Jewish Group Gives $25,000 for Orphans’ Home in England

The sum of $25,000 for establishment of a non-sectarian nursing home for 60 orphaned children somewhere in England, to be named after Lieut. Gen. Sir Archibald Wavell, commander-in-chief of the British forces in the Near East, was presented to the British War Relief Society today by the Jewish Section of the Interfaith Committee for Aid to the Democracies.

The presentation was made by Dr. Israel Goldstein, chairman of the Jewish Section, at a luncheon at the Hotel Pierre given by the organization in honor of Frederick W. Gehle, chairman of the fund-raising division of the British War Relief Society, on the occasion of his 55th birthday.

The $25,000 includes a gift of $15,000 made by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cohen in behalf of the Esco Fund Committee. The remaining $10,000 was a result of smaller individual contributions. The $25,000 gift brings the contributions of the Jewish Section to more than $100,000. More than $75,000 has already been presented to the British War Relief Society for mobile field kitchens. In addition, the Esco Fund Committee presented an $18,000 gift of Navitol through the Jewish Section for use among the children of Great Britain.

Other speakers at the luncheon were Mrs. Frank Cohen, president of the Esco Fund Committee, Dr. Stephen S. Wise, president of the American Jewish Congress, and Dr. Maurice L. Perlzweig, chairman of the British Section of the World Jewish Congress.

Gehle, in accepting the gift, stated: “I should like to express my warmest thanks in behalf of the British War Relief Society for this magnificent gift. Its association with the great name of General Wavell an courages the hope that the increasing volume of civilized effort on behalf of the people of Britain will help to hasten the day of victory for the principles and individuals which have brought us together… As a Christian, I have no difficulty in understanding the impulse which led to the establishment of the Jewish Section of the Interfaith Committee for Aid to the Democracies. It is a Jewish effort, motivated by the teachings of the tradition which gave birth to my own Christian faith. It is a Jewish contribution to common effort. That is the significant meaning of the word “interfaith.”