An amount totalling $450,000 was raised for reconstruction work in Palestine at the banquet held Thursday night at the Astor Hotel, which opened the campaign of the United Palestine Appeal for Greater New York, of which Nathan Straus is Honorary Chairman and Judge Otto A. Rosalsky, Chairman.
A contribution that aroused enthusiasm among those at the banquet was the announcement that Louis Marshall, President of the American Jewish Committee, had given $5,000 to the United Palestine Appeal. Other contributions announced were: Felix Warburg, $50,000; Lieut-Governor Herbert H. Lehman, $10,000, and Albert Ottinger, $2,000.
The toastmaster of the occasion was Judge Otto A. Rosalsky, who introduced Dr. Louis I. Harris, former Health Commissioner of the City of New York and Associate Chairman of the New York Campaign, as the first speaker. During the course of his remarks, Dr. Harris declared that one of the greatest aspects of the movement for the rebuilding of Palestine is that it has succeeded in solidifying the Jews everywhere.
Mr. Morris Rothenberg, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the United Palestine Appeal, traced the growth of the Zionist movement since Herzl’s days. Referming to the guests of honor of the evening, and to the prospects for Palestine in the future, Mr. Rothenberg said: “The two guest of honor, this evening, are symbols of that new epoch: Mr. Felix Warburg, together with that other great Jew, Mr. Louis Marshall, have come to represent the thought of a united Israel in Palestine. Col. Frederick Kisch, leading member of the Palestine Zionist Executive, represents the practical work of reconstruction.
“Never before were there brighter prospects for the enterprise in which we are engaged. Never before did the hour demand from every Jew a greater measure of duty and devotion to the sacred cause of human liberation, the upbuilding of the Jewish National Home.”
An ovation was tendered to Mr. Felix Warburg when he was introduced by Judge Rosalsky, and the entire audience rose to its feet with sustained applause. During the course of his address, Mr. Warburg emphasized the economic investment angle in Palestine, saying:
“One thing is sure; mere charity or philanthropy will not bring this about. It means patient investment carefully made. Let us hope that in the campaign now starting you will, by sounding this note, find other people who are willing to invest for themselves and their children in enterprises which will surely give them satisfaction, probably a good income and, what is more valuable than the two preceding ones, pride in having been connected with this undertaking from the start and having helped in its success.”
The harmony which has been achieved among the various groups in American Jewry for the rebuilding of Palestine was the subject of the address made by Lieut-Governor Herbert H. Lehman, who said that “It is no longer a question of Zionist or non-Zionist, of orthodox or reformed. Our groups are willing to lay aside their views on many questions and to join hands in the upbuilding of Palestine along non-partisan lines, in exactly the same manner that they worked shoulder to shoulder in feeding, clothing, and housing the millions in Europe, during and after the great war. In the first place, I am convinced that Palestine, under proper direction and leadership, can be made a great cultural and spiritual center, which will fortify civilization in the world of today, just as early Palestine did in its world several thousand years ago.
“On us is imposed the responsibility and duty of giving our help now, a (Continued on Page 4)
duty we cannot disregard, either as Jews or as men and women, with ideals of freedom, courage and devotion to a faith.”
Albert Ottinger former Attorney General of the State of New York and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the United Palestine Appeal Campaign for Greater New York stressed the need for greater participation by all Jews in the Palestine enterprise, declaring that participation in the task would enrich Jewish life everywhere.
Judge Rosalsky then called upon the Mayor, James J. Walker, who was present during the entire evening. During his extended address, Mayor Walker praised the Jews of New York for their contribution to the building of the metropolis and urged them to do as much for Palestine, which should be made an international monument to the Jewish people.
During his speech, Mayor Walker said: “I could not make you know of my delight in hearing of the unanimity with which you approach this campaign. It is a very insignificant something, if anything, that I bring to you. It may be another manifestation of the peace on earth that has been hoped for for so many years, and which surely in some measure has arrived, because I come, as has already been indicated by your toastmaster, as an Irish Goy, to present my very profound respects to Mr. Warburg, and as the son of a belligerent Irishman, to welcome a distinguished British soldier, Colonel Kisch. So that if we can start as is and maintain that motif or tempo throughout the campaign, it cannot have anything but the most hopeful prospects and results.
“I am intensely interested in this campaign, not only to provide funds that may satisfy some temporary condition, or lay the foundation for some permanent condition, but also in the rebuilding or in the building of a genuine homeland in that land of romance called Palestine. As the Mayor of this city. I deem it a privilege and an honor to be permitted to take any part in this most worthy movement. As an individual, my heart throbs, moved by the romance, by the delight, in the rehabilitation of Palestine. As the Mayor of the City of New York, in an official capacity, I have an equally intense interest, and I hope that all this community, irrespective not only of religious philosophy, but irrespective of everything that divides men and women in their opinions and their determinations, that all the people of this city might look upon this campaign as a serious matter and look upon it with genuine sympathy. I would like them to reciprocate in a manner so manifest in your many institutions in this city, supported successfully by Jewish money, but maintained as non-sectarian institutions. You know that I have some familiarity with these activities, you know that I have a very profound interest in them; you know that I have a very genuine sympathy with them. I could not refrain, as I have never been able to do, upon the occasion of Col. Kisch’s visit to City Hall, but a few hours ago, from telling him how proud the Mayor of the city of New York is to recount a very few things, a very few instances of the very splendid contributions which the Jews of the city have made to the building of New York City into whatever it is.”
Declaring that the world regards the entire Jewish people, and not any special part of it, as responsible for the rebuilding of Palestine, Col. Kisch concluded: “Success or failure is for the whole Jewish people, and its measure will be our pride or our shame. Either we will be condemned for all time as a parasitic people unable to be creative of ourselves and in our own name, or else the new Palestine will rekindle the Jewish spirit, acting as the unifying link for all Israel, and enabling the star of Zion to shine brightly among those lights of civilization which illuminate the world.”
During the evening Dr. I. M. Rubinow, Executive Director of the United Palestine Appeal, read a cable to the audience from Albert Einstein, world-famous mathematician, in which he urged the Jews of America to give their full support in the United Palestine Appeal Campaign. In addition to the special contributions, the $400,000 raised was made up from the following sections of the city: West Side $28,000; Washington Heights, $6,000; Long Island, $17,000; Bronx, $40,000; Eastern Parkway, $18,000; Williamsburg, $16,000; Westchester County, $22,000; Yorkville, $17,000; East Side, $32,000; Flatbush, $12,000; Boro Park, $23,000; Bensonhurst, $5,000; Brownsville, $25,000; Fur Chest contribution, $17,000; Hadassah, $35,000.
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