Existence of 10,000 Jewish Orphans Endangered in Poland: Threatened with Hunger Through Lack of Fund

The fate of 10,000 Jewish orphans who are being maintained in Jewish orphanages throughout Poland was discussed at length yesterday at an urgent meeting called by Raphael Czereszewski, the President of the “Centos” Organisation, the central organisation which makes provision for the Jewish orphans in Poland.

Mr. Czereszewski, in outlining the situation to the meeting, emphasised that all the Jewish orphan homes are now in an extremely critical position, because of the cut which the Polish Government has made in its subsidies to these homes and also because of the great decrease in income from voluntary contributions. Mr. Czereszewski ammounced that the annual expenditure of the orphan homes amounts to six million zlotys. The Government has cut its subsidies by more than 60 per cent., he stated: This cut, together with the reduced income from individual contributions, makes the position of the orphanages extremely difficult.

During the meeting it became known that the majority of the 10,000 Jewish orphans who are being kept and educated in the orphan homes will be reduced to starvation if no immediate assistance is forthcoming. The Jewish orphan homes, many of the speakers emphasised, differ in one respect from any other social institutions. They require food to be provided for the children every day. If no funds are available, this need cannot be fulfilled. Hence, all the children in the orphan homes will have to face actual hunger, unless urgent relief is supplied.