JNF in Berlin Notes 91% Rise in 1934 Income

Despite the fact that the Jewish National Fund has lost thousands of contributors in Germany through emigration, the income of the Fund in 1934 was ninety-one per cent higher than in the previous year, it was reported here at the third annual convention of the Berlin Zionist Federation.

More than 64,000 marks—approximately $25,000—was collected during the year in Berlin for the Jewish National Fund, Benno Cohn, president of the Federation, stated. Other branches of Zionist contribution suffered because of the almost complete dispersal of the old Zionist society in Berlin, he added.

The interest in Hebrew which had grown during the first months of the Hitler regime has gone down now, according to Mr. Cohn’s report. A total of 143 Hebrew classes were conducted in Berlin up to January, 1935. At present, however, there are only thirty-five classes in existence, with 580 pupils and fifteen teachers.

The collection of books for the library of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem has been facilitated by the fact that many Jewish homes in Berlin were being closed, Mr. Cohn reported. One hundred and fifteen cases of books have been shipped during the year to Jerusalem. They have increased the collection at the Jerusalem library by ten per cent.

The banker, Michel Goudchaux, vice-president of the Jewish Central Consistory of France, fought at the barricades in the July revolution of 1830, and though elected a deputy to the French legislature in 1857, did not take his seat because he refused to swear allegiance to Napoleon III.