Rabbis Appeal Against Missionary Plans of Christian Conference in Budapest

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

An appeal to Christian leaders to refrain from missionary activities among the Jewish people was formulated by the Executive Committee of the Central Conference of American Rabbis which met here in connection with the thirtieth biennial convention of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations.

The appeal was made on the occasion of the forthcoming Christian conference which is to be held in Budapest. Advices received stated that at this conference the question of the conversion of Jews to Christianity was to be taken up. The appeal was despatched by telegraph to Alfred William Anthony of New York, Chairman of the Joint Commission on Good Will Between Jews and Christians.

“We are advised that at the coming Christian conference in Budapest,” the telegram read, “the question of the conversion of Jews will be considered and we most respectfully invite your attention to the convenant of our Joint Commission on Good Will, adopted in New York City on December 30, 1924 to the effect that ‘because of our natural respect for the integrity of each other’s religion and our desire that each faith shall enjoy the fullest opportunity for its development and enrichment, these committees have no proselytising purpose’.”

The appeal urges the representatives of the Federal Council Committee on Good Will to “represent strongly that this American compact which opened a new chapter in the relations between Jews and Christians, be not weakened in spirit and vigor.” It urges further that “your representatives on our Joint Commission of Good Will take such a position as will not jeopardize the continuance of our amicable relations.”

The appeal was signed by Dr. David Philipson, Rabbi H.G. Enelow, Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, Rabbi Louis Wolsey and Rabbi Abram Simon.

The question of the Perpetuation of Judaism in American Jewish families through the Reform synagogue continued to hold the attention of the delegates at the Tuesday afternoon session. Dr. Nathan Krass of Temple Emanu-El, New York, addressed the session on “Judaism and Youth.” Mrs. Abram Simon, honorary president of the Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, spoke on “Judaism and the Home.”

“Not a machine but great personalities will, perpetuate Judaism,” Dr Krass declared in his address.

“We have transferred our faith from God to machinery. We like to trust to charts, card indexes, textbooks and even methods for testing the human soul by machinery; and we are coming to believe that machinery and money are going to perpetuate Judaism.

“What we need more, however, is a multiplication of personalities to come in contact with our young people. We need teachers of power, passion, fervor and fascination in our religious schools. Send your strongest men, your greatest leaders, to the young; for youth wants example as well as precept,” Dr. Krass declared.

“Judaism is essentially a great adventure in search of God and not a definition of God.” Drawing a parallel between Judaism and Christianity, Rabbi Krass urged that missionaries be found not for the purpose of converting Christians to Judaism but to bring back the Jewish youth to Judaism.

“Judaism is not in conflict with science,” he declared. “It has become a habit to blame the youth for all the troubles of a post war world.” But, Youth says to its elders, ‘Who was responsible for the last war? And who fomented that worldwide catastrophe?’ If there is anything in the record of modern youth as immoral, as reprehesible, as unspeakeable and as full of turpitude as that horror, I should like to see it !”

Rabbi Krass was applauded by hundreds in the audience, many of them young members of the Temple brotherhoods and sisterhoods.

Declaring that the present-day home “feels the tremor of quaking forces,” Mrs. Simon mentioned radicalism, feminism, soul mates, trial marriages, indidelity, industrial equality, apartment houses, juvenile delinquency and the withdrawal of parents from educational control over their children as forces against which the Jewish home must fight.

Frau Paulo Ollendorf of Breslau, ##rmany, and Mrs. Gerson Levi of Chicago, vice-president of the Sisterhoods, addressed the session.The general feeling prevailing among the delegates is that the Union of American Hebrew Congregations is facing a serious crisis. Many of the speakers referred to the unsatisfactory religious conditions prevailing in the home and in the synagogue, some admitting the beauty of the Orthodox tradition.

Mr. Meisner of St. Louis reported to the morning session on behalf of the Ways and Means Committee. A campaign for funds to meet the heavy deficit of the Union will be conducted during March, he announced.

A report was circulated in the convention hall that a resolution on Palestine would be presented by some of the delegates. It seems, however, that the initiators of this proposal have refrained from carrying it into effect.

Much talk is still going on among the delegates concerning the encounter between Rabbi William H. Fineshriber and Henry Morgenthau. The convention will hear reports of the committees on education and social justice at the Wednesday morning session.

LEE KOHNS, NEW YORK PHILANTHROPIST, DIES

Lee Kohns, trustee of the College of the City of New York, and former president of the New York Board of Trade and Transportation and of the Crockery Board of Trade, died Tuesday morning at his home in New York City. Mr. Kohns formerly was managing partner of L. Straus & Sons and vice-president of Abraham & Straus.

Mr. Kohns retired from active business several years ago and devoted himself to educational and charitable works. One of his recent philanthropies was the endowment of a chair on American History, Civilization and Letters in the Sorbonne, in Paris. Mr. Kohns was the grandson of Lazarus Straus and the nephew of Nathan Staus and of the late Isidor and Oscar S. Straus.

Mr. Kohns was born in Columbus, Ga., September 1, 1864, the son of Lazarus and Hermine (Straus) Kohns. He was educated at the Donal Institute, the New York City grammar schools, and the College of the City of New York, from which he was graduated in 1884. Shortly after his graduation he was made the permanent president of his class.

He entered business in 1884 with his father and grandfather in L. Straus & Sons, manufacturers and importers of china and glassware. He was admitted to the firm in 1892 and when he retired he had been managing partner for fifteen years. He was for years vice-president of Abraham & Straus, from which post he retired in 1925.

He was a director of the American Exchange Irving Trust Company, a trustee of the United Hospital Fund and of the Hospital Saturday and Sunday Association; vice-president of the Educational Alliance, a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a trustee of the Andrew Freedman Home. Mr. Kohns retired from the presidency of the New York Board of Trade and Transportation in 1924 after having served seven years. He also had been president of the Association of Alumni, College of the City of New York.

He was a member of the Manhattan, National Democratic, National Arts, Hardware, Manhasset Bay. Sound View, Lotos and Bankers clubs.

His wife, Mrs. Clare E. Kohns, a daughter, Irene Dorothy Kohns, and two sons, Robert Lee and Paul L. Kohns, survive Mr. Kohns.

JUDGE HARTMAN REPORTS TO I. O. B. A. ON THE ROUMANIAN EXCESSES

Details of the anti-Jewish excesses in Roumania were presented to the National Executive Board of the Independent Order Brith Abraham at the first sitting of the Board in 1927. Judge Gustave Hartman, Grand Master of the Order, cited a number of instances where Jewish attorneys appearing in the Roumanian courts are mistreated. Every Jewish litigant is called by the officials “Zhidon”, a derogatory Roumanian expression directed against Jews. The Jewish attorneys are not treated better than those whom they defend, Judge Hartman stated.

He submitted a report to his Board on the participation of the Order in the protest of American Jewry and its representation on the delegation which appeared before Secretary of State Kellogg last week.

Max L. Hollander, Grand Secretary of the Order, reported a membership of 125,000 and stated that it is on the increase due to the recent changes introduced in the insurance department of the Order. The Executive Board voted to proclaim a week of mourning on the occasion of the death Achad Ha’am and the Yiddish poet, Yehoash.