The National Conference of Palestine-born Jews in America, unanimously decided to organize into a National Federation to be known as the Histadruth B’nei Eretz-Israel. About 150 delegates representing local organizations and those from Chicago, Philadelphia and Boston participated in the conference which was held at the Hotel Pennsylvania, Sunday night.
Among the resolutions adopted by the conference were:
1. To call upon the national bodies in Palestine to help the native Jews so that they be not compelled to leave the country.
2. To urge all organizations of Palestine Jews in America to establish loan associations to assist the artisans and middle class in Palestine with credits.
3. To encourage Palestine Jews in this country to return home.
4. To conduct propaganda in this country for products made in Palestine.
5. To protest against the English government for its present unfriendly attitude to the Jewish work in Palestine and particularly for its order stopping Jewish immigration into Palestine.
6. To cable a message to the Wailing Wall Commission in Palestine that it protect Jewish rights to pray at the Wall.
Rabbi J. M. Harlap, the temporary president of the Federation, reported that the temporary committee had sent $10,000 to Palestine since the riots of August, 1929. Joseph Gabrieli pointed out in his opening address that there were over 5,000 Jews in the United States who had been born in Palestine and that many of them wished to return to their native land.
The conference was addressed by Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, Gedaliah Bublik, Rabbi Moses Shapiro, Rabbi Mordecai Reisman, Dr. H. J. Gordon, Rabbi Moses Mointester and Rabbi Jacob Redelheim. Greetings were received from Felix M. Warburg, national honorary chairman of the Allied Jewish Campaign; Bernard Deutsch, president of the American Jewish Congress, and the Chief Rabbi of Palestine, A. J. Kook.
The following officers were elected : Rabbi Hershenson, honorary president; Rabbi A. Teitelbaum, honorary vice-president; Rabbi M. J. Harlap, president; Rabbi Samuel Benjamin, M. Eliash, Max Manishewitz, and Dr. H. Gordon, vice-presidents; J. L. Mointester, secretary and Rabbi Uri Felshin, treasurer. The conference also elected an Administrative Committee of fifteen and a National Executive from the various parts of the country.
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