No Mizrachi Break from Zionism Seen As 17th Convention Closes

The chief subjects under consideration at the seventeenth annual convention of the Mizrachi of America, now in session here at the Hotel Seneca, were to come up at sessions tonight and tomorrow when the convention will adjourn after a banquet meeting.

It appeared certain tonight that the movement to have the Mizrachi secede from the Zionist Organization was doomed to failure and that the proponents of adherence to the Zionists, led by Rabbi Wolf Gold, national president of the organization would win out by a strong majority.

The minority group, headed by Rabbi Jacob Levinson, of Brooklyn, is in favor of withdrawal by the Mizrachi from the World Zionist Organization and the striking up of an alliance with the ultra-orthodox Agudath Israel to form a united front against Zionist Socialism in Palestine.

Their stand was expressed by Rabbi Levinson, who declared, “It is time to end the thirty years’ ‘shidduch’ (betrothal) between the Mizrachi and the Zionists”, and seek a Palestine built in observance of the traditional Jewish religious concepts.

While the majority group also strongly condemn the Zionist leadership for not insisting on these observances and making provision for them in the Zionist program, they are in favor of remaining within the organization and making a fight for orthodox principles.

Rabbi Saul Silver of Chicago spoke tonight on the political situation in the Zionist movement and reports of the various committees were made.

The Mizrachi Women’s Organization opened its convention sessions this evening with an address by Mrs. Adela Goldstein, of Brooklyn, president of the organization, who reported on the technical home established in Palestine by the Mizrachi women to train Jewish immigrant women in trades.

Over 2,000 were present last night at the Beth Midrash Hagadol at a meeting sponsored by the Rochester Jewish community, at which the Mizrachi leaders were the chief speakers. Jacob S. Hollander, of Rochester, presided at the meeting. Greetings from world Mizrachi leaders, cabled to the convention, were read at the meeting.

Speakers included Harry Karp, I. Zaar and Rabbis I. Taback, Baltimore; J. Laibowitz, Worcester, Mass.; M. Kirschblum, Scranton, Pa., and Joseph Lookstein, New York.

The importance of Hebrew in the Jewish life of Palestine was discussed at a Hebrew session last evening conducted entirely in that language. A. I. Gellman, editor of the St. Louis Record, presided at the session, at which the chief speakers were Rabbis Gold, Levinson, M. Ashinsky, B. Cohen and M. Sachs.