Chief Rabbi Kook makes a vehement protest in a statement published in the “Dear Hayom” to-day against what he describes as the arrogant attitude towwards religion adopted by some of the members of the Palestine Jewish Elected Assembly (Assefath Hanivcharim) during the session of the Assembly held last month.
The Vaad Leumi should enact a regulation; the Chief Rabbi urges, prohibiting offensive outbursts of this kind at future Assemblies. What we have to do, he says, is to concentrate on such measures only being taken which will enable our joint forces to surmount the crises and to sate a united front”.
Chief Rabbi Kook’s protest, which it is understood refers to certain remarks made in the Assembly by the Labour representatives, Mr. Hemez and Dr. Arlossoroff, to the effect that “freedom of conscience is some people’s religion”, and follows on general lines the protest made at the time in the Assembly by the representatives of the Mizrachi.
The remarks objected to by the Chief Rabbi were made on February 9th. during a heated debate in the Assembly on a paper read by Rabbi Ostrovsky, of the Mizrachi, on the organisation of the local Jewish Communities in Palestine, in the course of which he submitted drift regulations for election to the Chief Rabbincail Council. In the discussion which followed, Mr. Remez on behalf of the Left Wing, urged that religious needs should be separated from the general activities. The Mizrachi speakers insisted that the Vaad Loumi must guard against the infringement of religious sentiment. Dr. Arlossoroff and other Labour representatives replied that liberty of con-
science is as sacred to some people as religion is to others. Miss Ada Fishman, a member of the Left Wing and a sister of Rabbi Fishman, the leader of the Mizrachi, created a sensation by demanding that women should be represented on the Rabbinical Convocation, which is to nominate the Chief Rabbis of Palestine. Mr. Erem, of the extreme Left Poale Zion, caused an uproar by declaring: “My religion is to fight Religion; that’s why I admire Mcscow”. “Go to Moscow” members of the Assembly cried from all sides of the house.
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