confined to the discussion of relief problems.
“The tragedy of the Jewish people in Germany causes us unspeakable sorrow,” he said, “but this is neither the time nor the place to discuss this matter further than to point that we are confronted there with a grave relief problem. In such tasks we are confident that we command the support of all people regardless of race, nationality or religion.”
The meeting was addressed by Judge Irving Lehman; Dr. Walter Lyman Brown, former European relief director of the American Relief Administration; Dr. Jonah B. Wise, national chairman of the solicitation committee; Dudley D. Sicher, chairman of the New York City Appeal; Dr. Cyrus Adler, chairman of the American Jewish Committee, and former Justice Joseph M. Proskauer.
Judge Lehman detailed the history of Joint Distribution Committee relief activities in Germany in the past and described the record of its achievements during the eighteen years of its existence in which it expended over $80,000,000 in relieving distress throughout the world.
“Again the call of distress is sounding through the world, and again the Jews of many countries, because of economic discrimination, are feeling that distress most acutely,” Judge Lehman said. “America suffers from the economic effects of this depression as it did not suffer economically during the War. The Jews of America can no longer give from their plenty, for there is no plenty here; but I can say with confidence that, just as our economic resources have been diminished, so our sympathy for the distressed, our desire to give even from our diminished resources, has increased.”
Discussing the question of relief for distressed German Jews, Dr. Wise pointed out that the question was not solely a Jewish question, but one of humanity.
“The Jews cannot make a decision either through their opinion or their charity for the Germans and the Jews of Germany,” he declared. “Nothing that we can do can do more than ameliorate the unbelievable hardships which will result from the conditions which the German Government has promised will be forced on the Jews in Germany, and we must take the German ministerial promises at their face value.
“The world, absorbed in many other problems, may deem that it has already uttered its voice clearly, and that justice and common sense will prevail to prevent the economic destruction of German Jewry. It is inconceivable that humanity will permit these 600,000 Jews to perish.”
In his plea Judge J. Proskauer declared: “We are not concerned here today with charge or counter-charge of propaganda. We know that quite apart from the German incident, hunger, death, starvation and misery still stalk abroad in the lands of Eastern Europe. We know from the official pronouncements of the wretched squalor, the physical and spiritual degradation that our fellow-Jews in Germany face today.
“I paint no rhetorical picture. I make no specious appeal to anyone’s emotion or sympathy. I but summarize the actual fact as admitted on the record of what we have to face in giving relief to Germany and to German Jews.”
Dr. Adler described present conditions among the Jews abroad as worse than at any time since the war. “I do not remember any time since 1914 when the situation of the Jewish people in Eastern and Central Europe seemed to me so appalling as it is at this moment,” he said.
An appeal for workers to aid the New York City Appeal of the Joint Distribution Committee was made by Mr. Sicher and was answered by several hundred volunteers who agreed to aid in the fund-raising drive.
Mr. Sicher described the Joint Distribution Committee as the “bridge between us here and the Jewish people in many lands overseas. We have brought to them our sympathy, our concrete aid and our guidance.
“In a world that is sick and wracked by passions and animosities ### more than ever before, we need these great humanitarian agencies of relief that bring physical aid and mental solace, that furnish bread, encouragement and hope.”
Dr. Brown paid tribute to the Joint Distribution Committee and described its work as of the highest character and actuated by the noble impulses that can ###nove mankind.”
In concluding the meeting, Mr. Rosenberg said no resolutions were necessary. “I shall state what I know is in the minds and hearts of all of you, namely, a solemn determination to consecrate ourselves once again to the high task of ministering help to the suffering Jewish people overseas. To such a cause we dedicate ourselves again, praying to our Maker for help and guidance.”
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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.
