More than $175,000 was raised towards the United Palestine Appeal New York goal of $2,500,000 at dinners Sunday evening of the Borough Park. Washington Heights. Williamsburg, and Sea Gate divisions of the fund. The combined attendance of the four meetings was nearly 2,000.
At the dinner of the Borough Park division, which was held at the Hotel Astor, $65,000 was raised. Dr. Stephen S. Wise, who was the principal speaker welcomed the new forces which have come to the aid of the Palestine movement through the accession of the Louis Marshall group to participation in the Jewish Agency.
“The Zionist organization,” he declared, “has never dreamed of erecting a monopoly even of service to Palestine. This movement represents the supreme task of the Jewry of our generation. If American Jewry will not fail. Palestine will be built in our day. Dr. Weizmann has invoked the cooperation of new forces. God give it that the new unity of forces in Jewish life will be even greater and of more value than Dr. Weizmann dreams.
“I wonder if you realize the significance of this compact of peace,” Dr. Wise said. “Dr. Weizmann did a big thing in arranging this peace and it was possible because of the fine cooperation of Louis Marshall and Felix Warburg. At last we shall see the end of this overwhelming burden of Zion laid on a few shoulders. I say God bless Marshall and Warburg.”
Others who spoke at the Borough Park dinner were Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, Rabbi Moredcai Kaplan of Congregation Sons of Judah, and Isaac Ipp, President of the Borough Park Division of the United Appeal. Joseph Barondess was toastmaster.
Dr. Chaim Weizmann, President of the World Zionist Organization, was the principal speaker at the Williamsburg dinner, which was held at Knapp Mansion, Brooklyn, at which contributions of $60,000 were announced.
“Palestine has come to stay,” Dr. Weizmann declared in his address. “This fact has penetrated the mind of non-Jews as well as Jews. The Jew of America must do his duty while the pioneer in Palestine is undergoing such great hardships. Some of us expect a new coutry to be built up in too short a time. The whole development for the reconstruction of the Jewish national home has been going on for only eight years. We have seen 100,000 of our people settled on this country which is being built up under very trying circumstances. I will not prophesy as to the future of Judaism in America. But in Palestine we can control the destiny. We are creating something useful for you and your children. Palestine must be rebuilt. You must help, and you might as well rebuild the Jewish national homeland with a smile.”
A contribution of $25,000 was announced at the Williamsburg dinner from Max Blumberg.
Judge Otto A. Rosalsky and Maurice Samuel were the principal speakers at the Washington Heights dinner which was held at the Manhattan Square Hotel. Contributions of $40,000 were announced.
“In the past six years,” Judge Rosalsky declared, “Palestine has made more progress than in the previous two thousand years.
“I, as chairman of the United Palestine Appeal, seeking $2,500,000 in Greater New York, will leave no stone unturned until our goal is reached. The challenge has been laid at our doors. We cannot cast it aside. We are going to meet that challenge as is expected of American Jews.” Others who spoke were Hyman J. Reit, chairman of the Washington Heights Division. Theodore R. Racoosin, and Robert Seelav.
At the Sea Gate dinner, at the Whittier Inn, at which Judge Mitchell May, chairman of the general advisory committee of the Brooklyn United Palestine Appeal, was the principal speaker, contributions of $15,000 were announced.
Members of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism, at a meeting called by Dr. Mordecal M. Kaplan, subscribed the sum of $40,000 for the United Palestine Appeal.
Dr. Kaplan, Samuel Lamport, Abe Liebowitz, Albert Rosenblatt, and others adddressed the meeting, urging members of the society to take the lead in New York’s West Side campaign for the United Palestine Appeal.
A. T. Thomson was chosen chairman of a group to follow up the membership of the society to raise among them a quota of $75,000 adopted at the meeting.
Among the large contributors were: Liebovitz Family, $6,000; Samuel C. Lamport, $5,000; Israel Unterberg, $5,000; Albert Rosenblatt, $1,500; S. L. Lubell, A. Siegel, H. L. Simmons. J. M. Wachman, Henry Witty, and Harold Spiegelberg. $1,000 each, Sam Samuels, $500.
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