The activities of Rabbi Benjamin Goldstein on behalf of the Scottsboro Negroes, the first of whom, Heywood Patterson, was found guilty and sentenced to death last Sunday, have cost him his post as rabbi of Temple Beth-Or, in this city.
In an exclusive statement made to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Rabbi Goldstein said:
“My resignation resulted from my activities not only on behalf of the Scottsboro Negroes for whom I demanded a fair trial and a change of venue, but also on behalf of the Tallapoosa Negro share-croppers for whom last December I demanded fair treatment.”
On behalf of the share croppers, Rabbi Goldstein had petitioned Governor Miller, and during his activity for the Scottsboro Negroes he had presided at a protest meeting of whites at Birmingham, before and after which there was “slanderous newspaper publicity”.
The opposition to Rabbi Goldstein centered around Ernest Mayer, president of the congregation, who demanded the rabbi’s withdrawal.
A special message from Mr. Mayer informs the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that Rabbi Goldstein will not stand for re-election at the expiration of his present term.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
