Jewish Medical Work in Russia Developing

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

In thirty-eight towns in Russia which have a Jewish population of 929,000 souls, there are thirty-eight Jewish organizations in existence, providing medical aid for the Jewish population, states the Medical Department of the Joint Distribution Committee in its report just issued here. Fourteen of these organizations are purely sanitary-medical, and the rest, although their names-Jewish Relief Society, Jewish Mutual Aid Society, Society for the Relief of the Poor, etc.–suggest other activities besides, are also engaged mainly in providing medical assistance.

On May 1st of this year these organizations owned fifteen ambulatories, eleven polyclinics and four hospitals which were attended during the year by over a quarter of a million patients.

The budget for these organizations amount to 401,200 roubles, twenty percent of which was contributed last year by the Joint Distribution Committee and the remaining eighty per cent collected locally. This shows the extent to which the Jewish population of Russia engages in self-aid activity.

In the last few weeks, the report adds, eighteen new organizations have been formed in eighteen towns, for the purpose of medical aid among the Jewish population.

One hundred and fifty boys and. girls won camp scholarships. and 5,000 others will be awarded Bibles, medals and certificates as a progress in study conducted by the Jewish Education Association in the Hebrew schools in this city. 50,000 pupils in 150 schools throughout Greater New York entered the contest.

Joseph Goodman, chairman of the Troy, N. Y., Joint Jewish campaign, announced at a meeting of the workers in the Hotel Troy that nearly $10,000 of the total quota of $15,000 for Troy, had already been subscribed to the fund for the relief of Jews in Europe and the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Palestine.