The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-24
JEW EORSHIPPERS DIVIDE.
ROW OVER NAMES on TABLET
or JAMAICA SYNAGOGUE.

Tablet Torn Down and Thrown Into Dis
used vault The Seceders Hold serV-
lees I'm the sunday school Chapel Of the
Grace Protestant Episcopal Church.
After laboring in harmony for six long
years to build their modest little synagogue,
the First Jewish Congregation OF Jamaica
has split into two violently hostile factions
over the question Of whose names should
be put on he tablet commemorative
Of the completion OF the building. On
faction, headed by most Of the leaders of
the congregation while it was struggling
but united, has seeded, formed a separate
religious corporation and for the last ten
days has been holding services in the Sun
day school chapel Of Grace Protestant
Episcopal Church. through the courtesy
of the Rev. DR.. Horatio Oliver Laird, the
rector.
The first Jewish congregation Of Jamaica
was composed Of Hungarian and Polish
Jews. holding a faith about half way between
the reformed and the orthodox. The found
ers OF the congregation, which even now
numbers not more than seventy-ive, were
not heavily encUmbered with the worlds
goods when they came to Jamaica. They
dweit in a colony by themselves on the
Rockaway roa section Of Jamaica south
OF Fulton street.
Well TO do Jews came 10 Jamaica as the
town grew, Joined the congregation and
gradually assumed the leadership. They
lived on the other side OF Fulton street.
The church was built principally through
their efforts. Among them are Henry
Altman, +. M. Silver, Herman Kohn and
other prosperous Jewish business men Of
the town. For six years the building Of the
little frame synagogue has gone on under
the direction Of these men, but with the
cooperation Of the whole congregation.
Emanuel Splitter, the president of the
congregation and chairman OF the building
committee, has been especially energetic,
personally seeing to the proper placing Of
the capstones and completion Of the ediice.
FOur months ago the synagogue was
completed and the whole congregation
held services OF thanksgiving and dedication
to the service and glory Of yahveh. Splitter
soon afterward ave orders to have a
bronze tablet cast bearing the names OF
the officers Of the congregation and the
members Of the building committee who
completed the edifioe. 1t SO happened
Mr.. Spite RS name thus appeared
twice on the tablet and that about all the
NNANo oAAAS' III +" "OAO - SNN 1
to the well to do section OF the congrega-
ton and that dwelling north OF Fulton
street. The less afluent Rockaway road
members were practically ignored.
Splitter had the tablet put up in the front
OF the church three weeks ago. 1t threw
the Rockaway road section into transports
Of rage the moment they heard OF It. How
dared these rich UPSTAIRS ignore them,
the real founders and supporters OF the
by Raphael Kaufman, demanded that in
place of the tablet put up by Splitter there /,
should be one bearing the names OF the
entire congregation. The other faction
So, they said, make a billboard,
an advertisement, of the front of their be-
synagoRuei Should they thus make
ridiculous before the Gentiles1
No, the tablet would stay.
Two weeks ago the R~ockaway road fac
ton ven to the temple, tore down the
and threw II down a disused vault
in the yard. When Splitter, president Of
the congregation and head Of the building
heard Of this IL was time for him
TO get mad, he said.
The other leaders Of the cation
agreed with him that the Rockaway road
They held a meeting, seeded with their
friends to the number OF twenty-five, and
ten lays ago formed a new religious cor
the Independent Hebrew Con-
Of Jamaica, Henry Altman,
president, and Splitter, trustee.
1t had out them to the heart to have to
give up their fine new synagogue just after
they had finished so many weary years
work on IL. And the feeling that they
hold service in a more ~pretentioUs
sdifice than q private house, coupled with
the fact hat the Rosh Ia Shanah, the Jewish
New Year, was approaching led them to
ask DR.. Laird for the use Of his Sunday
DR.. Laird assented gladly and arrange
EsTe made Tor the regular Sabaoth
and the Rosh ha Shanah, yea,
FOR the festival Of YomKippur, which falls
IN next Saturday. Abraham Slaf, a lay
reader, cad the services
The rabbi tue to the old crowd. Soon
to nave more adequate quarters, IL
some other settlement OF the trouble is not
+. M. Silver, secretary OF the new con-
gregation, aid yesterday that the old or
now running along under KatZ-
presidency, had already sent a COM
mittee to bring bout harmony. But"
he said, we did not like the committee
and declined to hold q conference"
The Rockaway road faction says that
they sent the committee simply in a spirit
Of brotherly love, and that they are satisfied
10 hav the new congregation stay out II IL
pow being made bearing the names Of all
the present congregation and that the new
crowd will never be taken bac unless the
whole congregation goes on the honor roll.
Altman and his party protest Just as
vigorously tina the break Is final, and they'll
never consent to the Ieuniting anyway
unless the old tablet goes back again.