A national committee, composed of leaders in the Orthodox, Conservative and Reform branches of American Judaism, has been formed to help establish and support the work of an Institute of Hebrew Culture in Tokyo, it was reported here today. The institute will be headed by Dr. Abraham S. Kotsuji, Japanese convert to Judaism, who will initiate the project.
Dr. Kotsuji, now visiting this country, was officially converted to the Jewish faith last year by the rabbinate in Jerusalem. A descendant of a line of Shinto priests, Dr. Kotsuji accepted Judaism after a lifetime of study of Jewish laws and traditions that began in Kyoto when he was 13 years old. He is considered the leading Hebraist in Japan. During the Second World War, Dr. Kotsuji was instrumental in saving the lives of thousands of Jews who had fled to Japan from Poland before the Nazi invasion.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
