The Jewish Welfare Board today called upon its 325 constituent “Y’s” and community centers to throw open their activities and facilities to new immigrants in order to assist the newcomers to solve their problems, in a resolution adopted by the board’s two-day annual meeting at the 92nd Y.M.H.A.
The board is organizing an advisory service on adjustment of immigrants for the benefit of its constituent societies, the several hundred delegates were informed in a report by Louis Kraft, acting executive director. Conferences have been held to discuss the experience of local organizations in serving newcomers and to analyze the problem involved. The board will seek “to stimulate undertakings on behalf of newcomers and to give such aid as may be helpful in establishing programs to facilitate their absorption into normal communal life,” the report said.
Other resolutions called for cooperation with the United Jewish Appeal, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for building camp sites for Y’s and to the Secretaries of War and Navy and the director of the Civilian Conservations Corps for their cooperation with the board’s Army and Navy Committee. The delegates rose in tribute to Judge Irving Lehman, president of the board, and Dr. Cyrus Adler, chairman of the Army and Navy Committee, and in memory of Supreme Court Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo.
Frederick L. Ehrman was elected treasurer to succeed Benjamin J. Buttenwieser. Other officers, who were re-elected, are Judge Lehman, president; Jacob M. Loeb, M.C. Sloss and Mrs. Felix M. Warburg, vice presidents; and Joseph Rosenzweig, secretary. Elected to the executive committee were Secretary of Treasury Henry Morgenthau Jr., Col. Julius Ochs Adler, Fred Butzel, Harry Fischel, Clarence E. Unterberg, Charles Morris, Dr. Adler, Harry J. Applestein, Harry Lesser, Michael Stavitsky, Jacob L. Wiseman and Edwin Wolf II.
Judge Lehman in his presidential message, declared that Jews, enjoying freedom in the United States, should build up institutions that would perpetuate the ideals of their fathers even while Jews abroad were prisoned and lived in countries where “freedom is dead or dying.” Dr. Adler stated in his report that because of the preparation for military conflict reliance upon spiritual forces for moral sustenance was essential and the need for it was felt by men in military service. Dr. Henry Noble MacCracken, president of Vassar College, lauded the board for conducting its work in a truly American way. Other speakers included Prof. Salo W. Baron of Columbia University and Frank L. Weil. Round table conferences on Jewish community work were held during the day.
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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.
