Resolution Favoring Zionism

A convention of Orthodox Congregations met in New York, Wednesday, June 8, 1898. A resolution favoring Zionism was adopted.

The principles of the convention adopted are as follows:

This Conference of delegates from Jewish congregations in the United States and the Dominion of Canada is convened to advance the interests of positive Biblical, Rabbinical and Historical Judaism.

We are assembled not as a synod, and therefore we have no legislative authority to amend religious questions, but as a representative body, which by organization and cooperation will endeavor to advance the interests of Judaism in America.

We favor the convening of a Jewish Synod specifically authorized by congregations to meet, to be composed of men who must be certified Rabbis, and

• (a) Elders in official positions (Cf. Numbers 11:16);
• (b) Men of wisdom and understanding, and known amongst us (Cf. Deut. 1:13);
• (c) Able men, God-fearing men, men of truth, hating profit (Cf. Exodus 18:21).

We believe in the Divine revelation of the Bible, and we declare that the prophets in no way discountenanced ceremonial duty but only condemned the personal life of those who observed ceremonial law, but disregarded the moral law. Ceremonial law is not optative; it is obligatory.

We affirm our adherence to the acknowledged codes of our Rabbis and Maimonides’ thirteen principles of faith.

We believe that in our dispersion we are to be united with our brethren of alien faith in all that devolves upon men as citizens; but that religiously, in rites, ceremonies, ideals and doctrines, we are separate, and must remain separate in accordance with the Divine declaration: “I have separated you from the nations to be Mine.”

And further, to prevent misunderstanding concerning Judaism, we reaffirm our belief in the coming of a personal Messiah and we protest against the admission of proselytes into the fold of Judaism without millah¹ and tevilah.²

We protest against intermarriage between Jew and Gentile; we protest against the idea that we are merely a religious sect and maintain that we are a nation, though temporarily without a national home, and

Furthermore, that the restoration to Zion is the legitimate aspiration of scattered Israel, in no way conflicting with our loyalty to the land in which we dwell or may dwell at any time.

The following are extracts from the Constitution:

The organization shall be known as the Orthodox Jewish Congregational Union of America.

The objects of this organization shall be the promotion of the religious interests of the Jews in America and the maintenance of the welfare of Orthodox Jewish Congregations in America.

All Orthodox Jewish Congregations in America shall be eligible to membership and entitled to representation in the meetings of the Union, on application for membership to the executive committee. . . .