The Jewish homeland movement is being handicapped by Great Britain’s efforts to establish a Legislative Council in Palestine, speakers declared at the Mizrachi Zionist Organization convention before 1,200 delegates and guests.
Rabbi Meier Berlin, honorary world president of Mizrachi, told leaders of orthodox Jewry that Palestine Jewry would resist establishment of a Legislative Council with every power at its command, by appealing to the League of Nations and to the nations which countersigned the Balfour Declaration, including the United States.
Other speakers echoed Rabbi Berlin’s sentiments. Leon Gellman, national president of Mizrachi and Rabbi Joseph Konwitz contended that an Arab majority on the Legislative Council would frustrate the purpose of the Balfour Declaration and the articles of the mandate relating to the Jewish national home.
Extending greetings to the convention President Roosevelt said in a message:
“Religion has always played an important role in civilization. Its teachers and ministers have been beacon lights guiding the people ever higher and higher. They have been revered by the people whom they have led.
“This applies with unusual force to the Jews. From their early history their religious leaders have been world characters. They have held their people together through good times and bad, through friendly periods and times of persecution.”
“Their political situation in Palestine has been changed considerably during the last few months,” Rabbi Berlin declared. “We thought that Great Britain was in sympathy with our aims to increase the Jewish population and wealth of our country. The fact that the Jewish population of Palestine is now 400,000 souls is regarded as a miracle in the eyes of many people who know the condition of the land a generation ago.
“Now England has changed its front and is placing obstacles in our path by proposing to establish a Legislative Council which is in direct conflict with the letter and spirit of the Balfour Declaration which established a Jewish national home.
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.
