Canadian Jewish Organizations Prepare to Receive Refugee Children from France

Detailed plans for the reception and the placement of 1,000 refugee children from France whom the Canadian Government has agreed to admit were discussed by leaders of Canadian Jewry at a meeting of the dominion executive of the Canadian Jewish Congress, under the chairmanship of Mr. Samuel Bronfman, it was announced here today.

Saul Hayes, director of the United Jewish Refugee and War Relief Agencies and of the Canadian Jewish Congress, reported at the meeting that steamers have already been chartered to bring the children from Europe. He announced that the government of Canada had accepted the guarantee of the United Jewish Refugee and War Relief Committee for the maintenance and care of these children. “Our organization has enjoyed the most generous cooperation of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee which has placed at our disposal the experience of their staff as well as their valuable contacts in France and in the countries of probable transit,” he added.

Delegates from Toronto and Winnipeg stated that their communities are as eager as Montreal and other centers to assist in placing the young refugees. Hundreds of inquiries and offers of homes have already been made since announcement of the plan. In the major Jewish centers of the Dominion, Jewish organizations which may be able to assist in various phases of the work have been consulted and have given the warmest assurances of cooperation, it was stated.

JEWISH INTERNEES RELEASED; SUCCESSFUL FIGHT AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM

The problem of the interned refugees who were brought to Canada from Great Britain is rapidly being solved, it was reported, as the government is permitting increasingly greater numbers to accept employment in vital war work. The ORT Technical School in one internment camp graduated and secured the releases of 45 internees in the last few weeks.

The Canadian government is giving very careful attention to the problem of discrimination against Jews in industry, especially in war factories, the meeting was told. Mr. Saul Hayes and Prof. J. Finkelman who discussed this matter with officials in Ottawa were cordially received and were assured that measures to prevent such practices in the future will be taken. Rabbi M. N. Eisendrath was empowered by the meeting to establish a national office to combat race bias in Toronto.

The Jewish community of Quebec City, it was reported, has been seeking permission for ten years to build a synagogue in the district where most of them reside but has met with no success. The Canadian Jewish Congress has interested itself in the problem especially since the Municipal Council of Quebec had passed a resolution forbidding the erection of houses of worship in that district. Confidence was expressed at the meeting that the problem would be solved satisfactorily.