Jewish Women’s World Meet Closed

The first Jewish Women’s World Conference called by the Council of American Jewish Women was declared officially closed at Sabbath eve services at the Temple last evening.

Although no world union of Jewish women was organized at the Conference, the basis for one was laid in the foundation of a world council which is comprised of representatives of the majority of the countries participating in the recent deliberations.

Mrs. Alexander Kohut of New York will probably head this new council while Mrs. Estelle Sternberger, Executive Secretary of the American Council of Jewish Women and Mrs. Harris, of Bradford Pa. will be among the vice-presidents. Other possible vice presidents are Mme Spielman and Eicholz of England, Mme. Zadok Kahan of France, Mme. Wiesenbech of Holland, Frau Poppenheim of Germany and Frau Anita Miller of Vienna.

The deliberations of the women’s gathering were marked by earnestness and good parliamentary procedure. At only one juncture did the women’s meeting depart from the business tone. This was when a delegate who had recently visited Russia and the Ukraine described conditions of womanhood there. There was a pause of several minutes during which the women gave way to uncontrollable tears.

Most of the resolutions discussed during the four days’ sessions were put in final form and adopted at the last sitting. These resolutions included the greetings to the Jewish women of Palestine, which Dr. Ben Zion Mosessohn, director of the Herzlieh Gymnasium in Jaffa, was asked to deliver.

Another resolution pledges support to the Jewish war and pogrom orphans in the Ukraine and also to those institutions in the Ukraine which are supported by the Jewish World Relief Conference of Paris. Mrs. Kohut’s resolution on world peace, denouncing post-war conditions and praying for the inauguration of an era of peace as preached by the prophets in Israel was loudly acclaimed.

The resolution urging cooperation of Jewish women in the economic and social reconstruction of Palestine was adopted as was the mooted proposal to protest against the agitation and ravages of anti-Semitism. Protection for women and girl immigrants on frontiers and in ports is urged in a resolution which provides also for the establishment of a central bureau in London. White slave traffic and prostitution are denounced in a separate resolution pledging Jewish women to join in the war against these evils, wherever they exist.

Austrian authorities are very well pleased with the women’s gathering. The Vienna police took appropriate precautions against attacks by the Swastika who had written and spoken threatingly before and during the Jewish women’s meeting.

“Despite differences in language and opinions, the Jewish women who assembled in conference here have accomplished a great deal”, Mrs. Alexander Kohut told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “The Jewish women of America in calling this conference have made history. World cooperation by Jewish women has now been made possible through the creation of a provisional committee which has been elected to serve for one year, and the object of which is to lay the foundation for a world union”.

Mrs. Stesnberger associated herself with Mrs. Kohut’s views and said she was hopeful of great results being accomplished by means of the newly created world Council. Tribute to Mrs. Sternberger’s efforts in bringing about this conference was paid by Mrs. Harris who said “The American Delegation had brought American love to Europe and was bringing away European love to America. The Conference gave the Americans much more than it took from them”, Mrs. Harris declared.