North African Jews Send Delegations to America to Report on Jewish Situation

For the first time since the liberation of North Africa, Jewish delegations from Algeria, Tunis and French Morocco will proceed to the United States to report on the situation of the Jews there before and after the Nazis were driven out of their homelands, it was learned here today.

The delegations, which are to participate in a conference opening in New York on May 6, which has been called by the World Jewish Congress, will bring with them reports showing that there are still relics of Vichy-inspired anti-Semitism in some parts of the French Empire and in certain high circles of the Army.

The Jewish community of Algiers has already elected its delegates. They are the Grand Rabbi of Algiers, Eli Eisenbeth, Elie Gozlan, secretary of the Committees on Social Studies; and Jeen Heller. The Jewish population of the department of Constantine, in Algeria, will send Andre Bakkouche and Edmond Tenjoudi. The department of Gran and other sections of the French Empire have not yet chosen their delegates. The choice of the Algiers and Constantine delegates, who will leave for the united States within a few days by plane, through the cooperation of the National Committee of Liberation, has caused general satisfaction, although there has been some criticism of the election of Tenjoudi, who, it is alleged, was too friendly with the Petain regime in the past.

It is not expected that there will be any delegates representing metropolitan Prance at the conference, with the exception of prominent French Jews who are residing in the United States at present. The reason for this is that distinguished Jews such as Finance Minister Pierre Mendes, Deputy Minister of the Interior Pierre Bloch, Communications Minister Rene Mayer and others are tied down by duties which do not allow them to leave Algiers at the present time, when political activity is reaching its peak.