A campaign to urge more American Jewish women to embrace Zionism as a dominating force toward “the regeneration of Jewish life” gets under way today in the nation-wide membership drive of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America.
Mrs. Alexander Lamport of Mount Vernon, N. Y., newly appointed membership chairman, announced yesterday that the campaign will be conducted through the 300 chapters of the organization throughout the country.
It will continue until “Hadassah Sabbath” December 1 when rabbis will speak from their pulpits on the medical and health work of Hadassah as a factor in the up-building of Palestine and on the organization’s educational activities.
SEEK 7,400 MEMBERS
At least 7,400 new members are sought, Mrs. Lamport said, as a tribute to Miss Henrietta Szold, founder of Hadassah, whose seventy-fourth birthday occurs next month. Junior Hadassah is conducting a membership campaign at the same time, it was announced. Both divisions desire a combined enrollment of 55,000, whereas at present the figure stands at 40,000.
Declaring that the Jewish woman today seeks a closer identification than ever before with movements for and by Jews, Mrs. Lamport said:
“American Jewish women have been roused to action to mitigate the lot of the Jew during this period of storm and stress through which world Jewry is currently passing.
“They are not content merely to sympathize and contribute toward relief. They want to take part in directive, constructive action. Thousands of women have found that the best work can be done only through large, strongly organized, well disciplined groups.
HADASSAH’S MISSION
“Through its broad Jewish and Zionist education Hadassah gives the American Jewish woman a richer understanding and fuller knowledge of the events and forces that are shaping Jewish life and thought today. Furthermore, through its system of non-sectarian health work in Palestine, Hadassah appeals to a deep humanitarian urge. The Jewish women of America, interested always in the well-being of their fellow Jews in this and other countries, have evidenced their deep understanding of the problem confronting world Jewry today—the problems that can be answered only by Palestine as a nationally built homeland for Jews.”
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