Correspondence from Rabbi Herman Abramowitz to Joseph Levinson addressing the issue of non-kosher food dinner at the annual Federation campaign

Held by

Congregation Shaar Hashomayim Museum and Archives via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)

Dates

November 7, 1933 (indexed as 1933)

Level

item

Extent

Document ; Ht:27.8 cm x W:21.5 cm : English

Scope & content

Rabbi Herman Abramowitz encourages Joseph Levinson, Sr., to deny the attendance at the opening and closing dinners for the annual Federation campaign. According to Mr. Abramowitz, there was no kosher food the year before and therefore will stay away from these dinners. He expects the Board and the members of the Congregation to support him. Sender's address: Kensington Ave., Cote St. Antoine Road, Westmount, Quebec. Recipient's address: Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Westmount, Quebec.

Location

• avenue de Kensington · street · confidence 35% · street · found as “Kensington Ave.”
• chemin de la Côte-Saint-Antoine · street · confidence 35% · street · found as “Cote St. Antoine Road”

Correct the location

Genre / form

textual record

In the picture

DiningDocumentFoodFundraisingJudaismLetterRabbiSignatureSynagogueTypewrittenTagged automatically by a vision model; may contain mistakes.

Text in the image

CONGREGATION SHAAR HASHOMAYIMKENSINGTON AVE.CORNER ST. ANTOINE ROADWESTMOUNT, P.Q.OFFICE OF THE RabbiNovember 7th, 1933.Mr. Joseph Levinson, Sr.,President,Congregation Shaar Hashomayim,Westmount, Que.Dear Mr. Levinson:Cote St. Antoine RoadThe annual Federation Campaign will shortly be held again and as in previous years will probably be inaugurated and concluded with a public Dinner.In the last few years an aggressive minority group have been forcing the abandonment of Kosher dinners for this occasion, as has been the practice till now. Last year I was invited to make the Appeal at the Opening Dinner and was mortified to find that nonKosher food was served, and though apologies were made the same thing happened at the Closing Dinner.That this should happen in a community preponderatingly orthodox is both illogical and indecent. But it is mostly due to the want of assertiveness on the part of our orthodox leaders. What little respect remains for orthodox practises will soon disappear if this community once their violation is given such public sanction; and it will not be long before all Jewish functions in the community will take on a similar character even though of a private nature, like weddings, etc.Read automatically; may contain mistakes.

Harvested

2026-10-18T19:26:57Z · source datestamp n/a · cjhn

Digital objects at the source

• imageOpen original at source ↗0946-cor-1.jpg
• imageOpen original at source ↗0946-cor-2.jpg