NEW CHIEF RABBI.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1710, 29 March 1913, Page 3

NEW CHIEF RABBI.

ELECTION OF DR. JOSEPH HERTZ. Dr. Joseph Hertz, Rabbi of tho Orach. Chayim congregation of Nevr York, tos on Sunday, February 16, elected Cliief Eabbi of the Jews of the British Empire at a meeting of the Rabbinate Electoral Committee held at the AVharncliffe Rmiiis, N.AV.,, tindeT the chairmanship of Lord Rothschild. The position is for life. Those who have openly opposed the election of Dr. Hertz, favouring Dr. Hyamson, "who has for some time* undertaken many of the duties of the Chief Rabbi, and those who favoured neither pledged themselves in a formal resolution, to ssrve loyally under the new leadership (says the "Daily Mail"). There were only two dissentients. . TIIO proportional voting, based on th 6 amount of money contributed by the various bodjes contributing to the Chief Rabbi's Fund, ,whp were represented at the election by delegates, was as follows:—

Dr. Joseph Hertz 298 , Dr., Hyamson 39 Individual voting of delegates" was: 56 for Dr. Hertz, and 27 for Dr. Hyamson. Resolutions to refer the matter back to the Stdection Committee for the suggestion oj new candidates and for the postponement of the election for twelve months wcro defeated by a large majority. The election of Dr. Hertz is in, a largo extent duo to Lord Rothschild, who has urged again and again the necessity of filling the vacant post at the earliest possible moment. The. new Chief Rabbi is a man of strong personality. lio is a young man for,such a great_post, being only forty-one. years of age. He was born in Hungary, and ho is a brilliant orator. Dr. Hertz was Rabbi at Syracuse, TF.S.A., for v five years. But .it was in Johannesburg that he showed his strength of personality. During the Boer war ho mado a great fight for the rights, religious and otherwise, of British subjects, «r.d as a result ho was expelled by President Kruger. -For the past twelve months 'lie has been ,the Rabbi of one of .the largest synagogues in New York, and his activities tliere were brought to the notice of the Endidi authorities. His salary as Chief Rabbi will be .£2OOO a. year, out of which he will have to provide the expenses Of his office, such as the payment of a secretary. His residence must be near the East End. He', will be president of the Beth Din in Whitechapel, the lewisf Court where civil and ecclesiastical teases concerning Jews a,re heard.