Hadassah Denies Rumor “secession” from Z. O. A. Discussed

(Communication to the Editor)

Editor, Jewish Daily Bulletin. Dear Sir:

In your issue of July 7th of the “Jewish Daily Bulletin” we were very much astonished to read the following statement:

“Echoes of the rift in the Zionist Organization last year were heard following the convention here this week, when visiting and local Hadassah women spoke of ‘secession’ from the organization.

“It is believed here that the question of secession from the parent organization will be the chief topic of discussion at the Hadassah convention in Atlantic City in September.”

On behalf of the delegates of Hadassah present at the convention, I wish to state unqualifiedly that no member of Hadassah was responsible for this statement nor was there to my knowledge any talk of secession from the Zionist Organization of America.

A statement such as this is liable to cause a serious misunderstanding throughout the country and we therefore urge you to print this denial in an early issue of your Bulletin.

Sincerely yours

Zip F. Szold

Acting President.

July 25, 1929.

Editorial Note:-It should be noted that the report referred to in the letter of the Acting President of Hadassah carried the caption “Report Hadassah Members Talk of Secession,” a detail not mentioned in the Hadassah statement. It was quite obvious that the report referred to unofficial conversations current among Detroit members of the Hadassah organization and visitors from other cities, at tending the Junior Hadassah Convention which took place following the Z. O. A. convention. The correspondent of the “Jewish Daily Bulletin” in Detroit, who is responsible for the report, declares in an explanatory note that the topic of “secession” was discussed in a circle of responsible officers of local (Detroit) Hadassah, and two or three Hadassah women not from Detroit, when it became known that the Z. O. A. convention by a majority vote rejected the proposal to grant Hadassah group right of representation on the Administrative Committee of the Z. O. A. The Convention expressed itself in favor of securing the representation of women Zionists on the Administrative Board of the Zionist Organization without consideration of their specific group affiliation.

In the statement of Hadassah’s Acting President the Zionist public is assured that the talk of “secession” does not represent the views or intention of Hadassah’s policy forming circles.-(Ed.)