Officials of the American Council for Judaism confirmed today that Rabbi Elmer Berger, its executive vice-president and principal spokesman since 1943, had severed his connection with the anti-Zionist organization, but they declined to discuss the circumstances. A formal statement in behalf of the Council will be issued next week on the return to New York of Richard Korn, Council president, it was stated.
Rabbi Berger, 68, a bitter foe of the State of Israel and of the Zionist movement, submitted his resignation to the Council Board last Sunday. According to Clarence L. Coleman, board chairman, it was accepted “with regret.” Council officials termed “preposterous” reports that Rabbi Berger’s resignation had been precipitated by adverse publicity in connection with the visit here of Rabbi Yehuda Leib Levin of Moscow at the Council’s invitation.
Rabbi Berger’s resignation followed by a matter of weeks the resignation of the Council’s executive director and another staff member. In a statement made following his resignation as executive director, Dr. Norton Mezvinsky charged that Rabbi Berger had given speech writing assistance to the Syrian Ambassador to the United Nations.
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.
