Polish Government Issues Ordinance Regulating Communities-rabbis’ Relations

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Steps towards regulating the relations between the Jewish communities and the Rabbinate and Communal workers in the Republic of Poland were taken by the Minisury for Religious Affairs and Public Education.

The Ministry has issued a circular in which instructions are given to the local authorities on the subject. The circular, which deals with the problem, gives a vivid picture of the present state of affairs in the Jewish communities of Poland. The circular to the district governors states:

“The Board of the Jewish communities have long since acquired the habit of taking lightly their obligations concerning the salaries of the Rabbis, schochtim and other functionaries of the community. The communities are in the habit of expending funds first of all for repairs, charity and welfare societies, with the result that the salaries of the functionaries are not paid for many months and very often for many years at a stretch. The principle that the communal income must first be applied to the regular payment of the salaries of the functionaries is almost unknown in the Jewish religious communities. Very often it has happened that under the pressure of securing payment of salaries present, the Rabbis and other functionaries have been compelled to sign fictitious receipts for the entire or partial payment of the salaries due them. Attempts have often been made to compel the Rabbis to agree to a reduction in their salaries, although the amounts had been fixed in the annual budget.

“In view of these circumstance the Ministry for Religious Affairs and Public Education urges the District Governors to issue the following ordinance which must be adhered to by the Boards of the Jewish Religious communities.

1. The Rabbis are not allowed to derive any income from the supervision of the sale of kosher meat, directly or indirectly; on the other hand all income from conducting the registration records of the population, from weddings, divorces and other religious functions, belongs to the personal revenue of the Rabbis and not to the communities.

“2. As long as the Rabbis, Schochtim, their widows and orphans, as well as other communal functionaries, have not received their salaries, the Communal Board has no right to make any expenditure of an investment nature, for repair of buildings, for subsidies, etc.

“3. The salaries of the Rabbis, assistant Rabbis, Schochtim, their widows and orphans, which were approved in the budgets for the year 1925, may be increased, but never reduced.

“4. The Communal Boards are to be warned that should they compel the Rabbis, Assistant Rabbis, Schochtim and other communal functionaries to issue fictitious receipts or statements concerning their salaries, they will be prosecuted by the Government according to law.