Organization of Community Urged at Convention of Jewish Council

The Annual Convention of the Jewish Council of Greater New York, held Sunday morning and afternoon in the Hotel Imperial, was attended by delegates from three hundred and forty-eight organizations, including the heads of a number of central bodies, fraternal orders, and local educational and charitable institutions. The Council aims to maintain a central coordinating agency for Jewish communal activities of New York, and a number of speakers stressed the need of enlarging and strengthening this body.

The morning session of the Convention was opened by M. Mortimer Lancet, Chairman of the Convention Committee, and addresses on the purposes and aims of the Council were delivered by Herman G. Robbins, Acting President; Bernard G. Richards, Chairman of the Executive Committee; Judge Hyman J. Reit, Harold L. Budner, Nathan Padgug, and others.

The report of the Secretary, Jacob L. Warkow, described the services rendered by the Council to the membership of affiliated organizations in the direction of giving them advice and assistance sought from philanthropic societies, city departments, and other public and private agencies. The Council had given its assistance toward the establishment of the Jewish Information Bureau, under the direction of Bernard G. Richards.

The Council has also made studies of local conditions affecting the Jews of New York which will furnish the basis for future action.

Rabbi Lazar Schoenfeld gave an account of the attempt which was being made to bring about better regulation of Kashruth in New York through the medium of a new Kashruth Association. He pleaded for the support of the societies represented in furthering the new plans of that Association. Rabbi M. Hyamson described the present plight of the synagogues which had been so hard hit by economic conditions and suggested the amalgamation of certain types of congregations of identical character of membership.

Many delegates participated in the general discussion of the Secretary’s report, as well as the general problem of the better organization of the Jewish community. Mr. Richards then appointed three committees with Chairmen as follows: Resolutions—Judge Hyman J. Reit, Nominations—Morris Margulies, and Credentials—Maurice J. Weiss.

Dr. Soltes who spoke on the plight of educational institutions made a plea for the continued support of our educational and cultural activities, without which the Jewish spiritual heritage could not be preserved. Rabbi Joseph Gabriel, speaking in the name of the Federation of New York Talmud Torahs, made a similar plea for the recognition of the urgent needs of the Hebrew Schools of the City, some of which had to close their doors on account of lack of support. Congressman Samuel Dickstein discussed certain aspects of the immigration question. He said that the Jews would survive Hitlerism just as they had previously survived similar forms of bigotry. He paid eloquent tribute to President-elect Roosevelt, as a lover of mankind and friend of the Jewish people, whose advent into office will restore faith and hope all around. No such ideas, he said, as alien registration, would be countenanced during the administration of the President-elect. A series of resolutions presented by Judge Reit in behalf of the Committee on Resolutions and adopted by the Council, dealt with the enlargement of the purposes of the Council, the Jewish Congress, the proposed World Congress, the American Palestine Campaign, the question of Kashruth, discrimination, support for educational institutions, and the budget of the Council, etc. A notable feature of the Convention was the presence of a number of young people from various social and mutual aid societies. The following officers were elected:

Chairman, Bernard G. Richards; Vice-Chairmen, Isadore Apfel, Charles A. Cowen, Bernard S. Deutsch, Jacob Fishman, Abraham Goldberg, Dr. Samuel Margoshes, Rev. Hirsch Masliansky, George Z. Medalie, Carl Sherman, Dr. Mordecai Soltes, Benjamin Winter, Leo Wolfson; Treasurer, A.D. Braham; Secretary, Jacob L. Warkow.

There was also named an Executive Committee of 50 persons representative of various groups participating in the Council.