No Communal “sanctions” Are Practiced in Fund-raising Drives, Israeli Delegate Says

Gedalia Zuchowitzky, Israeli director of the Keren Hayesod office here who assumed leadership of the United Campaign in Argentina for Israel and for Jewish Refugees Overseas today took issue with charges made by Rabbi M. Pincus of Sao Paulo, Brazil, of the alleged imposition of communal “sanctions” against members of Jewish communities in Latin America who do not contribute to fund-raising campaigns.

Zuchowitzky emphasized that as late as last September Rabbi Pincus was given an exhaustive explanation that no such sanctions were planned or carried out. He declared that Rabbi Pincus’ allegations were not in accordance with the existing facts and emphasized that the Jewish Congregation of Sao Paulo, whose spiritual leader Rabbi Pincus is, has refused his charges.

Pointing out that he has always opposed “sanctions,” and that he did not consider them necessary, Zuchowitzky said that the Jews of Brazil have always responded wholeheartedly to fund-raising drives. Rabbi Pincus, he said, apparently based his allegations on reports contained in some newspapers received from Argentina and Chile and on the fact that in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, during the proclamation of the local drive, the possibility of “sanctions” was mentioned.

No central Jewish institution in Israel has asked for the imposition of “sanctions” or any other compulsory measures in fund-raising activities in Latin American countries, which this year increased their contributions tenfold, he said. He added that any local Jewish organization, community or society, has the right to apply moral measures against those of their members who, according to the decisions and judgment of the majority, are not fulfilling their duty. “It is impossible to force way organization to accept into its membership persons who do not comply with the program and the aims of this organization,” he pointed out.