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Anti-zionist Rabbis Discuss Plans to Spread Their Views Among U.S. Jews

The publication of the papers presented at the meeting of the sixty anti-Zionist Reform rabbis now taking place here was urged today by Rabbi Clifton Levy, addressing the gathering in the Chelsea Hotel. The papers, representing the views of the minority group within the Central Conference of American Rabbis, all express opposition to Zionism and […]

June 3, 1942
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The publication of the papers presented at the meeting of the sixty anti-Zionist Reform rabbis now taking place here was urged today by Rabbi Clifton Levy, addressing the gathering in the Chelsea Hotel.

The papers, representing the views of the minority group within the Central Conference of American Rabbis, all express opposition to Zionism and to the creation of a separate Jewish Army. Rabbi Levy also urged the founding of a publication of national scope to present the ideas of Reform Judaism as expressed by the more than sixty rabbis attending the gathering.

Rabbi Isaac Land of Brooklyn, addressing today’s session, stated that “the time for the realization of the Jewish religious hope of universal justice and righteousness among peoples and nations, first envisioned by the Jewish prophets and carried down by the Jews to this day, has come; that the history of the United Nations shall presage the setting of the right in the earth, according to the truth; that the peace shall guarantee this right for all peoples of the whole world; that nations’ shall not learn war anymore, so that none shall hereafter make them afraid. This certainly can be the unanimous declaration of all Jews everywhere, even those to whom Zionism is their religion,” Rabbi Landman said.

ZIONIST RESOLUTIONS ARE INCONSISTENT, SAYS RABBI LAZARON

Dr. Morris A. Lazaron of Baltimore, addressing the conference last night, stated that the resolutions of the Zionist meetings “reveal inconsistencies which are hard to reconcile.”

“They proclaim unreserved support of the United Nations, yet continue to agitate for a Jewish Army,” he pointed out. “They declare for cooperation with the Arabs, but demand that the Jewish Agency have full control of immigration. They deny nationalism for the Jews, but demanding international status for the Jewish people, call upon Jews who are citizens of other countries to work for a political goal related to a land other than their own. No stable future for the Jew in Palestine or anywhere else can be built on such foundations.”

Dr. David Philipson of Cincinnati said that the United States and other free nations of the world are the promised lands for the Jews of the present generation. The rabbis attending the meeting were appointed a continuing committee by Dr. Louis Wolsey of Philadelphia who presided.

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