Obituary of Rabbi Eliezer Silver, New York Times, 2.9.1968

February 9 1968

caption:
THE NEW YORK TIMES

N.Y.C. FEB 9 1968
ELIEZER SILVER, - RABBI, 87, DEAD
Former Leader of Orthodox `"Group in U.S. and Canada
 
Special to The New York Times

CINCINNATI, Feb. 8— Rabbi Eliezer Silver, former president of the Union of Orthodox Rabbis of the United States and Canada, died here last night at the age of 87.

Rabbi Silver was honorary president of the rabbis' group and was formerly Chief Rabbi of Cincinnati. During World War II he organized rescue efforts for Jews in Europe and assisted in saving many from Nazi death camps. He helped several Orthodox congregations escape to the West after the war to avoid life behind the Iron Curtain.

In 1943, Rabbi Silver led a delegation of several hundred of rabbis to Washington and petitioned Vice President Henry A Wallace to deliver the "remnants of the people of the Book" from persecution and to open Palestine to them.

Rabbi Silver intoned the plea in Hebrew to the Vice President on the Senate steps of the Capitol. Later he presented the petition at the White House.

Rabbi Silver, a founder of Agudath Israel, a national Orthodox Jewish organization, in 1937, had been the spiritual leader of Congregation Kneseth Israel in Cincinnati for almost 40 years. He held pulpits in Harrisburg, Pa., 1907-24 and Springfield, Mass., 1925-31.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Pearl Burkson Silver; two daughters, Mrs. Yetta Izenstein of Springfield, and Mrs. Bess Gershuni of Brooklyn, New York. The funeral was held today.