The Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts, founded by the late Professor Boris Schatz, owing to lack of funds, will be reopened as a public institution according to plans now in the process of formulation.
This information is divulged in a letter received from Henrietta Szold by Mrs. Eli Daiches, Director of the Friends of Bezalel in Chicago.
After the death of Professor Schatz, several meeting were held in Palestine of the founders, the members, and the contributors to Bezalel, as well as the representatives of several public institutions, Mrs. Szold wrote. The purpose was to find a way of continuing the activities, with the result that a Committee of the Bezalel Society was formed, headed by Dr. Lurie, the Acting Director of the Jewish public schools of Palestine. Dr. Sapier was temporarily appointed manager of Bezalel.
A second committee was formed, consisting of the teachers of the former Bezalel School, also under the chairmanship of Dr. Lurie, for the purpose of elaborating a plan for the re-opening of the school. The Committee entered into negotiations with the various groups of “Friends of Bezalel” which have been formed in various countries, especially in the United States, in order to influence them to renew their activities for the good of the institution. Another step was taken by the Chairman, who applied to the Education Department of the government to grant an annual subsidy for the maintenance of the school.
The activities of the Society, the library, the museum, the picture gallery and the workshops, are housed in buildings registered in the name of the Keren Kayemeth.
Under the arrangements contemplated the revived school will be a public institution under the management of the Committee. The Jewish National Fund has promised a certain sum of money for the repair of its buildings as soon as the Committee shall be confirmed officially.
The Chicago branch of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society of America is sponsoring an inter-collegiate oratorical contest on the work of Hias, which will be held in Chicago on January 22, 1933. The purpose of the contest is to awaken the interest of Jewish college students in the work and activities of the Hias.
Hirsch E. Soble, director of the contest, announced that all Jewish students enrolled regularly at a college or university within a 500-mile radius of Chicago are eligible to participate and that registration should be made before October 31. Entrants will have the choice of any subject dealing with Hias history, activity, function, or necessity of Hias, widening of Hias work, Jewish immigration policy, Jewish aliens, etc.
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.
