Complete support of the decision of the Jewish Agency to send a delegation to America to conduct Zionist political activity among American Jews as well as non-Jewish political circles was voiced here today at a meeting of the Supreme Council of the World Mizrachi Organization. The council made one proviso, that the delegation include representatives of all Zionist groups.
It also urged that the Agency and the Zionist executive develop a widespread campaign to win support for the policy embodied in the Biltmore Declaration, (adopted at a special Zionist session at the Hotel Biltmore in New York City last May). which provides for the establishment of Palestine as a Jewish Commonwealth after the war.
The Mizrachi council renewed its plea for assistance to the Jews in occupied Europe, appealing to the democratic nations of the world and to the churches “not to stain themselves with Israel’s blood which is being shed like water.” The appeal expressed regret that the United Nations have look on passively as the Jews were being exterminated and did not even “extend a helping hand to the fighting Jews in the Warsaw ghetto.”
Discussing the controversy which has been raging in Palestine and in Jewish circles abroad, concerning the religious education of the 839 children who recently arrived here from refugee camps in Teheran, the Mizrachi body declared that it was “embittered” at the transfer of many of the children to places where they will not be under religious influence or receive religious training. However, it expressed disapproval of the action by the Agudas Israel, which has called for a boycott of all Zionist funds because of its objections to the manner in which the Agency assigned the children to religious and non-religious homes and camps.
The Mizrachi Council declared that it was “pained” at the action of some British rabbis, who are boycotting the Keren Hayesod campaign in Britain despite Chief Rabbi Herzog’s plea that no action be taken until negotiations with the Agency on the religious education of the refugee children are completed. It is reported that Moshe Shertok, chief of the political department of the Agency, has seen both Rabbi Herzog and Chief Rabbi Usiel in connection with this problem and a decision is expected to be forthcoming on Sunday.
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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.
