The annual convention of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis in the United States and Canada closed its sessions Thursday night with the reelection of Rabbi Israel Rosenberg as chairman of the Executive.
A resolution, presented by Rabbi E. Epstein of Chicago as chairman of the resolutions committee, was adopted, whereby “the Agudath Ha’rabonim will devote itself to the extension of the Yeshivahs materially and intellectually and to foster in these schools the spirit of the Torah and piety.” Another resolution adopted provided “That the Agudath Ha’rabonim establish a Vaad Hasmichoh, so that the ordination for the rabbinate be not abused by haphazard methods, or rather lack of method in issuing certificates of ordination.”
The Committee on Palestine, of which Rabbi A. Teitelbaum was chairman recommended “That this convention request of all its members to participate in all activities pertaining to the support of the Old Palestinian settlement and to make all needed sacrifices for its maintainence and growth. That the convention demand of all those participating in its labors to participate in the labors of the Zionist Organization in the up-building of Palestine and to see that all the institutions managed by the Keren Hayesod be conducted in the traditional Jewish spirit. That this convention recommends that the Palestine Committee enter into correspondence with the rabbinical associations of foreign lands for the purpose of devising means whereby the breaches in the communal and religious life of Palestine may be healed and that harmony may reign in our home land in future days.”
The Palestine Committee reported that 84 rabbis have bought land in Palestine during the past year. All the resolutions were adopted by acclamation.
Rabbi B. L. Levinthal of Philadelphia, honorary president of the Agudath Ha’rabonim, closed the convention with an impassioned valedictory. He recommended the publication of a Jubilee Book to celebrate the twenty-five years of the Union’s existence, during the forthcoming year.
The following officers were elected: Honorary presidents; Rabbi M. S. Margolies and Rabbi D. L. Levinthal of Philadelphia. The praesidium: Rabbi Israel Rosenberg. president; Dr. B. Revel, Rabbi E. Silver. Rabbi J. Kanowitz and Rabbi I. Siegel. Secretary: Rabbi J. L. Seltzer, Financial Secretary: I. Karlinsky. Committee on Membership: Rabbis S. Soloweitschik, Poliatschek, Tomoshov, M. Rosen, Landau, Tushowitz. Committee on Family Purity: Rabbis M. Schwartz of Baltimore, Rabbi Riff of Camden, Rabbi J. M. Kohane, Rabbi Klein. Rabbi Wiener. Rabbi L. Cohen. Rabbi Flax, Rabbi Freedman. Rabbi Rabinowitz and Rabbi Gutt. The Finance committee consisted of Rabbis Lenchovitz, Predmesky, Iskolsky, Gordon of Norfolk, Hurwitz, Baskin, Ebbin and Idelson. The Committee on conciliation was composed of Rabbis Boruchov, Guzik, Obshevsky, E. Gordon, Miller, Rosenberg of Long Branch, Shapiro and Marcos.
To the Committee on Palestine were elected Rabbis Teitelbaum, C. F. Epstein, Natolewich, Werner, Hirshensohn, M. A. Kaplan, Schapiro and Grubart. The Sabbath Committee was composed of Rabbis A. Feffer, Schuchatovitz, Zalmanowitz, Bachrach, Appleman, Moinester, Finkelstein, Yelles, L. M. Rabinowitz, S. Seltzer, Goldenberg and Kessler.
The Committee on Kashruth was composed of Rabbis Preill, Sillman, Borwick, Popkin, Ash, Marcos of Baltimore, Bunin, Larker, Lippman, Levin, Redelheim, Sterman; the committee on education: Levinon, Rubenstein, Levenburg, Schottland, Livowitz, Schenkopf, Damesek, Polkowitz. The Committee on the Torah, Rabbi Z. Rosen, Inselbuch, Burack, Dembrovsky, Koslovsky. E. Epstein was chosen president of the Western Region. Rabbi Geffen, president of the southern region, Rabbis Z. Cohen and Berger of Canada. Committee on conciliation: Rabbis Boruchov, Guzik, Obshevsky, Gordon, Miller Shapiro, Rosenberg.
JEWISH INSTITUTE OF RELIGION TO HOLD FIRST COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
The first commencement exercises of the Jewish Institute of Religion, of which Dr. Stephen S. Wise is the Acting President, will be held on May 26.
Dr. Wise will confer the degrees upon the first group of graduates, which numbers thirteen.
The commencement address will be by Judge Irving Lehman of the New York Court of Appeals The Baccalaureate Sermon will be delivered by Rabbi Jonah Bondi Wise, of the Central Synagogue, on Sunday evening, May 23.
The Jewish Institute of Religion was founded four years ago by Dr. Wise.
In defining, on the occasion of the first graduation of the Jewish Institute of Religion, the purpose of the Institute, Dr. Wise declared: “I felt the time had come for the establishment of a school of Jewish learning without labels, without partisanship, a school in which it would not be necessary, nor even possible, for men at the beginning of the period of study to declare their affiliation with one or another wing or group in Jewish life. As far as it is at all necessary for a man to utter the shibboleth of reform, or orthodoxy, or conservatism, this should be done only after a man has gone to the sources of Jewish life and history, not before.”
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