The seventeenth annual convention of the American Mizrachi closed here last night with a banquet at which more than 1,000 people were present. Rabbi Wolf Gold, president of the Mizrachi, was the chief speaker. Rabbis Saul Silber and Joseph Lookstein also spoke. The choice of a convention city for the eighteenth annual convention was left to the newly-elected administrative committee.
During the day-long session that concluded the convention, an important compromise between the two contending Mizrachi factions was achieved. It was decided that the question of leaving the World Zionist Organization would not be broached at the convention and the American Mizrachi would follow the policy of Rabbi Gold and fight for its viewpoint within the Zionist ranks.
At the close of the convention it was obvious that the Mizrachi fight against the left elements in the Zionist movement would be sharply intensified as a result of the convention.
The principal speech of the day was made by Rabbi I. M. Kowalsky of Brooklyn. Rabbi Kowalsky delivered a bitter attack on the Keren Hayesod, the Palestine Foundation Fund, for “Chillul Sabbas”, desecration of the Sabbath, which he declared was open and widespread in Palestine. He called for an open fight against the Keren Hayesod. Rabbi Kowalsky praised the Keren Kayemeth, the Jewish National Fund and asked for the utmost support for the Mizrachi Palestine Fund of $200,000 which is to be raised this year.
Among the other resolutions unanimously passed by the convention was one calling for the resignation of the present world Zionist executive and calling for a special meeting of the Actions Committee to form a coalition executive. The Mizrachi also appealed to President Roosevelt to use his good offices in ending the persecution of the Jewish religion, Zionism and Hebrew in the Soviet Union. The convention, in another resolution, demanded the end of the certificate system of immigration and urged that the whole immigration problem be taken from the Palestine government and given to the Jewish Agency for Palestine.
The entire slate of national officers presented by the nominations committee was elected by acclamation. Rabbi Wolf Gold was re-elected president; Max Nadler, national treasurer; vice-presidents: Rabbis A. M. Ashinsky, Pittsburgh; I. M. Kowalsky, Brooklyn; Messrs. A. L. Gellman and Harry Karp. The convention also ratified the election of a national administrative committee of 25 and a national executive board of 75.
The Mizrachi Women’s Organization closed its annual convention by electing Mrs. Abraham Shapiro, Brooklyn, national president; Mrs. Belle Goldstein, New York, national secretary, and Mrs. B. Schnur, New York, national treasurer. Mrs. Adela Goldstein of Brooklyn was elected honorary president for life and given the power to vote. A budget of $13,000 for the coming year was adopted by the Mizrachi women. Ten thousand dollars will be spent on Palestine work.
The Mizrachi organization adopted a budget of $20,000 for the coming year on the motion of the national treasurer, Max Nadler. Delegates contributed $2,500 toward the organization deficit fund.
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.
