The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-13
A RABBI IN DISGRACE.
He Told Lies About His Family. Whom
He Deserted in Russia.


San Francisco, Aug. I2-Rev. solomon
Diamond. until recently cantor of the
Menaheim Streisand congregation, has
been suspended from office by President
Isaac Baer, and this action has been rat
ified by the trustees. The sudden ternin-
alton of his engagement and his falling
from grace was caused by his posing as
married man before the congregation
and palming himself of as single 10 a
young lady OF the flock. The story OF his
advent engagement and suspension is
best told by Isaac Baer president of the
congregation. 1T is a little over a year
ago. said Mr.. Baer when Rev Solomon
Diamond arrived here, coming, as he
claimed, from Cleveland. He was intro
dueed TO me and craved the privilege of
ofhciating in our synagogue, the pulpit Of
which was vacant at that time. Among
the questions I propounded to him was
one as TO whether he was married. as the
orthodox Jews require their clergy TO be
married in order to be competent to Off
ciate al the various functions devolving
upon them. He replied that his wife and
TWO children We're living in Odessa, Rus
sia- The privilege was extended, and he
ofiiciated on the following Sabbath. A
few days later the conference convened in
special session and elected him cantor
Tor term of three years, on condition
that his family would join him not later
His conduct toward the young lady
members OF the flock caused some ru-
mors that the new cantor was single. He
peutioned the congregation for A loan
of $50. committee was appointed to as
certain his needs, and he told the COM
mittee that he wanted the money to send
to his family in Russia and, being press
ed for proof. he exhibited letters pur-
porting to come from his wife. He was
then Informed that the committee was
authorized to expend $500 to defray the
expense Of bringing his family to this
city, but refused to advance any money
10 him for any other purpose. He de-
clined the offer. He was a frequent guest
at the home of Mr. Bernstein. a member
OF the congregation. and one day asked
that gentleman's sister-in-law to go out
with him. Mr.. Bernstein objected. on the
ground that Diamond was married man.
Diamond denied being married. and said
that he made that statement only in or
der TO obtain his position. The matter
was reported to the officers of the congre-
cation. and they charged their cantor
with having deceived them. He denied
the occurrence at Bernstein's home en-
phatically. and swore a solmen oath in
the synagogue. before the sacred ark and
the holy scrolls. that he was a married
man. \ few days later he showed a let
ter from his wife in which she absolutely
refused to journey to this country to join
her husband. Upon the strength of that
letter he applied to Rabbi HirschowItz
for Jewish divorce. The rabbi re-
fused to issue such a document until he
could learn particulars from the wife The
rabbi wrote 10 Odessa. Diamond became
uneasy and confided to some friends that
he was not married at all, and had only
pretended so TO serve his purpose. But
a reply came from Odessa to Rabbi
HIrschowitz. stating that Diamond was
married in that city to Sarah, daughter
of Rabbi Noah; that he had deserted his
family. and that his wife had had no It'd
ings from him for long time. and was
anxious to be rid Of him. / confronted
him with these facts, and charged him
with duplicity. lie admitted all, and ex-
planned that he had caused his brother to
to write the letters he had shown as COM
ing from his wife. I suspended Cantor
Diamond peremptorily, and would not al
low him to offlciate. The board of trus-
tees ratified my action. and the congre-
cation at a special meeting refused TO re-
instate him."