Pointing out that the work done so far for the rebuilding of Palestine as the Jewish national homeland may suffer a setback unless development in Palestine is expedited, Nathan Straus issued a call for the National Conference on Palestine to be held in Cleveland, Ohio, October 29th and 30th, under the auspices of the United Palestine Appeal.
In his letter of invitation, Mr. Straus writes: “The National Conference on Palestine to be held in Cleveland will be asked to give consideration to comprehensive reports on what has been done in Palestine with the moneys collected the past year, through the United Palestine Appeal. It will be the outstanding American gathering of those interested in the upbuilding of Palestine.
“It is ten years since the Balfour Declaration was promulgated. During that period a great work has been done in Palestine through the instrumentality of the funds established by the Zionist Organization. This investment of capital and labor in the making of the Jewish National Home imposes a continuous obligation especially upon the Jews of America. If we neglect what we have built through our contributions, the resultant loss of national assets we have accumulated in Palestine may rightly be ascribed to us, and that which could have become a living monument of active life, productive of Jewish ideals, may, through our indifference, fall into ruin.
“Healthy and fruitful foundations of a new Jewish life have been laid in Palestine. Tremendous difficulties have been encountered, and are being overcome, thanks to the patience and devotion of our pioneers in both city and town, who look to us for a continuance of our generous support and cooperation.
“In order to take effective action on the reports to be rendered, we are inviting representative men and women interested in the great cause, to attend the National Conference to be held in Cleveland on Saturday evening, October 29th and Sunday. October 30th.
“This great work deserves your attention. It is a cause that involves a reconstruction of Jewish life, the rehabilitation of Eretz Israel, and the vindication of Jewish honor.”
Louis Lipsky. President of the Zionist Organization of America, Maurice Samuel, and other members of the American delegation which attended the Fifteenth Zionist Congress, will deliver reports to the Conference.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
