The first annual convention of Masada, national Youth Zionist Organization, closed here yesterday with the election of national officers. They include Isaac Imber of New York, president; Isaac Milgram of New York, secretary; Samuel K. Miller of New York, treasurer, and Ben M. Edidin, Niagara Falls; Israel Weiner, Detroit; Albert Elazar, Minneapolis; Milton Selig, Philadelphia; Joseph M. Papo, Cleveland, and Rabbi Samuel I. Porrath, Niagara Falls, vice-presidents.
Morris Rothenberg, president of the Zionist Organization of America, and one of the prime movers in the organization of Masada, was the principal speaker at the closing session of the Masada convention.
After describing the preliminary work that resulted in the creation of Masada, the Zionist leader said in part:
“More than ever before there is today a psychological need for the identification of Jewish youth with Jewish life and Jewish problems. With anti-Semitism limiting Jewish opportunity and world economic depression increasing the isolation of the Jew, a psychic danger to Jewish youth lurks, unless normal Jewish impulses and mental processes can function freely.
“It is my deep conviction that if we all work earnestly and wisely, we can make Masada the vehicle for enlisting great masses of Jewish youth in the service of the greatest of Jewish causes, the re-constitution of Israel’s land and the revival of Israel’s culture, a consummation which will at the same time confer an infinite benefit upon all who participate in this historic task.”
Mr. Imber called upon Jewish youth to do away with the multitude of Jewish organizations that divide them.
“We must cut through party lines, allegiances and restrictions,” he declared. “The Zionist platform is broad enough for every shade of opinion.”
Dr. Alexander Dushkin of Chicago, chairman of the Zionist commission on youth education, stressed the importance of the youth Zionist movement and lauded the Masada group.
Among the other speakers were Isaac Milgram of New York, Joseph Porath of Cleveland, Samuel Miller of New York and Milton Selig of Philadelphia.
The convention adopted resolutions reaffirming its affiliation with the Zionist Organization of America. Mr. Rothenberg received thanks for his work in organizing Masada and Junior Hadassah for its cooperation.
The convention also determined to participate in all Zionist fund-raising drives and the projects of the Jewish National Fund. The convention approved a project for publishing a monthly magazine to propagate Masada work.
Standing committee chairmen were named as follows: cultural, Myron Stanford, Cleveland; finance, David Marcus, Hoboken, N. J.; organization, William Jaffe, New York; Young Judea and inter-relations, Joseph Porath, Cleveland; J.N.F., Harry Sheer, Brooklyn N. Y.; projects, Joseph Silverman, Minneapolis and Emanuel Bardoff, New York; propaganda and publicity, Lewis Cantor, Brooklyn.
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