Roumanian Jewish Leaders Protest Against Communities Bill

In view of the fact that a meeting of Jewish representatives of Old Roumania and the new Provinces, held under the chairmanship of the Minister of Public Worship, has established the norms of the organization of the Jewish faith and the election of a representative of the Jewish faith to the Senate, says a resolution adopted by a Conference of representatives of the Jewish faith and of Jewish organizations throughout the country, which has just been held here; in view of the fact that through the Constitution and the Religious Communities Law the Jewish Community has been given complete autonomy in drawing up the statutes of its organization: in view of the fact that in opposition to what took place at the meeting referred to and in opposition to the rights of the Jewish faith to organize itself independently, the Government is dictating the method of its organization: in view of the fact that ### the amendments made by the Senate Commission on Public Worship restricts the number of communities, the Government Bill is still in opposition to the rights of the Jewish faith to organize itself according to its own wish: in view of the fact that the changes which are being made destroy the very basis of the organization of all Jewish institutions, we protest against this violation of the autonomy of the Jewish faith, and call upon the Government to withdraw its project, to avoid the religious warfare, which can be of benefit neither to the Jewish not to the country at large.

The signatories to the resolution are Chief Rabbi Semator Dr. Niemirower, the representative in the Senate of the Jewish faith M. EH Berooviet and M. Schweiz for the Federation of Jewish Communities of Old Roumania Dr. W. Filderman. M. Horia Cary. Dr. L. Mayerson, Dr. J. Beroowitz and M. ### for the Unton of Roumanian Jews. Deputy M. Landan and Deputy Dr. Joseph Fischer for the Jewish National Club, Dr. B. Mendelsohn for the Federation of Students “Unirea,” Messrs. Leon Blenaru and Valentin D. Saxone for the Schools Federation. Dr. J. Goldenberg for the Federation of Jewish Doctor, and M. Gutman for the Mutual Aid Societies.

The Parliament of the Liberals, Senator Ebner, the President of the Jewish Parliamentary Club said, speaking in the Senate against the government’s Communities Law, adopted a Communities Law which was largely satisfactory to the Jews. It is therefore particularly painful to the Jewish Parliamentary Club that it should be the government of the National Peasants’ Party which is moving to destroy the unity of the Jewish communities. “We had a definite promise from the Prime Minister, M. Maniu, that before acting on any Jewish question, the Government would consult us first. Now the Government has brought in this bill without asking our opinion. It has not even consulted the representative of the Jewish faith in the Senate, Chief Rabbi Dr. Niemirower, although, under the constitution, it is his place to watch over the rights of his community,” said Senator Ebner.

“The only thing that keeps us Jews together is the united community. A united Jewry is a more valuable element also to the State than a divided Jewish community, which is exhausting itself in internecine warfare. We would rather you dissolved our communities altogether, instead of destroying them in this way, for what you are doing leads to chaos and annihilation. We Jews have no such thing as various rites. It is only a question of unessential differences in liturgy which do not affect the essentials of the faith. For all Jews the Torah, the Talmud and the Shulchan Aruch are the recognized sources of religious life. We Jews know of no differences of dogma. Our strength lies in our rigid adherence to our three thousand year old tradition, our loyalty to our monotheistic faith, for which thousands of our ancestors went to the stake, and for which thousands upon thousands would today be ready to go to their death with uplifted souls.

“What will happen to our welfare institutions, our hospitals, our orphanages, our homes for the aged, if you split up our communities?” Dr. Ebner asked.

“These changes have roused the indignation of the Jewish population. The fact that the Minister of Public Worship has demanded urgency for these changes shows us that he wanted to face the Jewish population with an accomplished fact. He is mistaken. This movement of protest which has been started will not be stopped. There is no real reason for coming forward with these changes.

“We are surprised that it is in the question of rites that it is intended to We suggest to the Government that put as on a level with the Christians, it should start with more practical measures to put us Jews on a level with the rest of the population in other matters. I urge you to pay heed to the appeal of the Jewish Parliamentary Club, which represents the overwhelming majority of the Jewish population. Do not force upon us a law which we do not want. If you carry through your law, we shall vote against it and we shall continue to fight against it till our last strength, until we win,” Senator Ebner declared.

Senator Zipstein, one of the Jewish members of the government party, who spoke immediately after Senator Ebner, said that the Jewish Parliamentary Club was taking too much upon itself in speaking in the name of the whole of Roumanian Jewry. The government, he said, had demonstrated its justice and objectivity with regard to all religions.

The bill referred to above was passed by both Houses of the Roumanian Parliament, as reported in the Jewish Daily Bulletin of Friday.