The departure of Dr. Boris Bogen and Rabbi Kovalsky from Russia marked the end of the Joint Distribution Committee’s activities there. Dr. Bogen and Rabbi Kovalsky were much feted before leaving by the Government officials and various institutions, but more serious and pathetic receptions were also given them.
The final liquidation of the J.D.C.’s activities has created the widest despair in Russia. Prof. Sholowsky and Doctors Rubenstein and Alexander of Kiev, Dr. Kaplan of Charkoff, Dr. Chanes of Ekaterinoslav and delegations of social workers from all over Russia came specially to Moscow to describe the extreme destitutuion in which the departure of the J.D.C. leaves them, and implored Dr. Bogen to use all his influence to urge the J.D.C. to continue its relief work in Russia. They stated that a catastrophe was inevitable unless it were done. The situation is so appalling that social workers have even seized upon the idea of sending a special delegation to America to convince the J.D.C. of the necessity for continuing its work in Russia.
The last official act of Dr. Bogen was to distribute $200,000 among children’s homes, homes for the aged, medical and other professional institutions. It is estimated that almost $9,000,000 has been spent by the J.D.C. on Russia.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
