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Beth-el and Emanu-el Agree to Consolidate

May 20, 1927
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The differences regarding the consolidation of Temple Emanu-El and Temple Beth-El were adjusted at a conference Wednesday evening between the Trustees of Temple Emanu-El of New York and the Special Committee appointed by Temple Beth El at its meeting on the 11th inst., at which the proposed consolidation had been unanimously approved. A resolution to urge the Emanu-El authorities to adopt some such compound name as “Congregation Emanu-El-Beth El”, for the consolidation, instead of “Emanu-El Congregation”, the name specified in the agreement of consolidation executed by the Trustees, was also taken up.

Louis Marshall, president of Temple Emanu-El, pointed out that the formal change of name proposed would lead to technical difficulties, including the necessity of calling together a new meeting of the membership of his congregation, at which rash statements might be made by individuals resenting the inaccurate and sensational newspaper reports of the proceedings at the two meetings of Beth El, as also costly delay.

On behalf of the trustees of Temple Emanu-El, he suggested that the spirit of Beth-El’s unanimous resolution for the employment of the compound name might be secured by modifying the understanding between the two congregations, so that besides naming the chapel to be attached to the new synagogue building “Beth-El”, appropriate tablets be erected in the new synagogue building of the new corporation, specifically pointing out that the new congregation is a consolidation of the two congregations, and severally commemorating their history, traditions and spiritual leadership. All the stationery to be used by the new congregation should contain, after the name of the new corporation “Emanu-El Congregation” with supplementary matter as the words “a consolidation of Temple Emanu-El and Temple Beth-El”, and the synagogue of Temple Beth-El at 76th Street and Fith Avenue, where the new consolidated congregation (consisting of the members and seatholders of both of the present congregations) will worship jointly for approximately two years, pending the completion of the new synagogue building, will continue to be known as “Temple Beth-El”.

Both committees expressed themselves as satisfied with this arrangement, and assurances for united support of the new congregation by all the members and seat-holders of each were given.

The committee representing Beth-El, were: Max J. Kohler, Chairman; Saul Bernstein, Arthur K. Kuhn, Walter J. Rosston, Leopold Stern, H. Grant Straus, Dr. J. E. Zipser and Sydney H. Herman who named the committee as chairman of the recent Beth-El meetings.

The Trustees of Temple Emanu-El are: Louis Marshall, Henry J. Bernheim, Philip J. Goodhart, Daniel Guggenheim, Hon. Irving Lehman, Benjamin Mordecai. Samuel M. Newburger, Adolph S. Ochs, Edward Schafer, Wm. I. Spiegelberg, Henry M. Toch and Arthur Zinn.

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