Holland Making Sincere Effort to Stem Anti-semitic Feeling

ish movement in Holland, which, supported by the World Union in London, has now appointed its own religious leader, Rabbi Ludwig Mehler, one of the best and most learned pupils of Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck. Violent opposition has arisen in orthodox circles against this new movement. It cannot be stated that there is a greater religious feeling among Dutch Jewry owing to events in Germany, but it must be mentioned that Dutch Jews have spared no sacrifices and have paid hundreds of thousands of guilders in aid of German Jewish fugitives.

This Dutch Jews have done despite their economic situation, which became worse during the past year. This is the result not only of the general economic situation but also, particularly of the collapse of the diamond industry. The Amsterdam Jewish population which forms such an important part of the Dutch Jewry (80,000 of the 120,000 Dutch Jews live in Amsterdam) in large part earn their living in this industry. Owing to the proximity of Antwerp, which has a low living standard, and the dumping policy of the German diamond industry in Hanau, wages in Amsterdam—which had perhaps the highest living standard in Europe—were lowered considerably. Thousands of skilled laborers were dismissed. Some improvement has been noted lately owing to the cooperation of the government. At least some thousands of laborers have gone back to work.

The wealthy German Jews have certainly done something for the economic life of Holland by foundation of some new industries and by establishment of a number of shops. Only a small percentage of the intellectuals who came from Germany have been able to find employment. We will only mention that the well known expert on labor law, Professor Hugo Sinzheimer of Frankfort has obtained a chair at Amsterdam and that several German scholars have been appointed as assistants at some government universities.

Dutch Jewry feels more than ever allied with Jews in other countries and in supporting the building up of the Jewish National Home in Palestine. Several Hachsharas have been founded by the Mizrachi, the Hechalutz and the Agudath Israel.