Digest of Public Opinion on Jewish Matters

[The purpose of the Digest is informative. Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval.-Editor.]

A statement by Dr. Weizmann which is viewed as signalizing the beginning of a new era in the history of the Zionist work in Palestine was made by the president of the World Zionist Organization in an interview, following his recent visit in America, which appears in the “Ha’Olam,” Hebrew organ of London. In this statement Dr. Weizmann reviews the present situation in regard to Zionism and the work in Palestine and emphasizes that American Jewry can and will furnish all the necessary capital for the reconstruction of Palestine if only it will be convinced that the Palestine Yishub is becoming self-sustaining. Dr. Weizmann’s statement in the “Ha’Olam” declared:

“Despite all difficulties which have stood, and still stand, in our way recently, despite the failure of some of the Zionist enterprises, despite the depressing reports which come to America from suffering Palestine through letters and through visitors to that country–our movement is by no means weakened and there is no loss of courage nor disappointment to be observed among the Jews of America. On the contrary: The Zionist thermometer has gone up several degrees and we can say with absolute certainty that there are today no opponents of Zionism in America–if we discount the limited circle of socialist doctrinaires, and those who follow them blindly.

“There are non-Zionists that is, people who do not stand with the Zionist Organization, but no anti-Zionists. And there is positively no reason to speak about a falling away of faith in the success of our work. But there are doubts as to whether we are going in the right direction in regard to the outlook of the Yishub. America, alone can rebuild our national home, and there is no limit to the treasures which American Jewry may and can give for the purpose–if we can prove to them that their dollars are not being dumped into a riddled sack, but into something concrete which is being handled with logic and wisdom and which has a promise for the future. The question of Palestine reconstruction is not a question of money.

“Where and how to get the money which is necessary for the Palestine reconstruction,” Dr. Weizmann further stated, “that is a question which depends on the proper outlook of the Yishub. The American Jew, as well as any other Jew, is interested in practical results. He wants to know whether our Yishub (especially the colonization Yishub) can be self sustaining. The American Jews are not bargaining with us. What they desire is, that we should tell them in a clear way whether if such and such a sum of money will be given for settling a colonist on the land, he will be able to earn his own living and eventually pay up his debt. The essential point is, that we can get as much money as we need, if we will be able to stand up proudly before the Jewish public and say: What you are giving us results each year in such and such a number of new towns in Palestine, people have settled there and are living their lives, earning their livelihood through their own work and the day is near when they will begin to return to the nation that which they borrowed from it in the way of land and colonization.”

Commenting on this statement of Dr. Weizmann the “Jewish Daily News”, (April 28th), observes:

“We see in this statement of Dr. Weizmann the beginning of a new and important epoch in the history of the Zionist work in Palestine. Whatever may have been the reason which prompted the President of the Zionist Organization to utter such words is not important. What is important is, that Dr. Weizmann, through his statement, has put himself on turn ground, has pointed to a new way in the Palestine work and has laid down a foundation on which Zionist activities in Palestine can now firmly rest.

“Dr. Weizmann has analyzed the subject very deeply and if this will be the spirit permeating the new work which it is expected will be undertaken with the Jewish Agency there is every reason to expect success.”

Dr. I. M. Rubinow, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Jewish Welfare Society, has been appointed to the position of Executive Director of the Brooklyn Federation of Jewish Charities.

The funeral of Charles Altschul, former partner in the banking firm of Lazard Freres, who died on Tuesday, took place Thursday. The pallbearers included Leo Amstein, Paul Baerwald, C. R. Berrian, Alfred A. Cook, P. J. Goodhart, Andre Lazard, Irving Lehman, James N. McDonald, Dr. B. F. Oppenhcimer and Prof. James T. Shotwell.