35,000 Displaced Jews to Celebrate Their First Passover in U.s.; Many Public Seders

Thirty-five thousand former Jewish displaced persons will start celebrating their first Passover in the United States Saturday evening while in Israel scores of thousands of newly-arrived immigrants from all parts of the world will usher in the Feast of Liberation, socure in the knowledge that the ancient dream–recited at the conclusion of the Seder service–of “Next Year in Jerusalem,” has after 2,000 years been fulfilled.

In a Passover message issued today, Henry Morgenthau, Jr., general chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, urged the Jews in the United States “not to forget that on this Passover many Jews are still in flight from oppression” and that “the miracle of their crossing into Israel can be accomplished in our own day only by a supreme effort through the United Jewish Appeal.”

Drawing a parallel between the exodus from Egypt and the entrance of Jews to Israel today, Mr. Morgenthau said that the Jews are now entering the Jewish state from more than 30 countries. “By air, by land, by sea, the homeless and the persecuted, the impoverished and the diseased, are pouring through the gates of Israel,” he said. Special Passover rations will be supplied to 90,000 immigrants in the camps in Israel during the eight-day holiday period, he said.

The Joint Distribution Committee announced today that Passover celebrations by needy Jews in Europe and in the Moslem countries will see an increase in food rations as a result of large-scale shipmetns from the United States. More than 1,500,000 pounds of Passover food have been sent by the J.D.C. for use by distressed Jews in 17 European and Moslem countries. The J.D.C. will also conduct mass Seders for Jewish refugees in DP camps in Germany and for Israel-bound immigrants at ports of embarkation in France and Italy.

Public Seders for more than 1,000 newly-arrived displaced Jews have been arranged by the United Service for New Americans at the Hotel Marseilles in New York. Similar Seders will be held in other cities. A mass Seder for several hundred newly-arrived displaced Jews has also been arranged by the HIAS at its shelter in New York.

Jowish Chaplains Will Conduct Passover Services at 250 Military Posts

The National Jewish Welfare Board announced that Passover arrangements have been completed for Jewish armed services personnel and hospitalized veterans at even the most remote military and navy installations, in veterans hospitals in the United States, as well as posts in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the North Atlantic. Two hundred and five Jewish chaplains will conduct Passover services at 250 military posts and veterans hospitals.

The Synagogue Council of America, representing Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Jewish religious bodies in this country, today issued a call to American Jewry to observe Passover “in the spirit of Israel’s ancient tradition by dedication themselves to the continued struggle for liberty here and everywhere in the world.”

The Rabbinical Council of America on behalf of its membership of 400 Orthodox rabbis, issued a Passover call urging American Jewry to “persevere in the spirit of freedom and democracy for advancing the cause of religion.” A similar message was issued by the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America which represents 2,500 Orthodox synagoguos in this country.

Passover messages to the community were also issued by Jacob Blaustein, president of the American Jewish Committee; Benjamin G. Browdy, president of the Zionist Organization of America, Judge Morris Rothenborg, and other Jewish leaders.