THE RABBI AND THE DOMINIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18157, 31 January 1921, Page 3

THE RABBI AND THE DOMINIONS.

THE PASTORAL TOUR

The following is an abstract of a letter addressed by the .Chief Rabbi to all the congregations he will visit during the pastoral tour upon which he has entered: “. . . The war has welded together the far-flung members of our great Empire more than any other event in its history. It. has quickened and intensified the proud feeling of a common citizenshiji, and has been a great object lesson in the sustaining power of unity and combined effort. . The Jews of the Mother Country and of the dominions alike have risen to the height of their civic duties, and have actively shared the common dangers, trials, and sacrifices of the groat conflict. The time has now come to set our own house in order. To name but two vital tasks before us, there is everywhere the crying problem of adequate Jewish religious education_ of the young; and there is the imperative need that every congregation have a properly trained minister to guide his brethren and teach them the tenets and precepts of our Holv Torah. “Realising the great benefits that would result from a co-ordination and co-operation amongst its communities throughout the Empire, I am anxious to acquaint myself at first hand with the actual conditions prevailing in each congregation. For the first time in Anglo-Jewish history the Chief Rabbi has the opportunity to go beyond the shores of the United Kingdom to the outlying Jewries of Africa, Australasia, and Canada; preach to his brethren in their synagogues; investigate and inspect the Hebrew and religious instruction in their schools; as well as come into personal touch with all the forms of Jewish endeavour in their communities. I shall esteem it a great privilege to be able to »advise and to guide, as well as to take home with me fruitful suggestions for an all-embrac-ing communal scheme. _ I trust and pray that the unique possibilities of such a meeting will be fully realised in every congregation which it will be my privilege to visit. May Almighty God prosper our sacred undertaking for ,the honour of His name and for the spiritual well-being of His people." ■