Orthodox Rabbis Bewail Rabbinate’s Economic Status

The economic status of the orthodox rabbinate in the United States came in for a significant discussion at the annual convention of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis meeting here. While Rabbi Chaim Epstein of Brooklyn, chairman of the committee on the status of the rabbinate, exhorted the delegates “not to speak in a weeping tone but to be proud of their calling”, many bitter statements cropped up during the intense discussion.

A number of rabbis declared it was impossible to refrain from voicing the pain they suffered because of the uncertainties of their position, the meagre salaries and unpleasant dealings with officers of congregations. Among the specific recommendations for improving conditions, Rabbi Epstein suggested a provision that congregations should not dismiss rabbis without sufficient notice. Another one was for the kashruth committee to keep in touch with hotel owners at Summer resorts to place rabbis for supervising kashruth where it is not being done now.

A suggestion that the rabbis consider the Union something more than a mere deliberative body cropped up during the morning session. It was pointed out that the Union should act as a cohesive unit between the membership and that if any dispute arose between a rabbi and his congregation the Union should endeavor to ascertain the facts and if the rabbi was found to be justified to back him to the limit.

Impoverished rabbis, schochtim (ritual slaughterers), cantors and spiritual leaders in Europe and Palestine are due for more extensive financial aid from their fellow divines in this country if some of the plans ratified at the convention are carried through successfully. These plans concern the special “Ezras Torah Fund,” established fourteen years ago when the war was wrecking economic havoc among European Jews. The Union of Orthodox Rabbis has been instrumental in raising $510,000 since 1916 and an additional $300,000 was given by relief bodies.

Rabbi Israel Rosenberg, head of the fund committee, reported that $32,000 had been raised in the last year, most of the money coming from the Union and other spiritual leaders. Plans were made by the convention for increasing the scope of the funds in the following manner: organization of laymen’s and laywomen’s committees, extensive propaganda, voluntary contributions of “shekels” at a minimum of a dollar each, in synagogues. Rabbi Ephraim Epstein’s suggestion that a special delegation be sent to canvass his home city of Chicago was approved.

Following an address by Gedaliah Bublick, president of the Mizrachi (orthodox Zionists) the convention unanimously endorsed the Allied Jewish Campaign. Mr. Bublick, who spoke in the interests of the Campaign, discussed present day Zionist issues and asserted that “Great Britain has not entirely fulfilled its partnership with the Jews.”