Urges Orthodox Rabbis to Have Greater Regard for Learning, Less for Oratory

The appointment of rabbis with a regard to their learning rather than to their oratorical ability was urged on the nearly 200 rabbis attending the annual convention of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada by Rabbi A. D. Shapiro, Chief Rabbi of Kovno, Lithuania, now visiting in this country. He pointed out that to name rabbis for their learning would raise the standard of the rabbis and add prestige to the rabbinate.

A resolution alleging that the Palestine Emergency Fund was being diverted for purpose other than constructive work for the benefit of the direct sufferers of the Palestine riots was presented by Rabbi Joseph Konvitz of Newark on behalf of the Committee on Palestine Affairs. The resolution called forth a heated debate.

The same committee presented a resolution urging support for the $6,000,000 Allied Jewish Campaign for the Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Agency. The convention paid tribute to the victims of the Hebron massacre and listened to a recommendation for the appointment of a permanent committee which shall deal with the issuance of an appeal for the old Jewish settlement in Palestine.

Reports presented to the convention showed that the work of many orthodox congregations and educational organizations throughout the country were badly affected by the business depression. In his presidential message, Rabbi Eliazer Silver of Springfield, Mass., recommended that extraordinary measures be taken to furnish outlying Jewish communities in the Far and Middle West with orthodox religious leaders at the expense of the stronger congregations.

Another report indicated that the Union would soon complete a statistical survey of all existing orthodox congregations with a view to getting new ones established, especially in the smaller communities and thus provide posts for the present over-supply of rabbis.