Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-06-24

ground. Now, for the first time, the
riyalries between the several Jewish
sects have become so violent that the
Mohammedans have been compelled to
intervene as peacemakers between
them also, and If it had not been
for the mayor OF Jerusalem and a
guard of Moslem soldiers, the election
OF the chief rabbi OF Jerusalem would
have been the scene of a disgraceful
riot.
AS the chief rabbi is theoretically a
Turkish official, only Turkish subjects
are allowed TO vote for him. This de
bars the great majority OF the Ash
kanazim sect, who claim the protec-
tion of the European consuls, and the
choice is left practically to the Sep
hadim sect. But every Jew in Jeru-
salem takes an active interest in the
contest and the partisanship is 50
fierce and Jealous that violent en-
counters continually occur from the
beginning of the campaign until the
election is over. The chief cause of
trouble is the control of the "halluca,'
contributions sent from Jewish com
munities In the United States and
European countries for distribution
among the destitute and infiIm mem
bers of the faith in the Holy City. As
90 per cent of the fund comes from
and to the shkanazim committees
the members of the Sephardim sect
get very little of it. Notwithstanding
their very urgent demands. Prior to
the recent election the leaders of the
latter faction expressed their willing
ness to allow the shkanazim Jews TO
vote without regard to their citizen
ship and finally offered to elect MEM
ber of that sect as chief rabbi, pro
vided the charity funds were distrib-
uted equally or pro rata among both
sects. But the Ashkanazims would
rather have the "halluca' than the
office and the right to vote, and would
not listen to the proposal. Therefore,
the most of them could not share in
the election. This, however, did not
prevent them from taking Il active
part in the preliminary campaign and
from contributing TO the clamor and
confusion that attended the balloting.
Indeed the excitement became so great
that the mayor was compelled to cali
on the commissioner OF police and the
commander of the military garrison
to assist him in preserving the peace.
There were two candidates from the
Sephardim faction-Rev. Jacob Mayer
and Rev. Samuel Elyashar, son of the
late chief rabbi, who performed the
duties during the last two years oil
his fathers incumbency, while the
latter was too i'll TO be in his Office.
The election is direct and complicated.
The Ottoman subjects of Jewish faith
over 20 years OF age voted first for
twenty rabbis and sixty laymen to
compose the general council of Jew
ish affairs to serve two years as a
sort of legislative body and as ad-
yertisers to the chief rabbi. This
council corresponds to the electoral
college OF The United States and Sc
own number. Before the election,
however, as in the United States, the
| candidates for the general council
were nominated and discussed, so
that their preferences for chief rabbi
We're quite as well known as the pref
erence of the electors or president of
the United States. Hence the contest
vas directly between cand' dates for
the general council who we're support
ing Jacob Mayer for chief rabbi and
those who were supporting Samuel
Elyashar.
Immediately after the vote was
counted and the result declared, the
| successful candidates met at the Cam
nitz hotel and proceeded to ballot for
| chief rabbi. Each OF them wrote the
name of his choice upon slip of pa
per and placed it in ballot box
guarded by Faidy Effendi. the Mos
lem mayor of Jerusalem. At the re-
cent election five OF the successful
candidates for the general council were
absent, and of the seventy-five votes
cast seventy-one were for Jacob May
er. two for Samuel Elyashar and the
other three scrattered. Jacob Mayer
was then proclaimed chief rabbi OF
Jerusalem for life, and the leaders
OF the two rival forces promptly con
graduated him and assured him of
their cordial support.
Rev. Solomon Mani, acting chief
rabbit, then officiated at solemn
service and pronounced blessing
uron his successor, upon the sultan OF
Turkey and the pasha of Jerusalem
DR.. Mayer delivered an address as
Surfing his constituents that he would
serve them TO the best of his ability,
and concluded the service by blessing
the congregation and praying for the
sultan and the local authorities. When
the firmin from the sultan of Turkey
ratifying his election arrives from
Constantinople he will be installed in
office with elaborate ceremonies, in
which the Mohammedan officials will
participate.
1t has been customary upon the
accession of new chief rabbi for the
Turkish governor to proceed to his
rabbinical residence and formally de
liver to him the keys of the city OF
Jerusalem as the representative of the
ancient owners of the land. The chief