Riga Jewish Hospital Ejected from Quarters on Claim of Church

Acting on a court order issued by the Latvian Senate, the police yesterday put out on the street the belongings of the Riga Linas Hacedek, Jewish hospital society, at 118 Dzirnavn Iela Riga. The belongings remained on the pavement throughout the night, while the patients in the hospital as well as the staff gathered in the hospital ward and declared they would not leave the hospital building unless elected by force.

The case which culminated in the action of the police yesterday, dates back many years. In 1920, T. Chedack, president of the Linas Hacedek, purchased from the Church of Jesus an old house, ruined during the warfare, at 118 Dzirnavu Iela, at the price of 120,000 Russian roubles. No feudal deed was obtained in view of the unsettled conditions. Only the house was purchased, while it was agreed the church be paid 20 Latvian roubles annually as rental for the site, part of the church’s property.

With the aid of an appropriation from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the house was repaired and equipped for a Jewish maternity hospital at a cost of 3,000,000 Latvian roubles.

The church, however, demanded that the house be turned back at the original purchase price, which, at the present rate of exchange, would amount to $385. The claim was brought before the Senate, which granted a judgment to the church on the basis of an ancient Russian law that the seller has the right to repurchase at the sale price.

No appeal from the Senate decision was possible. A number of Jewish deputies attempted to secure relief from the order and representations were made to President Semgal. In the meantime the Linas Hacedek arranged to pay a monthly rental of $100.