American Jewry will have an opportunity to pay a last and fitting tribute to Professor Boris Schatz, noted Jewish artist and founder of the Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts at public memorial exercises to be held in New York on October 3rd, prior to the transportation of the body to its final resting place in Palestine, Morris Rothenberg, president of the Zionist Organization of America, declared yesterday in a statement issued to the Jewish Telegraphic gency.
The body of the distinguished Jewish artist, who died in Denver on March 22nd, will arrive in New York on September 29th, from Denver, where it was embalmed and has rested in a vault, and will be shipped to Palestine on a steamer sailing on October 4th.
Mr. Rothenberg, in his statement, dispelled rumors that the body had been neglected and that proper respect had not been paid to the deceased during the interval which has elapsed.
The Zionist leader stated that since the death of Professor Schatz, the body in an embalmed state has remained in a vault in a Denver mortuary at the wish of and in accordance with the personal arrangements of Bezalel Schatz, son of the deceased, awaiting the completion of preparations for its transfer to Palestine.
“In fairness to the son of Professor Schatz,” declared Mr. Rothenberg, “I desire to state that upon inquiries made by me, I have been definitely assured by Dr. Eli Miller, president of the Zionist District of Denver, a leading physician and citizen in Denver, that proper and respectful care was accorded the body in the mortuary where it was placed by Bezalel Schatz pending the completion of provisions for its transfer to Palestine.
“Immediately after my assumption of office of president of the Zionist Organization,” Mr. Rothenberg said, “I brought the matter to the attention of the smaller administrative committee, and steps were immediately taken to effectuate the transfer. Arrangements have now been completed and the Jews of New York will be enabled to pay a last and fitting tribute to a great artist and leader in the modern Hebrew renaissance, before the final interment of the remains of Professor Schatz in the soil of the land which was so precious to him and to which he dedicated his life.”
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