Jewish Activities in the Metropolitan Area

A, departure from the present Zionist platform which places emphasis on a return to Palestine, to concentration on Jews of the Diaspora, was advocated at the first annual Masada Youth Zionist Organization conference of the metropolitan chapters held at the Central Jewish Institute.

The conference was the first of a series of campaigns to strengthen the existing Masada organization and to make plans for a huge membership drive which will be launched within a few days.

Israel Berman, chairman of the cultural committee, presided at the morning session. David Marcus, president of the New York Masada, greeted about one hundred delegates representing fifteen chapters, with an address on the policy of the organization. Isaac Imber, head of the national Masada organization, declared that Masada stresses need for union of the various factions of Zionism.

“In many of the small communities, Masada has already succeeded in doing that,” he said.

Twelve new chapters were inducted formally into the organization at the afternoon session, Morris Rothenberg, president of the Zionist organization of America, who presented new chapters with their charters, impressed them with the thought that each Masada club is a Zionist cell from which Zionist ideology must radiate.

The conference decided to cooperate with the Kfar Ussishkin project and set the sum of $2.000 as their quota. It was also announced that Masada will place a Jewish National Fund box in every Jewish home. As part of its membership campaign Masada will enlist the cooperation of non-Zionist Jewish clubs in the city.