A loan fund to aid Jewish immigrants in Mexico in their adjustment to the new environment will be established under the auspices of the Mexican Bureau of the Independent Order B’nai B’rith. Authorization for this action was given by the Executive Committee of the fraternal order at its annual meeting which was held here all day Sunday. Alfred M. Cohen, president, presided over the meeting, which was attended by B’nai B’rith leaders from all parts of the country. The amount of $12,500 to institute the loan fund work was received from the Emergency Relief Committee.
The Executive Committee, after approving the reports of Senator Cohen and Dr. Boris D. Bogen, Executive Secretary acted on a number of proposals of world-wide interest affecting cultural, economic and relief measures.
The work of the Anti-Defamation League, a subsidiary body of the I. O. B. B. functioning for the protection of the good name of the Jew and for the elimination of racial and religious prejudice, was reported on by Sigmund Livingston of Chicago, chairman of the League. The Executive Committee approved the report, which includes a plan whereby the League is cooperating with the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America for removing from he prayer books all texts deprecatory the Jews.
The Wider Scope Committee, of which Henry Monsky of Omaha, Neb., a chairman, was authorized to continue is work and go into territory not covered by previous campaigns in its effort to make up the sum of $750,000 short of its recent $2,000,000 campaign. (Continued on Page 4)
The leaders of the B’nai B’rith have also approved the action of the Hillel Foundation in establishing new foundations at Cornell University and Morgantown, W. Va. An application for the establishment of a Hillel Foundation was received from Athens, Georgia. All plans submitted by Dr. Bogen for the extension of the educational and cultural work under the auspices of the Order were approved. Under these plans I. O. B. B. lodges will be assured lecturers, musical programs and art exhibitions.
The establishment of an agency for Jewish social work at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, by the Order, is hoped to overcome the serious problem brought about there by the absence of Jewish contacts, an absence that produced such a serious reaction against Jews that the Anti-Defamation League looked into the matter and suggested the forming of the agency, it was stated at the meeting.
The Aleph Zadik Aleph, junior order of the B’nai B’rith was voted a subvention of $10,000 to carry on its work.
A study of cultural activities at 947 open meetings of 190 lodges throughout the country showed an enthusiastic response on the part of members. The survey showed an attendance of 189,400, or an average of 200 per meeting, ancording to the report submitted by Dr. Bogen.
In response to a plea by Dr. David Yellin, former vice-mayor of Jerusalem, the Executive Committee voted a contribution of $5,000 to the Hebrew Teachers College, now in process of construction in Jerusalem, of which Dr. Yellin is the head. President Cohen was also authorized to appropriate from the I. O. B. B. funds, raised through the Wider Scope Committee, a sum necessary for the subvention of a library division in the Hebrew University library in the name of the B’nai B’rith.
In his annual report, President Cohen submitted the text of a letter he addressed to President Coolidge endorsing, in behalf of the Order, the Gillette Resolution to erect a suitable statue in the Canal Zone to George W. Goethals.
The next convention of the Constitution Grand Lodge, which meets once in five years for the election of national officers, will be held in April, 1930 in Cincinnati. The last convention was held in Atlantic City in 1925. Delegates from the I. O. B. B. lodges in the United States, Europe, the Near East, Palestine and China are expected to attend the convention.
An engraved resolution of grief on the death of Adolph Kraus, former president of the Order, was sent to his widow. A resolution of grief on the death of Charles Hartman, member of the Executive Committee, was also adopted.
The members of the Executive Committee present were Alfred M. Cohen, president; Dr. Boris D. Bogen, executive secretary; Joseph Ullman, New Haven, Conn.; Sidney Kusworm. Dayton; Isidore Feibelman, Indianapolis; Jacob Singer of Philadelphia, treasurer; I. W. Jacobs, Pittsburgh; Lucius Solomons, San Francisco, vice-president; Henry Alexander, Atlanta; Joseph Wilner. Washington; Gottfried Bernstein, Chicago; Henry Monsky, Omaha; Sigmund Livingston, Chicago; Archibald Marx, New Orleans; Richard Gutstadt, San Francisco, and Dr. David Yellin, Jerusalem.
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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.
