Between the Lines

A silent fight is now going on between the Zionist Organization and the Joint Distribution Committee—a fight which chiefly concerns the Jews abroad. The issue is: Should the Zionist Organization of America continue to get fifty per cent from the funds raised by the United Jewish Appeal of America or should it get a smaller percentage?

The Joint Distribution Committee, which agreed last year to partnership with the American Palestine Campaign, claims the fifty-fifty arrangement of last year would not be justified this year, when the need of East European Jewry has grown so great. It suggests that if the arrangement is to be renewed for next year, the Zionists ought to be satisfied with less than fifty per cent of the funds raised.

WHO IS RIGHT?

There is no doubt that the Zionists will have to give in to the demand of the Joint Distribution Committeee if they are actually interested in raising any substantial sum for Palestine in the United States.

The Zionist Organization of America, in its present negotiations with the Joint Distribution Committee, ought to take into consideration that about a million dollars has been collected by different Zionist groups in the United States this year for Palestine, despite the agreement existing between the American Palestine Campaign and the Joint Distribution Committee. Zionists in America—those who are actually interested in contributing for Palestine—have given their contributions not to the United Jewish Appeal, in which the Zionist Organization and the Joint Distribution Committee are partners, but to the specific Zionist funds. This explains why the Jewish National Fund has raised more money in America this year than a year ago. This explains why the Zionist Labor Campaign has raised about $180,000 this year as compared with the $117,000 of last year. This explains why the Hadassah Organization has raised more than half a million dollars. This explains why the income of the Mizrachi was larger this year than during previous years.

PARTNERSHIP—BEFORE AND NOW

When the Joint Distribution Committee entered, in 1929, into partnership with the Zionist Organization for a united campaign, this campaign included also the Hadassah and the Mizrachi. In other words, the Zionist women of America as well as the religious Jews here had a direct interest in making the united campaign a success.

Such was not the case this year. On the one hand, a partnership existed between the Zionists and the Joint Distribution Committee, and on the other hand—despite this partnership — each Zionist group in America conducted its own drive for funds. The result was that instead of contributing to the united Zionist-J.D.C.-campaign, the majority of Zionists contributed to the specific Zionist drives.

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