Under the auspices of the board of the foundation for Jewish labor in the Wieringermeerpolder, land reclaimed from the Zuyder Zee, and of the Committee for Special Jewish Interests, James G. McDonald, High Commissioner for German Refugees, spoke here about the problems of refugees.
He expressed his sympathy with the work of Dutch Jewry in behalf of German Jewish intellectuals in physically creative professions.
Speaking of the emigration of Jews from Europe’s centers, he recalled that his American Jewish friends in February, 1933, had said to him that Hitler was no real danger and that the German Jews, who had been in the main “100 per cent German,” did not think so, either. Now the problem of migration and settlement in other countries for German Jewish youth is urgent, he declared, pointing out that more than £100,000 has been collected toward this end.
He was pessimistic regarding the status of German Jews and urged on the Jewish people, and particularly on the Dutch Jews, who already have given so much, to continue to help their unfortunate brethren, not only in Germany, but also in Poland and Rumania and the other East European countries.
He expressed his disappointment regarding lack of cooperation by Christian organizations, whose help has been insufficient, he said.
“Your example,” he concluded, “gives new hope to the fugitives and the refugees.”
The president of the Ashkenazic Jewish community in Holland and also of the Committee for Special Jewish Interests, A. Ascher, who presided, expressed the thanks of Dutch Jewry to the High Commissioner for his work, and declared that in Holland many Christians have made gifts toward the cause of German Jewish fugitives.
Dr. H. Lubinski, director of the working village Nieuwesluis, spoke of the retraining problem, while a motion picture, “A Day in the Jewish Working Village,” was being shown.
“For the coming months,” Dr. Lubinski said, “50,000 Dutch guilders will be needed to increase the number of the inhabitants of this village to 300.”
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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.
