Calling a Jewish World Conference: Decision Adopted at Meeting of American Jewish Organisations: the

A decision to convoke a Jewish World Conference in Geneva next July for the purpose of discussing the advisability of holding a Jewish World Congress has been adopted at a Conference held here called by the American Jewish Congress and attended by representatives of ten nation-wide Jewish organisations and 100 New York Jewish organisations.

A Jewish World Congress, the resolution adopted says, is an indispensible requisite for the defence of Jewish rights and the maintenance of Jewish morale in all countries and we accordingly pledge ourselves to promote the cause of such a Congress in anticipation as well as during the course of the proposed Conference.

Dr. Stephen S. Wise, Honorary President of the American Jewish Congress, in addressing the gathering, said that there were two problems, the problem of Palestine, and the problem of the Galuth, and it was the problem of the Galuth that the projected Jewish World Congress would have to deal with.

The purpose of the Jewish World Congress, the resolution further says, is to cope on a world scale with the attempt now being made by antisemites in all countries organised in a world movement, to degrade us and to undermine our existence. The Jewish World Congress, it proceeds, will maintain an organised Jewish world movement to help to bring about political, economic and social changes, which will strengthen the position of the Jewish people in all the lands where they reside, and also the upbuilding of our national home in Palestine.

The Conference has endorsed the plan for an International Convention to outlaw antisemitism put forward by Professor Tedeschi, of Rome (reported in the J.T.A. Bulletins of February 3rd. and March 29th.).

In 1927 a Jewish World Conference called on the initiative of the American Jewish Congress was held at Zurich, for the protection of minority rights, and Dr. Stephen S. Wise replied there to criticism of the Conference made by Chief Rabbi Israel Levi of France, the late Mr. Lucien Wolf and others who had opposed the idea of Jewish international action. The nations and Government of the world expect Jews frankly to act together in defence of their fellow-Jews who are oppressed, he said. When we fail to do so, Governments expect insincerity rather than fearfulness. With the fullest understanding of the seriousness of my word, I maintain in the hearing of the Jewish world that the statements of the heads of the Joint Foreign Committee of England, the American Jewish Committee and others are documents of the Galuth.

The result of that Conference was the establishment of the Council on Jewish Minority Rights by a fusion of the activities of the Committee of Jewish Delegations, the American Jewish Committee and several other bodies, representing the Folkists.

About the time of the last Zionist Congress at Basle in July, the American Jewish Congress also took the initiative in holding a preliminary Conference there to make preparations for the projected Jewish World Congress, and it was decided to hold a Jewish World Conference next summer (the plan now endorsed by the New York Conference) when official representatives of Jewish institutions in all parts of the world will be invited to attend in order to draw up a programme for the Jewish World Congress.