Our appeal for Passover relief for Jews in Eastern Europe is meeting with a fairly good response, notwithstanding the bad times at home, the Federation of Jewish Relief Organisations here states.
The congregations in London and the Provinces are now engaged in carrying out collections, which are expected to realise substantial sums, the statement proceeds. The appeal is supported by the greatest Rabbis in Eastern Europe, and the arrangement which the Federation has made this year for the distribution of Passover relief in Russia is receiving warm commendations.
The representative of the Federation in Russia, it says, has made a special tour of the various Jewries, and has established committees to supervise the local distribution. These committees are composed of men of the highest standing in their communities, who have been for years associated with Jewish relief work.
The Federation’s representative has also made arrangements with the Government stores for preferential treatment and priority of service to be given to all Passover orders received from the Federation.
All monies received in response to the appeal are being cabled abroad immediately, and no charges are being made by the Bank for these remittances.
Sad reports and appeals for relief are reaching the Federation daily from Poland, the statement goes on. A new wave of poverty is sweeping over the Jewish communities. A hundred thousand Jewish families, including 75,000 children, are on the verge of starvation. Practically one half of Polish Jewry is without work, and 10,000 Jewish merchants have been forced to close down their shops or factories.
The Executive Council of the Federation, at its last meeting, it is announced, voted £800 for immediate relief in Poland, despite the fact that the Federation’s Bank account for the moment is overdrawn.
The Executive Council has also considered a flood of applications for relief from Polish Yeshiboth, and a special committee has been appointed to investigate ways and means of co-ordinating all Yeshiboth collections made in this country, with a view to devising the best method of rendering assistance. Meanwhile, a grant of £225 has been made to a number of Polish Yeshiboth, which are in dire need.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
