Julius Rosenwald, famous American Jewish philanthropist, has agreed to subscribe $5,000,000 for the continuance and further development of the Jewish colonization work in Russia.
A fund of $10,000,000 to secure a long time continuance of the colonization work in the Crimea and the Ukraine will be raised outside and in addition to the sums allotted for Jewish colonization from the $25,000,000 United Jewish Campaign of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
A new society for settling Jews on the land in Russia is now being organized to sponsor the new work.
These facts which outline a new chapter in the rescue work of American Jews in behalf of the Jews in Russia were disclosed by James N. Rosenberg, well known New York attorney, vice-chairman of the Joint Distribution Committee and chairman of the American Jewish Joint Agricultural Corporation in reply to an inquiry of the Jewish Daily Bulletin yesterday.
The details of this new societv which is being formed with the participation of prominent American Jews who are active in the Joint Distribution Committee work will be announced shortly, Mr. Rosenberg stated. This much is known–there will be no public campaign for the additional $5,000,000, it being expected that the example set by Mr. Rosenwald will be followed by many substantial subscriptions.
“The Russian Government, which has cooperated effectively throughout the work of the American Jewish Joint Agricultural Corporation, through the aid of which 100,000 Jews have settled on upwards of one million acres of land within the past four years, thus becoming self-supporting farmers, has given satisfactory assurances of continued and increased assistance,” Mr. Rosenberg stated.
The work which will be undertaken with the new $10,000,000 fund is to follow upon the completion in Russia of the present program of the Joint Distribution Committee and of the American Jewish Joint Agricultural Corporation. “The plan now under way is not to be confused with the recent discussions as to Jewish land settlement in Siberia,” Mr. Rosenberg explained.
Dr. Joseph Rosen, who headed the work of the Agrojoint in Russia, will be in charge of the new work to be undertaken. The plan has the enthusiastic support of leading American Jews.
In commenting upon Mr. Rosenwald’s subscription, which constitutes the largest single contribution of any Jewish philanthropist to Jewish relief work, Mr. Rosenberg declared: “Mr. Rosenwald, who has already contributed largely, makes this new and truly splendid contribution conditional on another $5,000,000 being raised so as to make a total of $10,000,000 for a long time continuance of this work in the Crimea and the Ukraine.”
As this issue went to press Mr. Rosenwald could not be reached. At his office in Chicago it was declared that he is now in Palm Beach, Florida.
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