The Denver Jewish news., 1925-02-26
JEWISH REPRESENTATIVES,
FROM VARIOUS COUN-
TRIES VOICE PROTEST
AGAINST CALEND A X
CHANGE.
Grand Rabbi @! France Pleads on
Behalf Of The Divine Sabbath; I;
Little Likelihood of Change in Near
Future,
tJewish Telegraphic Agepcy)

lhc proposed changes in the calendar
which would result In the fiXation of
worldwide Easter date aud the intro
duction Of n system to divide the year
into twelve months of equal quarters,
leaving n certain number of days in
the year as blank days" was consid-
cred at the meeting of the League of
Nations Calendar Reform committee
held here.
The protest of the Jewish people
against the proposed changes in the
calendar was expressed by the Chief
Rabbis of England, France, Austria
and Switzerland, and Mr. Lucien Wolf,
the representative of the Joint Foreign
committee. DR. Joseph II. Hertz, Chief
Rabbi of Great Britain, in cable re-
ccived from the United Synagog of
America was authorized to act as The
representative of this organization be-
fore the Leagues committee with re
gard to the proposed calendar reform.
Rabbi Israel Levi. Grand Rabbi of
France, pleaded against the calendar
reform on behalf of the Jewish Sab
bath "Thc Sabbath for the Jews is
divine institution and the keystone
of their entire religion. The Jews
would not surrender their ancient tra-
dition and would continue to worship
on the seventh day, regardless of the
consequence" he stated. Chief Rabbi
DIR. Hertz declared that n considerable
minority of the population would con
slider the proposed calendar reform n
revolutionary change in their religious
life and they would continue TO sancti-
fy the historical Sabbath.
The Augdath Israel, the orthodox
Jewish world organization. joined the
protest Its representative was Rabbi
Chain Oser GrQazrnh, who camc 10
Geneva from Wilma
Mr.. Lucien Wolf, on behalf Of the
Joint Foreign committee, in opposing
the change in the calendar declared
that the introduction of blank days
into the calendar year would cause
moral and material confusion in every
sphere of Jewish life. IF the calendar
is reformed it must not interfere with
the Jewish sabbath or the immemorial
customs of the Jewish people"
Although all Christian churches were
represented at this meeting, an event
unparalleled in the last four hundred
years. the other representatives made
no definite declaration with regard to
the proposed change. The attitude of
the Pope, the Patriarch and the Arch
bishop of Canterbury are known. The
Pope is against changes which would
interfere with the dogma. the Patriarch
is willing to accept what majority
Of churches would consider agreeable
and the Archbishop is mere liberal
than the others.
Reverend Adolph Keller, representa-
tive in Europe of the Federal Council
of Churches in America spoke on he
half of the PrOtestants DR.. Keller
hll'lf lN' NNEE'Nl bll' W IN labNl'l
either on the first Sunday in April or
the Sunday after March -. He also
proposed to divide the year into four
quarters of 81 days each, the first
month Of each quarter TO have 81 days
and the others 30.
After hearing the protests of tho
Jewish representatives, NJ Il. Cots
worth director Of the International
FiNt Calendar League. drew mp cal.
ficicncy and which he felt the Jewish
representatives, would consider salts
factory. According to Mr.. COtswwrth's
suggestion. the year would he divided
into thirteen months of IS days each,
the extra days being December %. In
this case II January Isl fall ON sun
day, then the first day Of each month
throughout the year falls on Sunday
the next year the first day Of each
month falls on Monday. and so on
II was stated that according to n !
tentative agreement, the League of Ma !
tions Calendar Reform committee will
meet again, probably in May There |
is, however, little possibility of Sucn |
revolutionary changes being adopted in !
the near future
JEWISH SCIEN TIST AP-
INU ~ ~ \