A united drive by all religious peoples against paganism and Godlessness as the “source of the present world catastrophe” was urged last night at the concluding session of the second annual convention of the Agudath Israel, orthodox Jewish religious organization.
The convention, whose five-day session had been attended by 800 delegates and guests from all over the country and Canada, decided to appeal to all non-Jewish religious leaders and all religious people the world over who believe in the unity of God to unite in the drive.
In another resolution, the convention recommended issuance of an appeal to all non-Jewish leaders for common action to protect the Holy Land, cradle of three great religions, from air attacks.
The convention also moved to obtain the moral support of American university presidents and the American Government, as well as of other governments directly involved, to make possible the transfer of the more famous of Jewish religious institutions from German-or Soviet-occupied territories to the United States.
Other resolutions called for establishment of a workers colony in Palestine in the name of the late Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzienski of Wilno, creation of a chain of orthodox schools in his name, setting up of a Pan-American Agudath Israel office and transfer to the United States of the organization’s world headquarters, now in London, for the duration of the war.
The convention also decided to designate a month for contributions for the support of traditional Judaism and to inaugurate an educational campaign for observance of the Sabbath. It adopted a declaration asserting that in the “present difficult moment for world Jewry, the strengthening of our inner religious feeling and our devotion to the Torah are of first and foremost importance.”
Rabbi Eliezer Silver, of Cincinnati, was re-elected president. Other officers elected include Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, of Boston, chairman of the National Execut ive and Isaac Masel, of Philadelphia, treasurer.
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