First Latin American Conference of Conservative Synagogues Opened

The first Latin American conference of representatives of Conservative synagogues opened here last night in the Great Hall of Sociedad Hebraica Argentina. Delegations participating in this session, which has been hailed as a major step toward strengthening Jewish consciousness in South America, included Conservative leaders from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Panama, Uruguay. There were also delegates from the United States and Israel who were invited as guests.

The U.S. delegation is headed by Dr. Abraham Heschel, noted Conservative thinker and professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America, who delivered the major address at last night’s opening on the fundamental problems of the Western Jew. Other speakers included Maz Mazar Barnett, president of Congregation Israelite Argentina; Emilio Gutkin, president of the Buenos Aires Jewish Community Council; Dr. Guillermo Schleisinger, leading Liberal rabbi in Buenos Aires; Dr. Alfredo Hirschberg, Brazilian community leader and Dr. Ernst Simon, Israeli philosopher.