Hebrew Union College Project Threatens Split in Jerusalem Coalition

The question of a Reform synagogue in the School of Archaeology to be constructed here by the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion may lead to the break-up of Jerusalem’s municipal coalition government. Religious members of the city’s Municipal Council are now members of the coalition which supports Mayor Gershon Agron, a Mapai party member.

A meeting of the Council convened to approve or reject the school building plan was adjourned by the Mayor, when it became evident that absentees from the meeting had left the religious groups in a majority. Prior to the meeting, Chief Rabbi Isaac Halevi Herzog’s secretary had told Mayor Agron and the councillors that agreement had not yet been reached between the Chief Rabbinate and Dr. Nelson Glueck, president of HUC-JIR, who is now in Israel as to the form of prayers and other details.

Orthodox religious circles had protested the building of a Reform synagogue in the heart of Orthodox Jerusalem, but they had agreed when Dr. Glueck revealed that the synagogue would be part of the library, that services would be held on Saturday and not Sunday, and that the prayers would be recited in Hebrew rather than in English. The Orthodox groups had also accepted mixed seating of men and women, but had continued to insist that the synagogue should serve only students at the school and not be permitted to draw worshippers from outside. The last point is believed to remain the principal matter of contention.