The Denver Jewish news., 1920-08-18
Jewish Tribunal in New
York Proves Successful
DIR. SAMUEL BUCHLER, FOUNDER
JEWISH COURT OF ARBITRA-
TION DESCRIBES IT'S OPERA
TIONS,
CCoprrirht 1920 bv T. T. r. b

The establishment Of the Jewish
Court of Arbitration. Tribunal to ad-
minister the Mosaic Law, is the first
attempt i'll the history of the Jews OF
the City of New York to settle religi
Gus disputes, synagogal controversies
and all other disagrcemcnts growing
out of the religious life of the jew.
/ by applying the principles of the old
Hcbraic Law. The Tribunal is com
posed of PERSONS who are Fitted by their
/ performance, of such duties.
Prominent members of the Bench and
/ Bar of the City and of the State have
spoken Of this new departure in terms
OF highest praise and commentator.
1t is hailed as an institution prumotive
# greater public and private Justice.
JuistS look upon it as new trb-
unal TO try cases never contemplated
by the laws of the State which must
necessarily result in better preserving
the religious freedom of tie jew ana
I III ''liNtINi tit VI our
courts.
The Hon. Edward T.. Swami. District
Attorney of New York County. con
graduated the City on the creation and
establishment OF this court, predicting:
for it life of great usefulness and
achievement. lie believes that it will
! huyp a trpmnnlnus ipfIunp,n in s.tin,
ulating greater harmony and better
feelings in the religious life of the Jews
Of New York City
Mayor Hylan. the President of the
| Eoard of Alderman. and the Borough
President of Manhattan the Commits
| siOners of>tIc Sinking Fund of the
| City of New York. have made II thGrO
Investigation as to the motives and
methods of the Jewish Court of Ar
hitration and have dccrccd that the
Criminal Courts Building he available
! for its sessions. The Corporation
! Counsel of the City of New York also
iavorS the plan and has rendered Il
decision recommending tnat the city
| ltl It's VIZ
There is provision in the Code of
Civil Procedure which provides that
Courts of Arbitration to which dis
! iute is referred, the disputnn;s agree
| ing to arbitration. have the Same pow
| er as ether courts and their decisions
. are just as binding. If Iitigant, il
dissatisfied with the decision of Il
A Court of Arbitration he has ihc rieht
4 TO appeal 10 the AppeIIh;H Division of
the Supreme Court, just us from any
other court decision. The judges of
| the Jewish Court of Arbitration are
/ now making an effort 20 Apply this
! provision of the Civil Code of Pro
ccdure to the Jewish Court of AI.bitra-
tion in order to give their findings
binding effect.
| What gave rise TO the establishment
of this Court was the very inefficient
and unsatisfactory way in which cases
now under its jurisdiction We're previ-
ously conducted and disposed of by
other tribunals The tri.,l Of matters
| involving strictly Jewish MIA tiers grow
| ing out of the synagogal life of the
jew. in secular courts. has almost in
variably resulted in decisions which
brought no satisfaction to the parties
to the controversy. Jews learned i'll
| the Jewish Code of Jurisprudence often
found cause to lament both the con-
! troversics and the Judgments passed
upon them.
The Jew is very loath to submit his
| religious disputes to ordinary courts.
and questions the competency of Sc
cular judges to pass Judgment upon
them. While Jews seeking vindication
did sometimes appeal to such courts
for justice. they dcspiscd their own
conduct. To the Jew it is n sacrilcge
to have his differences in religious mat
tcrs referred TO secular courts. Sent
sitivc. highly socially conscious Iewry
ever careful of its honor, rcprobates
the act of having recourse to courts
where its traditional customs and laws
are foreign. and charge the litigants
that appeal to such courts with having
come into them with uncean hands.
The old Orthodox, venerable Jews
watch the proceedings in the front as
dccrepit father looks upon fine youth
full acts of his child. But instead of
delight there is hnt wiStful anuSc-
mcnt in their eyes. For tho made
lame by fortunes spite in other re-
spectS. in his religious and legal acu-
men. Israel is most vigorous and has
no compecr.
Israers morally. faith and ethics.
with their delicate and sensitive struc-
tire. dragged into the open court sub
jccted to shows of violence ut secular