The board of trustees of the Grand Rabbinate has been dissolved without explanation on orders of Turkish authorities, it was learned today. The board had the task of administering properties belonging to the Grand Rabbinate, the official representative body of Turkey’s 46, 000 Jews. The board was elected last December, after authorization for the election was obtained from the Interior Ministry.
That Ministry, however, has now issued the dissolution order, which surprised Jewish communal leaders. Israel Menasse, board president, was instructed to return to the Ministry the seal and Act given last December. The order simply said that the board was dissolved “until some juridical questions in this connection are settled.”
It was not immediately indicated how the Jewish communal properties would be administered, or whether the authorities would insist that each item of property be administered by a separate board. Such separate administration has been the policy of authorities in the past, to avoid centralization. The Grand Rabbinate has begun inquiries on this point, and a formal statement is expected soon.
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