I. O. B. A. Opens Forty-first Annual Convention in Saratoga Springs

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

Progressive adjustment to present day conditions created in Jewish fraternal organizations, following the cessation of immigration to the United States, was presented at the opening session of the forty-first annual convention of the Independent Order B’rith Abraham, one of the largest Jewish fraternal organizations, operating operating on a mutual insurance basis. The order was established in 1887, at the beginning of East European Jewish immigration to the United States.

Over 500 delegates representing a membership of 120,000, were present in Convention Hall when Judge Gustave Hartman, Grand Master, delivered his message at the opening session.

A budget for the activities of the Order during the coming year was presented by Judge Hartman calling for the expenditure of $87, 350 as against expected receipts of $88,053. This amount includes a capita tax $72,000. the largest item in the expenditure would be appropriations for the relief of members to the amount of $25,000. The budget for this year represents an increase of $4,000 over that for the year 1926-27.

The insurance question. which has of late become acute in the Order, due to the stoppage of immigration with a proportionate decrease in new members and to the advancing age of the early members was the pivot around which the attention of the many delegates centered. The Order had been operating its insurance department on a post mortem assessment plan which called for taxation of the membership on the death of a member. As the number of deaths increased and the membership did not grow proportionately, the situation presented a difficult problem. Previous attempts made in the course of several years to change the operation basis from a post mortem plan to fraternal rates plan met with the opposition of the members of long standing.

To cope with this problem Judge Hartman, in accordance with resolutions adopted at previous conventions, reported on a plan to amend the constitution of the Order so as to meet the new situation.

He recommended the creation of three classes of membership: Class A, embracing all old members wishing to continue the post mortem assessment plan; Class B, new members who are admitted under fraternal rate plan and Class C, social membership without insurance privileges. The question is expected to arouse wide discussion as final action on the subject will be asked.

Following presentation of the activities of the Order during the year, when it arranged a Jewish Day at the sesqui-centennial exposition in Philadelphia, the Grand Master expressed the sympathy of the Order with the Mississippi flood victims and urged contributions for their relief. He also urged the cooperation of the Order with the efforts to increase facilities for Jewish education in the communities, to assist the Hadassah, the Ort, the Hias and the United Palestine Appeal.

Particular emphasis was laid on the Jewish situation in Roumania and the efforts of the Order to join other national Jewish organizations in bringing the situation to the attention of the public at large.

Judge Hartman expressed continued adherence of the Order to the American Jewish Congress idea and endorsed the forthcoming conference on Jewish Rights to be held in Geneva under the auspices of the Congress and the Committee of Jewish Delegations.

“I recommend that this convention renew its allegiance to the principles of the American Jewish Congress and, even as has been our invariable custom from the very beginning, manifest the unswerving devotion of our Order to its high aims and purposes by making such financial contribution towards defraying its expenses as may be commensurate with the dignity, standing and power of the Order,” the Grand Master declared.

“Only through vigilance and ceaseless saving and effort may our people hope to derive that measure of benefit and security from the guaranteed rights accorded them in the Treaty of 1919 that would assure them peace and happiness on earth. This in the years to come is the high function of the American Jewish Congress.

“The hand of destiny is upon America. Even as she has always responded to the call of weak nations and fought for humanity and protection of the smaller peoples of the earth, so it is our firm belief that she will raise her mighty voice and power in behalf of Israel. Killing, maiming, and starving Jews is not democracy, nor is it humanity or justice. Our faith is in America as our love for her is unbounded and we know that true to her traditions and glorious past, she will champion our cause.

“I am proud of the leading part that the Independent Order Brith Abraham is taking in the policies and activities of the American Jewish Congress. We were among the prime movers in its creation and now constitute a strength and security to the movement. Great credit must ever redound upon our Order for the work already performed. Far greater will be our glory in the ultimate achievements of the American Jewish Congress,” he stated.

“The Order is fulfilling its high mission and helping to serve World Jewry With all the strength and fervor in us. we shall strive to lay before the world a clear and specific declaration of the wrongs and grievances of Israel in Roumania and other lands in Eastern Europe; and to safeguard our people in these lands from further acts of violence, oppression and cruelty: and to secure to them the civic, political, religious and linguistic rights and liberties, fully guaranteed to them by the Minority Rights Clause in the Treaty of 1919. Ours will be the sacred task of helping alleviate the sufferings of our people in these countries and bringing to them protection, justice and equal rights.

“Our prayers and good wishes shall go out with equal earnestness to all other suffering minority people in East European lands.

“I recommend that this Convention express its enthusiastic and unqualified approval of the high aims and purposes of the Geneva Conference and pledge its unswerving adherence and devotion to the cause it so nobly espouses.”

Speaking on the attitude of the Order toward the present immigration policy. Judge Hartman declared:

“It is to be fervently hoped that the present rigid restrictive immigration policy pursued by our Government may be abandoned and all discriminatory, unfair, arbitrary and unjust legislation affecting immigration into this country may be repealed. If all this be too much to hope for, at least may the present legislation be so far modified and humanized as to eliminate the ?agedy of divided families and broken homes.

“As Americans, who deary love this country and are loyal to its glorious institutions, we yearn for the time when there may be a return to those eternal principles of justice and tolerance which the fathers of this nation promulgated and which made this country the champion and protector of the weak and the haven and asylum of the oppressed and persecuted of the world. Judge Hartman declared.

“All persons from all lands and races who are found to be morally. mentally and physically fit and who seek liberty, democracy and justice and the opportunity for making this country their home, should be admitted in that spirit of humanity. compassion and justice, which made our country a mighty and glorious nation.

“I recommend that this Convention give unreserved expression to us thought and feeling upon this momentous proposition and memoralize the President and Congress of the United States to afford the much needed relief in the immigration situation during the next session of Congress,” he stated

Long John Silver, the one-legged pirate and seaman of Treasure Island, now speaks Yiddish in a translation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s sea classic. The translation was made by Aleph Katz, author of “A Tale of the Sea”, a book of Yiddish poems. The publishers are Messrs. Grohar and Stodolsky, 233 East 12th Street, New York.