official organ for religious matters, demanded that Rabbi Meir withdraw from his post in view of his disagreement and in view of his surprising action, which was termed inopportune. The matter has aroused wide attention and discussion in the Palestine press, many asserting that the Rabbi was being “impeached” or that he is to be.

In the opinion rendered byy the World Union of Sephardic Jews, it is now declared that after going over the facts it finds that both parties in the controversy have exaggerated. By expressing his opposition to some of the provisions, the Chief Rabbi did not mean to express his intention to leave the Kenesseth Israel as, on the other hand, the National Council did not impach him as Chief Rabbi nor has it the power to do so. A reconciliation between the parties is possible.

Rabbi Jacob Meir is a man of independent means and is known for his unyielding attitude in matters of religious principle.