A campaign for a $1,000,000 for all Ort activities to help unemployed and declassed Jews of Russia, Poland and other Eastern European countries to help themselves by supplying them with machines and raw materials was determined upon Tuesday night by the Executive Committee of the Ort Reconstruction Fund, at the home of Howard S. Cullman, Commissioner of the Port of New York Authority. Mr. Cullman was elected President of the Fund and Chairman of the campaign.
Dr. Henry Moskowitz, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Ort Reconstruction Fund, read the report of its activities since its inception in 1924. He informed the Executive Committee concerning the agreement which the Ort had with the Joint Distribution Committee. The Joint Distribution Committee had assisted the Ort for a period of three years and recently covered a part of the Ort’s deficit. Since the Ort’s agreement with the J. D. C. ended December 31, 1928, the Ort must provide for its activities through its own Fund. Dr. Moskowitz pointed out that the Fund has an accumulated capital of about $400,000. “With this revolving fund,” he said. “credits were given to Jewish farmers and with additional money…collected from campaigns about five thousand families were aided.
“Realizing that reconstruction work in Russia and Poland and other countries in Eastern Europe must be done not only on the land but in the workshop and factory, the Fund organized the Cooperative Tool Supply Company, a purchasing organization, to buy machines and raw materials for artisans and declassed Jews in the towns.
“In Russia only three occupations are recognized by the Government as productive-peasants, factory workers and artisans. Others are called declassed. They have none of the rights or privileges of citizenship; but they can obtain them as soon as they enter anyone of the three occupations. The Jews living in cities and towns are mainly engaged in trading in small businesses. They are without occupations with which to earn a livelihood.
“Starting with a turnover of 10,000 marks in 1924, the Ort Cooperative Tool Supply Company increased its business rapidly so that in 1928 it did a business of 1,207,712.03 marks or over $300,000.00. Through its instrumentality, five thousand families in Russia alone received machines, tools and raw materials. Repayments on the loans made were very satisfactory, even under the burdensome conditions in Russia and Poland.”
Dr. Moskowitz stated that until the first of July, 1930, the Ort needs for vocational training, colonization and industrialization $1,000,000.
Dr. David Lvovitch, European Representative of the Ort, pointed out that (Continued on Page 4)
The meeting decided upon this basis to carry on a campaign for a $1,000,000 for the next year and a half.
The officers of the Fund are: Adolph Lewisoha Honorary President: Howand S. Cullman, President; Jos. H. Backer. Vice-President; Judge Jacob Panken Vice-President; Morris Wolf, Vice-President; Mrs. Alexander Kobut. Vice-President; Dr. Henry Moskowitz, Chairman, Executive Committee; Herman Bernstein, Honorary Secretary; B. C. Vladeck, Vice-Chairman.
Nathan Strans. Sr. Nathan Strans, Jr. Rabbi Stephen S. Wise, Dr. Julius Goldman. Mrs. Henry Markowitz. Judge Edward B. Laransky. David H. Bressler and others are members of the Executive Committee of the Fund.
A conference dinner to discuss means of aiding the declassed Jews of Russia will be the held tonight at the Unity Club. Brooklyn. N. Y.
Dr. Joseph Rosen, representative of (###) Agro-Joint, Dr. D. Lrovitch and Judge Edward Lamnsky of the Supreme Court. Appellate Division of Brooklyn will address the gathering. Judge Algernon I. Nova will preside. The dinner will be held under the auspices of the Ort.
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.
