Over $300,000 was subscribed for the $750,000 campaign of the Associated Jewish Philanthropies of Boston at its annual banquet here last night at the Copley Plaza. Six hundred men and women communal leaders signified by their presence their recognition of the dire needs of the poor, sick, hungry, aged and orphaned.
Heading the list with a contribution of $30,000 was the minister to Czechoslovakia, H. P. Ratshesky, who returned from Washington expressly to attend the banquet. Almost equalling this was the $27,500 contributed by Louis Kirstein, president of the Boston organization. An anonymous contribution of $65,000 was offered on condition that the entire campaign quota be filled during the present drive. One thousand men and six hundred women have been mobilized for one week’s intensive effort to fill the quota.
Several large subscriptions were received from non-Jews, among them being the offerings of General Edward Logan and of the President of the Federal National Bank.
Max Shulman was cheered for his contribution of $7,500.
Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver received a great ovation for his eloquent plea for the community to answer the cries of the needy when he said, “If the forces of capital do not voluntarily take over the burdens of the crushed, then the forces remain calculating and hoarding and deserve to be destroyed.”
A prediction of a return of prosperity was made by Lessing Rosenwald, son of Julius Rosenwald, and president of the Philadelphia Federation, who said, “The financial depression is no reason for holding back donations. Other cities throughout the country will be influenced by Boston’s generosity. A cycle of prosperity is not far away.”
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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.
