Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Rabbis Avoid Stand on Peace

July 1, 1935
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

olution even more strongly antiwar.

The final action taken today was regarded as a complete defeat of the pacifists among the delegates attending the conference.

Rabbi Victor Epstein of Scranton, Pa., led the fight on the floor in favor of the resolution. He demanded that a yes or no vote be taken on the resolution, but could not obtain it. Rabbi Philip Bernstein of Rochester, N. Y., and Abraham Goodman of Cumberland, Md., were among the leaders of the fight for passage of the resolution.

Leading opponents of the pacifist stand were: Rabbis Solomon Foster of Newark, Leo Franklin of Detroit, Morris Newfield of Birmingham, Max Richler of Brooklyn, and Ira E. Sanders of Little Rock.

The annual meeting of the Hebrew Union College Alumni Association last night elected Solomon Freehof of Pittsburgh, president. Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver of Cleveland, vice-president; Frederick Rypins of Greenville, N. C., secretary, and Alexander Segal of York, Pa., treasurer.

AVOID STAND ON ZIONISM

Avoiding a definite stand on the question of Zionism, the Conference at an earlier session nevertheless passed a resolution which automatically wipes out its previous official opposition to Zionism. Despite the efforts of Zionist rabbis, the Conference refused to go on record as definitely favoring Zionism.

The resolution, which was passed by a vote of eighty-one to twenty-five, after a heated debate in one of the stormiest sessions in the forty-six years of the organization’s existence, reads as follows:

“Whereas, it certain foregoing conventions of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, resolutions have been adopted in opposition to Zionism, and

“Whereas, we are persuaded that the acceptance or rejection of the Zionist program should be left to the determination of the individual members of this conference themselves,

“Therefore, be it resolved: that in keeping with its announced intentions, the C.C.A.R. will continue to cooperate in the upbuilding of Palestine and in the economic, cultural and spiritual tasks confronting the growing and evolving Jewish community there.”

A paragraph in the original resolution stating that the opposition to Zionism no longer reflects the sentiment of a very substantial section of the Conference membership, was deleted after a very heated debate.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement