The twelfth annual convention of the Federation of Zionists in Argentina, which has just concluded its sessions here, decided to devote more time to the Hebrew education of the Jewish youth in this far South American republic than it has done hitherto. After a protracted discussion, in which several speakers pointed out how the younger Jewish generation of Argentina is being estranged from matters Jewish, the conference decided to appoint a Zionist “Vaad Ha’Hinuch”, or Board of Education, which will control the existing Hebrew schools in Buenos Aires and the provinces, unify the curricula and open new schools. It was also decided that parents should be required to pay for the Jewish education of their children.
Among other resolutions which the conference adopted were:
To support the Argentine-Palestine Chamber of Commerce which was established here a year ago and which has since been making good progress.
To establish a publishing house which will issue Zionist literature in the Spanish language.
To bring Nahum Sokolow, world Zionist leader, to Argentina in the interests of Zionism.
To protest against anti-Semitic activities in Roumania.
The conference was greeted by Senator Dr. Diego Molinari, one of the leaders in Argentine political life and one of the best orators in the country who has many times before exhibited great sympathy for Jewish causes and who appeared last year at the meeting arranged by Argentine Zionists to protest Arab brutalities in Palestine.
The Chief Rabbi of the Sephardic community of Argentina, which consists of thirty thousand souls, and Senor Elnekave, former editor of the Constantinople paper, “El Judeo”, expressed the hope that a better understanding and a spirit of more cooperation would soon be reached between the Sephardim and Ashkenazim of this country.
More than half a million pesos were raised during the past year for Zionist purposes, according to the report rendered by Senor Caplan, Executive Secretary of the Federation. This however included 316,000 pesos that were raised for the Palestine Emergency Fund after the August riots, and several speakers criticised the administration for not having raised larger sums during the year for the regular Zionist funds. A majority of the delegates however gave a vote of thanks to the present administration, and especially to Dr. Nisenson, retiring president of the Federation, for their fund-raising efforts.
Senor N. Gesang, until now vice-president, was elected president of the Argentine Zionists by the convention.
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