J.d. B. News Letter

(By our Worcester Correspondent)

The Joint Jewish Campaign for $30,000 conducted in this city fell short of its mark by $20,000. Although the city raised $40,000 for the United Palestine Appeal and the Joint Distribution committee three years ago, it obtained pledges for only $10,000 this year. Efforts were made to put off the campaign on the grounds of the poor business conditions. The local committee consisted of Max Corash chairman, and Barnard Wolkowitch as secretary. The two largest individual contributions were $500 each and were made by John Kane, chairman of the opening banquet cmmittee, and Bernard Press, the treasurer who also donated the use of an office in his building for the managers.

The speakers at the opening banquet were Bernard B. Given of Syracuse, N. Y., chairman of the New York State United Palesitne Appeal committee; Mrs. Archibald Silverman, Alderman Victor Hillman as representative of Mayor O’Hara; Rabbi Irving J. Miller and Rabbi Julius H. Gordon of the local Reform temple. Joseph Talamo, for years chairman of the local United Palestine Appeal campaigns was the toastmaster.

The seven labor groups of the city pledged themselves to give $5,000, as a body, toward the campaign. This is in addition to the $2,000 the seven groups donated earlier in the season for the benefit of labor groups in Palestine.

On Memorial Day, the local B’nai lodge dedicated a chapel in its cemetery. The chapel represents the work of two years, on the part of a committee of members of the B’nai Brith cemetery corporation, under the joint chairmanship of Jacob Reed and Adolph Hirsch. The dedicatory exercises began with the ceremony of the opening of the chapel door, which privilege was given to Samuel Lainer.

Samuel R. Caplan, president of the Worcester lodge, delivered an address. Mr. Reed presented the building, and Adolph Hirsch as president of the corporation accepted it. The chapel seats about 100 persons. The interior of the round dome is decorated with a mural painting. Portions of the chapel have been purchased by Worcester people in memory of their departed relatives.

A concert and a meeting were held in Mechanics Hall here to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the founding of the Workmen’s Circle Cooperative Bakery, and the opening of its new model quarters. David Fishman, of the board of directors of the National Workmen’s Circle was the principal speaker.

The bakery is said to be one of the best examples of a cooperative shop in the country. Nathan Summer, president of the board of directors was chairman of the meeting.

John D. Beller, superintendent of the Jewish Home for the Aged and Orphans, was another speaker, and announced that the Home directors would soon open a drive for funds for a new institution. This comes as a result of the annual directors’ meeting held recently, in which both Mr. Beller and the president, Jacob L. Goding, spoke with emphasis upon the need for a new building, bringing as evidence, not only the poor facilities of the present one, but the amount of money wasted yearly in keeping it in repair. The home now houses 28 children under the age of 16, and 8 old people, and has a long waiting list. It has for years been collecting a sinking and a building fund, and will now supplement this with a campaign. The annual meeting reelected Mr. Goding president, and Wilfred Feiga, secretary.

The merger of the two ladies’ societies which exist to help the Home was also announced at the meeting. Miss Edythe Rome, retiring as president of the first society, is succeeded by Mrs. Jacob A. Goldberg, who will now head the combined organizations. The women’s auxiliary has hitherto provided the funds for a summer camp and contributed largely to its sinking fund.