Supreme Court Rules for Reform Wing in Cleveland Center

The Cleveland Jewish Center, after a long drawn-out legal and ecclesiastical fight, has won its case against the Orthodox members, who under the leadership of A. A. Katz, fought the introduction of various reforms by Rabbi Goldman. The Ohio Supreme Court yesterday rendered a decision upholding an earlier decision by the Cleveland Common Pleas Court. In upholding the lower court’s decision, the case is virtually ended.

The Court of Common Pleas had ruled that the courts of Ohio have no right to meddle in the religious affairs of a congregation, and dismissed the suit brought by the Orthodox group Against this ruling the Orthodox members appealed, and a court of appeals consisting of three out-of-town judges, ruled that the first court had no right to dismiss the case and the Orthodox members were entitled to a temporary injunction against the Center and to a hearing on their suit.

The Center then brought the matter before the Cleveland Court of Appeals and this court again decided that the courts have no jurisdiction, (Continued on Page 3)

The decision ends a fight that for several years has attracted wide attention. The fight against the Center was caused by the introduction of “modern” reforms by Rabbi Goldman. These changes made of the 50-year-old Center synagogue a semi-reform or conservative congregation, in which several of the orthodox rituals were eliminated. The orthodox group fought these changes, especially the seating of men and women together during the prayers in the synagogue. In view of the last decision, to take no further steps and to drop the case.