A call for unity of all the people in the United States was made by President Roosevelt in a message read last night at the contenary dinner of Congregation Emanu-El, in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
“The great majority of Americans find religious unity in a common biblical heritage — the heritage of the Old Testament,” the message said. “Whether our allegiance is to the tenets of Christian revelation or to the ancient teaching of Israel, we all hold to the inspiration of the Old Testament and accept the Ten Commandments as the fundamental law of God. It is well for us, therefore, in the face of global war and world upheaval, to emphasize the many essential things in which we, as a nation, can find unity as we seek solution of the momentous problems before us.”
Former Governor Herbert H. Lahman, director of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, and Rabbi Solomon B. Freehof of Pittsburgh, president of the Central Conference of Rabbis, delivered the principal addresses. The Right Rev. Charles K. Gilbert, S. T. D., Suffragan Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Diccese of New York, and Dr. Louis Finkelstein, president of the Jewish Theological Seminary, extended the greetings of their communities. Short addresses also were made by Roger W. Straus, chairman of the centenary celebration; Frank L. Weil, chairman of the dinner committee, who presided; captain Lewis Le Strauss, U. S. N. R., president of Congregation Emanu-El, and the Rev. Dr. Samuel H. Goldenson, rabbi of the congregation.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
