(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
The suit of a Jewish landlord against his Jewish tenant for the latter’s failure to keep an agreement on Sabbath observance has become especially complicated, due to the refusal of the defendant to take an oath.
Jacob Rabinowicz, the landlord, is suing Jetty Epstein for a breach of contract, under which the store in Rabinowicz’s house was leased to her on the condition that it be kept closed on Saturdays. The suit is two years old and when it was renewed today in the Vienna Landesgericht, Mrs. Epstein declined to take oath, declaring that it is against her religious principles.
She added that it was her conviction that Saturday is to be observed, that she has observed the Sabbath for the past twenty-five years, but she now finds it impossible to keep her store closed on Saturday and Sunday, because of the increasing competition and the difficult economic situation.
Judge Langer told the defendant that she will have to make up her mind whether or not she will take oath voluntarily or be subject to arrest and fine. The case was postponed for two weeks.
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