Mr. McCormick to
Mr. Hay.
American Embassy,
St.
Petersburg, November 10,
1903.
No. 62.]Sir: With reference to the Department’s No. 56,
of October 22, 1903, I have the honor to inclose herewith translations
from the Russian code pertaining to the recognition by Russian law of
Jewish divorces granted by Jewish rabbis, which were made for me by Mr.
Berline, an attorney in good standing and by birth himself a Hebrew.
In addition to the memorandum sent to me by Mr. Berline, the translation
of which is inclosed, he writes that the Russian law recognizes all
certificates of birth, marriage, divorce, and death issued by Jewish
rabbis, as well as all certificates given by ministers of the Jewish
faith abroad to Russian Jewish subjects.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
Extracts of law furnished by Mr. Berline, of the
St. Petersburg bar.
The principal sections of the Russian law which relate to the
marriage, divorce, and separation of non-Christians are as
follows:
Article 20 of the Civil Code (Chap. III) official edit.
1887.—Each race and each people, including heathen, are
allowed to contract marriage according to the stipulations of their
law or in conformity with the customs established, etc., without any
participation, whatsoever, of the civil authorities or of the
Christian ecclesiastic authorities.
Article 103 (Chapter
IV).—Husband and wife must live together, consequently:
- 1.
- All acts tending to an arbitray separation of the couple
are rigorously prohibited.
- 2.
- The wife must follow the husband upon emigration, entrance
into service, and likewise upon any change of
residence.
Article 1325 (Vol. XI)
of the Regulations concerning the Jewish
faith (official edition of
1896).—The functions of rabbis consist (1° and 2° unnecessary),
3°, in exercising to the full extent the rite of circumcision, the
giving of fore names to the newly born, in celebrating marriages and pronouncing divorces, attending
funerals and keeping registers of the civil status of Israelites,
presenting them to the proper authorities in conformity with the
rules prescribed in the laws on social classes.
