The story of 100,000 Jews returning to the soil and bearing up under the depression is told in the annual report of Gabriel Davidson, general manager of the Jewish Agricultural Society.
Emerging from economic difficulties the Jewish farmers are now making steady progress in agriculture, the report said. “In any plan of Jewish vocation readjustment, farming must play a role. Adjustment in farming is costly and therefore the drift to the land cannot assume the dimensions that its proponents wish it to attain. That is the challenge.”
Reporting that 749 persons sought the society’s advice on desirability of settling on farms during the year, Mr. Davidson said:
“No considerable number of German Jews possess an agricultural background, and, with the restrictions against the withdrawal of funds from Germany, lack of capital is a stumbling block. It may, however, be expected that some of these victims will find places on farms in this country.”
“Officials of Federal farm lending agencies and others have expressed surprise, “the report continued, “that we were able to keep afloat at a time when they, with their incomparably stronger structures, were experiencing rough sailing.”
The report continues:
“Thirty-six years ago when the Society first began to function there were 216 Jewish farm families in the United States. Today, we have a Jewish farm population approximating 100,000. In 1900 the total acreage owned by Jewish farmers was 12,029. Today more than 1,500,000 acres are owned by Jews and these farm holdings, real and personal, have a probable gross worth of 150,000,000. There are Jewish tillers of the soil in all of the 48 states in the Union.
“The Society, through its Farm Loan Department, has granted up to the end of its last fiscal year 11,729 farm loans aggregating over $7,275,000 to Jewish farmers in forty states. This financial service provides the Jewish farmer with a source of credit not readily obtainable through other sources. Farm loans are made on smaller margins of equity than are usually accepted by loaning agencies. Their repayment is spread over a long number of years, and there is no exaction of bonus or commission or payment of renewal charges.”
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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.
