The formation of a federation of orthodox synagogues in the United States and Canada, which up to the present have not been organized in a body, was decided upon at the eleventh annual convention of the Assembly of Hebrew Orthodox Rabbis which concluded its sessions Monday at the Concourse Plaza Hotel.
A special committee was appointed, headed by Rabbi R. Mitos of the Bronx, to call a convention of the synagogues and congregations affiliated with the organization, to be held in February 1927, for the purpose of organizing the federation.
A resolution adopted by the assembly viewed “with sadness the lack of organization and cooperation among the synagogues of American and Canada; every synagogue is a community by itself acting independently of the other, giving the laity no opportunity for interchange of ideas and ideals and leaving most of the syangogues to develop as chance or whims or fancies would have it.”
The resolution urged the 244 members of the organization, representing 600 congregations, to take immediate measures in that direction.
The discussion which developed during the convention touched upon the question of Jewish education, the United Jewish Campaign for the $25,000,000 overseas chest, and the Palestine rebuilding work.
With regard to the question of Jewish education, the assembly of Hebrew Orthodox Rabbis adopted a resolution urging greater facilities for Jewish education for the youth and emphasising that “it is the duty of every rabbi to consolidate all elements in his community for the purpose of creating a uniform system of Jewish education.” The resolution took exception to making the question of Jewish education in America a party issue.
“No party of any shade whatsoever can claim the exclusive right to carry on the work of Jewish education in American Israel without perpetrating an everlasting injury to the people most concerned,” the resolution read.
The assembly went on record as urging support for the Keren Hayesod, the Jewish National Fund and other kindred funds under the supervision of the World Zionist Organization.
“The pure stream of Jewish immigration flowing into Eretz Israel is a source of matchless pride and joy to every member in the House of Israel,” the resolution declared.
Concerning the $25,000,000 overseas chest, the assembly voted for a resolution urging American Jewry to support “and give as much and more than they can to the relief fund.” The resolution, however, reiterates the objection voiced by the assembly at its last year’s convention, to the Russian colonization work.
Another resolution adopted by the assembly deplored the fact that “mixed marriages have recently become common occurrences within our midst” and called attention to the “violations of the laws of Israel pertaining to the purity of family life.
The following officers were elected: President, Rabbi G. Wolf Margolis, New York City; Vice-President, Rabbi Charles H. Moskowitz, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Second Vice-President, Rabbi J. J. Horowitz, Pittsburgh, Pa,; Third Vice-President, Rabbi Jacob Mendelsohn, Newark, N. J.; Chairman Executive Committee, Rabbi Simon Glazer, New York; Treasurer, Rabbi S. D. Posner, Jersey City, N. J.; Secretary, Rabbi M. Margolis, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Vice-President for the Middle Western States, Rabbi D. Epstein, Cincinnati, Ohio; Vice-President for the Mountain and Pacific Coast States. Rabbi Meyer Hirsch, San Francisco, California; Vice-President for the Southern States, Rabbi D. Meyerowitz. Houston, Texas; Vice-President for Western New York, Rabbi A. M. Franklin, Buffalo, N. Y.
To the Executive Committee were elected: Rabbi A. Gorowitz, Boston, Mass.; Rabbi R. Mitos. Bronx, N. Y.; Rabbi M. Etter, Harrisburg, Pa.; Rabbi J. Laks, Brooklyn, N. Y.: Rabbi H. Adams, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; Rabbi M. Lipshitz, Philadelphia, Pa.; Rabbi J.D. Jurman. Waterburg. Conn.: Rabbi R. Rivkin, Baltimore, Md.: Rabbi M. Garolek, Springfield, Mass: Rabbi J. Dick, Providence, R. I.; Rabbi S. H. Klibansky, Reviere, Mass.; Rabbi C. H. Friedman, New York City; Rabbi A. M. Casson, Brooklyn, N. Y.; Rabbi S. Rabinowitz, Brooklyn. N. Y.; Rabbi J. A. Dubros, Washington. D. C.; Rabbi M. Shapiro. Brooklyn. N. Y.; Rabbi I. Sodin, Brooklyn. N.Y.; Rabbi Joseph Levine, Lakewood, N. J.; Rabbi A. Safran, New York City; Rabbi M. Zuskind. New York City; Rabbi J. Shewelewitz, Long Branch, N. J.; Rabbi H. Adams, Rochester, N. Y.; Rabbi R. Cohen, New York City; Rabbi S. Friedlander, Baltimore, Md.; Rabbi S. Horowitz. Baltimore, Md.; Rabbi Z. Leberman. New York City; Rabbi L. Levine Coney Island, N. Y.; Rabbi J. Levy Brooklyn, N. Y.; Rabbi M. M. Schochal. Portland, Me.; Rabbi M.Forman. Philadelphia, Pa.; Rabbi Moses Klibanof, Boston, Mass.
The Convention was presided over by Rabbi Simon Glazer of New York City. The four vice-chairmen of the Convention were: Rabbi Jacob Mendelsohn of Newark. N. J.: Rabbi Aaron Gorowitz of Boston; Rabbi Moses Etter of Harrisburg, Pa.; Rabbi S. D. Posner, Jersey City, N. J.
Resolutions expressing thanks to Rabbi Simon Glazer, chairman of the Executive Committee, upon the completion of the translation of Maimonides Yad Hachazaka into English and to Rabbi G. W. Margolies, honorary president of the assembly, on the occasion of his completion of a new commentary on the Pentatuch.
Following the conclusion of the convention a banquet was given to the delegates at the Concourse Plaza Hotel.
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.
