Open Letter to the Jewish Community from Rabbi Eliezer Silver Regarding his Request that the Jewish Welfare Fund Make its Opening Campaign Dinner Kosher

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The Text of the letters is as follows:

OPEN LETTER TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF CINCINNATI. WE THE UNDERSIGNED RABBIS, CALL UPON EVERY JEW WHO HAS ANY REGARD AND RESPECT FOR THE HONOR OF OUR TORAH AND OUR RELIGION, TO BE FIRM IN THIS HOUR OF DECISION. 
 
THE JEWISH WELFARE FUND IN LAUNCHING THE TREIR ANNUAL DRIVE HAS EMBARKED
UPON A PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE JEWISH RELIGION: THEY ARE INVITING THE COMMUNITY TO A DINNER AT WHICH TREFO (NON-KOSHER) FOOD, FORBIDDEN FOR JEWS BY OUR TORAH, WILL BE SERVED. WE WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS WORTHY AND NOBLE CAUSE, FOR CHARITY AND ISRAEL, BUT WE DARE NOT GIVE UP OUR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS FOR IT. WE HAVE BROUGHT MANY SACRIFICES FOR OUR TORAH UNTIL WE REACHED THIS WONDERFUL "LAND OF FREEDOM", THE UNITED STATES.” WHO WOULD BELIEVE THAT IN THIS COUNTRY WHERE RELIGION IS NOT ONLY GUARANTEEED, BUT ENCOURAGED, A GROUP OF JEWS, IGNORANT IN JEWISH LAW, WOULD CARRY ON SUCH A PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN AGAINST OUR RELIGION AT A TIME WHEN ALL JEWS SHOULD BE UNITED.
 
WE CAN NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THOSE, FEW SELF APPOINTED INDIVIDUALS DO NOT WANT TO LISTEN TO THE URGENT APPEAL OF THE RABBIS WHO HAVE BEEN PLEADING WITH THEM FOR SO MANY YEARS, NOT TO SPLIT THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND NOT TO UNDERMINE THE KASHRUTH OF THE JEWISH HOME.  IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE TO INSIST THAT A COMMUNAL UNDERTAKING IN WHICH JEWS OF ALL SEGMENTS PARTICIPATE, PAID FOR BY FUND COLLECTED FROM THE ENTIRE JEWISH COMMUNITY SHOULD BE KOSHER REGARDLESS OF THE BELIEF OR PRACTICE OF THOSE WHO HEAD THE JEWISH WELFARE FUND.  AFTER ALL, IT IS ONLY RIGHT AND PROPER THAT IF THERE IS ONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEF MAY NOT EAT NON-KOSHER AND ANOTHER GROUP THAT IS NOT PARTICULAR AS TO WHAT THEY EAT, THE LOGICAL SOLUTION WOULD BE TO HAVE A KOSHER MEAL THERE IS NO PROHIBITION AGAINST EATING KOSHER!