The plan to provide a place in Washington for Rosh Hashanah services for Jewish members of the House of Representatives has the enthusiastic endorsement of President Johnson, it was disclosed today.
The services will be held for the first time in the Capitol Building’s non-sectarian chapel to enable the Jewish Congressmen to remain in Washington for a crucial vote tomorrow on bill to give District of Columbia residents home rule.
From 10 to 15 Congressmen are expected to attend the services, which will be held both days of Rosh Hashanah. A spokesman said that when the President heard about the plan, “he was so delighted that he promised to have his Jewish New Year message delivered by hand so it can be read at the Monday services.”
Rabbi Hyman Shapiro of Long Beach, Long Island, and Cantor Aryeh Mandelbaum, were flown to Washington to conduct the services. Yeshiva University of New York provided prayer shawls, yarmulkes, a Torah and an Ark.
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