OF THE

CENTRAL CONFERENCE OF AMERICAN RABBIS.*

ARTICLE I.-NAME.

This organization shall be known as the Central Conference of American Rabbis.

ARTICLE II. OBJECT.

The objects of this organization shall be, to foster a feeling of association and brotherhood among the Rabbis and other Jewish scholars of America, to advance the cause of Jewish learning, to encourage all efforts toward the propagation of the teachings of Judaism, and to make provision for such worthy colleagues, as owing to advanced age or other cause, are prevented from following their calling.

ARTICLE III.-MEMRERSHIP.

SECTION. 1. All active and retired Rabbis of congregations, and Professors of Rabbinical Seminaries shall be eligible for membership. All applications for membership shall be acted upon by the Executive Board.

SEC. 2. Honorary members may be elected by the Conference when unanimously proposed by the Executive Board.

ARTICLE IV. DUES.

SECTION 1. The annual dues of members shall be five dollors, payable at the beginning of each fiscal year.

SEC. 2. These dues shall entitle the members to a copy of all publications of the Association.

SEC. 3. One-half of the annual dues collected, shall be paid into a fund called "The Relief Fund of the Conference," to be used at the discretion of the Trustees of this Fund for the assistance of any deserving or properly qualified Rabbi who has been in service in America at least five years, or his family.*1

*Adopted at Milwaukee, v. Year Book 1896, p. 71. *v. Milwaukee Year Book, p. 76.

SEC. 4. Any member in arrears for two years' dues, shall be suspended by the Executive Board, and may be reinstated at any future time by the Executive Board upon payment of all arrears. Notification of suspension shall be sent to the suspended member by the Corresponding Secretary.

SEC. 5. In exceptional cases, where it may be deemed proper, the Executive Board may remit some or all the dues of a member.

ARTICLE V.-EXPULSION.

SECTION 1. When any member of this Conference, by public or private conduct, has rendered himself unworthy of membership, the Executive Board shall make thorough investigation of the charges, giving the accused ample opportunity to defend himself, and if the charges are found true, shall expel said member from the Conference.

SEC. 2. No expulsion shall be made unless eight (8) or more members of the Executive Board vote for the same.

SEC. 3. An expelled member shall have the right to appeal from the decision of the Executive Board to the Conference at its regular annual meeting, and the session at which such appeal is heard shall be executive.

ARTICLE VI.-OFFICERS.

SECTION 1. The officers of this Conference shall be a President, a Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Treasurer, who, with the addition of eleven*1 executive members shall constitute the Executive Board.

SEC. 2. There shall be three Trustees who shall have charge of the moneys in the "Relief Fund of the Conference," and of the distribution of the same.

SEC. 3. These officers shall be elected annually by ballot, and shall hold their offices until their successors have been elected, provided, however, that no member shall be eligible to the presidency for more than two successive terms.*2

*1y. Year Book XIV p. 163, XV p. 163, XVI p. 69 and XVII p. 79.

*2. Year Book XII p. 97 and XIII p. 101.

ARTICLE VII.-MEETINGS.

SECTION 1. This Association shall meet annually in general Conference in the month of July, at such time and place as the previous Conference or its Executive Board shall decide.

SEC. 2. Notice of the time and place of each annual meeting shall be mailed to all members, at least four weeks in advance.

SECTION 1.

ARTICLE VIII.-AMENDMENTS.

Amendments to this Constitution shall be submitted in writing to be presented before the Convention in one year and acted upon at the next Annual Convention.

SEC. 2. The Executive Board shall give notice of proposed amendments to each member at least four weeks before the annual meeting.

SEC. 3. A two-thirds vote of the members present at an annual meeting shall be necessary to adopt any such proposed amendment.

BY-LAWS.

ARTICLE I.-DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD.

SECTION 1. The officers of the Conference shall perform the duties usually incumbent upon such officers. They shall submit annually to the Conference, a report in writing, of their official transactions in the past year.

SEC. 2. The Treasurer and Trustees of the Relief Fund shall give bonds in such sums as shall be determined by the Executive Board. No moneys of the Conference shall be paid out by the Treasurer except per vouchers drawn by the Corresponding Secretary and signed by the President.

SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the Executive Board:

a. To take charge of the affairs of the Conference during adjournment.

b. To arrange a specified program for the work of each meeting

and to send same to each member of the Conference at least four weeks in advance of the annual meeting.

c To publish in pamphlet form, and in time for distribution at the annual meeting, a Year Book, containing a full report of the transactions of the preceding convention, together with papers read and addresses made or abstracts of the same.

SEC. 4. Notice of meetings of the Executive Board and of the business to be brought up at such meetings, shall be sent to all members of the Board at least two weeks before the meetings take place, and every member of the Board shall have the right to express his opinion and record his vote by correspondence. No important matter shall be decided in the Executive Board except by majority vote of all its members, expressed either in person or in writing. Five members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

SEC. 5. Vacancies occurring in the Board after adjournment of the Conference shall be filled by the Board for the unexpired term until the next election.

ARTICLE II.-TEMPORARY COMMITTEES.

SECTION 1. The President shall at the opening of each convention of the Conference appoint the following temporary committees: 1. Committee on President's Message.

2. Committee on Resolutions.

3. Committee on Nominations.

4. Auditing Committee.

SEC. 2. The Committee on President's Message shall take charge of the same and shall report on any suggestions or recommendations contained therein.

SEC. 3. The Committee on Resolutions shall take charge of all resolutions offered at the convention, unless otherwise ordered, and report upon the same before final adjournment.

SEC. 4. The Committee on Nominations shall submit a list of names to be voted on at the concluding session of each convention for all officers specified in Article VI., Section 1, of the Constitution.

SEC. 5. The Auditing Committee shall examine the Treasurer's report and the financial report of all committees handling moneys of and by authority of the Conference, and shall report thereon.

ARTICLE III.-STANDING COMMITTEES.

SECTION 1. The President shall appoint the following committees and such other standing committees as may be found necessary by the Conference from time to time:

1. Committee on Publication.

2. Committee on Finance.

3. Committee on Investment.

4. Committee on Relations of Church and State.

Committee on Contemporaneous History.

5.

8.

9.

Trustees of Ministers' Fund.

Committee on Card Index.

10. Committee on Social and Religious Union.

11.

Committee on Tracts.

12. Committee on Lyceum Bureau.

SEC. 2. The Committee on Publication shall have charge of all publications of the Conference authorized by the Executive Board, excepting the Year Book. It shall make a report to the Executive Board whenever requested to do so. One-half of the net profits accruing from all publications of the Conference, authorized by the Executive Board, shall be placed to the credit of the Relief Fund.

SEC. 3. The Committee on Finance shall consist of the Corresponding Secretary of the Conference as Chairman and two members of the Executive Committee. To it shall be referred all recommendations of appropriation of money, upon which it shall report to the Conference if in session, otherwise to the Executive Committee. It shall submit to the Conference at its annual convention a complete report of the finances of the Conference. It shall submit to the Executive Committee at its fall meeting a financial report and a budget for the year.