Comparing the conference to Yom Kippur, Paul Baerwald, one of the chairmen of the campaign, who was the next speaker, said that just as on the Day of Atonement, Jews devote themselves to one purpose, those who were assembled at this conference also devote themselves to the one purpose of service.
“Many of you are leaders in your own community and you devote a great deal of time and thought and money to the welfare of your communities,” said Mr. Baerwald. “We in New York carry similar responsibilities as far as local and civic duties are concerned, but in addition to that New York is, and will probably remain for a long time to come, the clearing house of all activities for foreign countries. Because of its large population of foreign origin, because of the large number of foreign-language newspapers, many of which have their own exclusive foreign correspondents, the New York public has more information on foreign happenings than any other city. It follows from what I have just said that we in New York are bound to do, and are doing, most of the work connected with these foreign activities, and it would be unnatural to expect from people in other cities that they should apply themselves daily and hourly to this work. But we cannot be successful in this effort which we are undertaking if we cannot get the whole country to realize that this undertaking is everybody’s responsibility and not only our own, and one of the objects of this conference is to endeavor to have more people than we can ordinarily reach realize the fact of that responsibility.”
The first requirement of this new drive, said Mr. Baerwald, is to know the problem; the second step is to acquaint as many people as possible with it.
“We hope you will go away from here not only fully satisfied that you have come, but also with a feeling of inspiration from the lofty sentiments expressed here,” said Mr. Baerwald in conclusion, “and that you will carry away with you a determination to help us carry on the work of the Joint Distribution Committee and the Jewish Agency for Palestine. Let us meditate and listen today, but tomorrow let men and women get into action.”
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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.
