Thousands of Synagogues Throughout U.S. Hold Special Services for Palestine Jews

Hundreds of thousands of Jews in every part of the United States Jammed thousands of synagogues and Temples today to participate in special services asking divine intercession on behalf of the Jews of Palestine.

The unprecedented services, which also voiced the indignation of American Jewry against the American Governments abandonment of the Palestine partition decision, were arranged by the Synagogue Council of America, representing Orthodox, Conservative and Reform rabbinical and congregational bodies throughout the United Stated.

The services began in most instances in the late afternoon or early evening. Thousands of business establishments in the metropolitan area, as well as in the larger Jewish communities in the country, closed at 4:P.M. in order to enable their employees to attend the services. In this city, the preponderantly Jewish garment and wholesale dry goods areas were completely shut down.

Rev. Karl Baehr, representing the American Christian Palestine Committee, said that the day of prayer indicated a “mighty demonstration that the demand for a free Jewish Palestine takes top priority and transcends all considerations of race or creed. This special prayer for fulfillment of pledges which predate the war deserves the most sympathetic and the deepest support of all persons and nations.”

Meanwhile, reports reaching here from Palestine, Great Britain, South Africa, Australia, Canada and Latin America said that Jewish religious organizations in those countries also held special services today. In many synagogues, both in this country and abroad, the traditional prayer for the dead, El Molel Rachamim, was pronounced in honor of the Jews who have been killed in Palestine since the outbreak of violence more than four months ago.