Knesseth Ha-Rabbanim Ha-Orthodoxim Be-America - Assembly of Hebrew Orthodox Rabbis of America. Parts I and II. Edited by Yitzchak Leib Epstein. In Hebrew, Yiddish and English

(AMERICAN JUDAICA)

Dov Aryeh Zitwer

New York

1922-24

FIRST EDITON. With portait of Gavriel Zev Margolioth, president of the organization

Goldman, 1178 and 1180

This rabbinic organization was founded by Gavriel Zev Margolioth in 1920 as a rival to the Agudath Ha-Rabbanim. An attendance of 135 Rabbis were recorded at its first convention in 1921. The documents and proceedings of the convention indicate that the Prohibition Era in the United States was the impetus for the establishment of the new assembly. Only an official organization sanctioned by the Prohibition Commissioner of the Treasury Department was allowed to designate Rabbis to procure and sell wine for sacramental purposes. It seems that the Agudath Ha-Rabbanim was withholding sale permits from certain dissident Rabbis, who in turn set out to form their own organization