Problems concerning the participation of American Jews in the development and defense of Palestine as an important bulwark of the United Nations in the Near and Middle East will be discussed at the two-day National Conference for Palestine which opens here tomorrow at the Hotel Statler, with delegates from all parts of the United States in attendance.
The Conference will honor Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, national chairman of the United Palestine Appeal, for the leadership he has given the cause of Palestine fund-raising in America during the past five years. It was disclosed here today that during Dr. Silver’s incumbency as national chairman, approximately $13,000,000 was raised for the stimulation of emigration into Palestine, land acquisition and the promotion of agricultural, industrial and economic activities there.
A cabled appeal to the Jews of America “to ensure the future of the Jewish people” by giving the utmost moral and material support to the Jews of Palestine “who are doing their utmost in the struggle for the future of human freedom and the democratic way of life” was received today by Dr. Silver from the Executive of the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem. The cable announced that American Jews would be asked to provide the largest share of a budget for 1942 of over $8,000,000 for assistance to every aspect of the Jewish development in Palestine. Included in the budget is aid for the families of the Palestine Jewish soldiers now fighting with the British Army in North Africa as well as for hospitality to the British, Free French, Czech, Polish and other allied garrisons stationed in Palestine.
ALLIED DIPLOMATS SEND GREETINGS TO THE ZIONIST PARLEY
Messages to the Conference were also received from the Danish and Czechoslovak Ministers in this country. Recalling the recent report that the King of Denmark had threatened to abdicate if the Nazis instituted the Nuremberg Laws in this country. Henrik Kauffmann, Minister of Denmark, says in his message: “In these days when Imperialism, race hatred and intolerance have ruined the happiness of millions of people all over the world, I send my greetings to the National Conference for Palestine, wishing it success. The people of Denmark share with you the firm belief that in spite of all the hardships of the present day, the noble ideals of humanity will conquer and liberty and justice will be restored to all people on earth.”
Vladimir S. Hurban, Czechoslovakia’s Minister at Washington, said in his message: “It was always with interest that I have followed the endeavor of the Jewish national movement to bring about a lasting and, above all, a just solution of the Jewish national aspirations. Today more than ever we realize that it is not merely numbers that make a nation truly great – great in the cultural connotation of this word. What the comparatively small group of Jewish patriots has already achieved is a very encouraging omen for the rest of us who also belong to a ‘small’ nation. May I assure you that the Czechoslovak people have, because of events in their own national history, a particularly sympathetic understanding for the justified aspirations of your groups.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
