The ninetieth anniversary of the founding of the B’nai B’rith is being commemorated this week by celebrations of the various branches of the order. Plans for the week-long celebration include meetings by various lodges, addresses by Jewish notables, patriotic exercises and special religious services.
The commemoration of the B’nai B’rith anniversary began with a banquet Sunday night at the Hotel Roosevelt.
Samuel Untermyer, president of the League for the Defense of Jewish Rights, who was to have been one of the main speakers, declined to attend the banquet because of an article against the boycott of Germany, reprinted in the B’nai B’rith Magazine.
Mr. Untermyer was to have spoken on “World Jewry.” His refusal to speak was made known by the chairman of the celebration committee, Dr. Harold Korn, who acted as toastmaster.
“A reply has been sent to Mr. Untermyer, expressing keen disappointment at his decision not to speak here,” declared Dr. Korn. “It has been made clear to him that the B’nai B’rith Magazine is an open forum for the free expression of opinion. Articles on both sides of controversial subjects, such as Zionism, have appeared in it without in any way being an expression of the Order. Had Mr. Untermyer availed himself of the opportunity of speaking here, this audience would have welcomed hearing his views on the subject ‘World Jewry’.”
Speakers at the banquet, which was attended by 500 members of the B’nai B’rith, included Richard E. Gutstadt, Rabbi Abraham Burstein, Rabbi Herbert S. Goldstein, Dr. Harry G. Goldman, Frank Goldman, Horace R. Cohen and Louis Fabricant.
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.
