Maurice Bloch Elected by Convention President of I.o.b.b. District No, 1

Maurice Bloch, minority leader in the New York Legislature, was elected and installed as president of District No. 1 Independent Order B’nai Brith at the annual convention of the District held at the Hotel Astor, New York, Sunday.

A quota of $750,000 in the I. O. B. B. Wider Scope Campaign for $2,000,000 was accepted for the district, which comprises New York, the New England States and Eastern Canada.

Two hundred delegates were present, representing 69 lodges in New York Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Eastern Canada, with a membership of over 8,000.

A banquet was held Sunday night at the Hotel Astor and was attended by 900 members of the New York lodges and their friends. United States Senator Robert F. Wagner, Attorney General Nathan Ottinger, Assemblyman Maurice Bloch, Dr. Boris D. Bogen, executive secretary of the Order, and Dr. Israel Mattuck, Rabbi of the Liberal Synagogue, London, were the speakers. Leonard Obermeyer acted as toastmaster.

Dr. Boris D. Bogen explained the purposes of the $2,000,000 of the Wider Scope Committee.

“Of prime importance in the work which the Wider Scope Committee of the I. O. B. B. is doing is the establishment of Hillel Foundations at various educational centers in the United States,” he said. “Hillel Foundations have already been established at the Universities of Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and the University of California, and the organization plans to establish similar foundations at every university in this country which is attended by a considerable number of Jewish young men and women in order to give them an opportunity to come in closer contact with the spiritual values of Judaism, acquire a greater knowledge of the history, traditions and aspirations of their people, and opportunities for religious worship. The Hillel Foundation Committee’s budget for the current year is $93,000, and it will require $1,000,000 to establish Hillel Foundations throughout the country.

“Another important task of the Wider Scope Committee is the development of the Anti-Defamation League. This League, organized by the I. O. B. B. a decade ago, has been engaged in a consistent fight against the publication of libelous caricatures of the Jew whether in the daily or periodical press, on the dramatic and vaudeville stage, on the screen, in books, or otherwise. The Anti-Defamation League’s campaign includes lectures before Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions Clubs, Chambers of Commerce, and all sorts of business men’s luncheon clubs in order to bring about a better understanding of the Jew and Jewish character. Its work is being carried on with the active participation of the Committee on Good Will Between Jews and Christians of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America.

“The Wider Scope Committee is engaged in organizing nationally a Junior B’nai B’rith to the membership of which young men under the age of 21 are eligible. The Junior organization which is known as the Aleph Zadik Aleph is intended to render the same service for young wage earners as the Hillel Foundation renders to the student youth. Twenty-five chapters have already been organized, including 3 in this district, and next Fall a vigorous effort will be made to double the number, with particular attention being paid to the East.

“Relief work among several thousand Jews who have recently settled in Mexico, and a house building program for Jerusalem are two other phases of the work done by the Wider Scope Committee. The work in Jerusalem is known as the B’nai B’rith House Building Fund, the purpose of which is to make it possible for Jews to build homes for themselves on easy terms and under favorable conditions in the suburbs of Jerusalem where there is a tremendous house shortage. Money for the building of homes is loaned on a ratio of 70 per cent of the estimated cost and is repayable over a period of 20 years,” he declared.

Louis W. Osterweis, retiring president praised the work of the women’s auxiliaries of the lodges, and recommended a continuance of the subvention made to them by the District. He also pointed out in his report that the District is maintaining two philanthropic institutions, one a Home for the Aged at Yonkers which is supported by all of the lodges in the District, and the other a tuberculosis sanitarium called the Maimonides Hospital at Liberty.

The Board of Governors of the Home for the Aged and the Infirm maintained by the Distirct at Yonkers, reported that the cost for maintainence during the past year had been $27,000, and a deficit of $9,769 had accrued. Joshua Kantrowitz, president of the Board of Governors, announced that it had been agreed to sell the Yonkers home as quickly as possible, provided every effort is made to safeguard its inmates.

The following officers besides the president were elected for the ensuing year: David Ruslander, first vice-president: Albert Cohn, second vice-president: Joshua Kantrowitz, President Board of Governors: Louis Fabricant, treasurer; Max Levy, secretary; Leo Lewin, Chairman Committee on Finance; A. M. Hillman, Chairman Committee on Laws: Isidore H. Fox. Chairman Committee on Religious Activities; Solomon Rosenberg, Chairman Committee on Intellectual Advancement; Ely Rosenberg, Chairman Committee on Endowment Reserve Fund; Lazarus E. Schlechter, Chairman Committee on Social Service: Max L. Pinansky, Chief Justice of the District Court; Morris B. Moskowitz, Chairman Committee on Membership: Nestor Dreyfus, Chairman Committee on General Fund and Charitable Objects; A. K. Cohen, Chairman Committee on Anti-Defamation: Leo J. Lyons, Chairman Committee on Women’s Auxiliary Lodges; Henry Lasker, Chairman Committee on Exemplification of the Degree; Nathan H. Friedman, Chairman Committee on Publcity; Nathan E. Goldstein, Chairman Board of District Deputies; Isidor Markus, Chairman Committee on Canadian Activities.