President Roosevelt last night sent a message of greeting to the Jewish people of the United States on the occasion of the Purim festival, which commemorates the victory of the ancient Hebrews over an oppressor. His words were read on a coast-to-coast radio broadcast of the NBC-WJZ network by Congressman Sol Bloom, honorary secretary of the Religious Reconstruction Committee of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations, which sponsored the broadcast. Messages from Governor Lehman and Mayor La Guardia were also read.
The President echoed his belief that the “vital ‘American principles of equality, of opportunity and justice to all” must be kept inviolate, “desirable at all times,” and “especially so in times of widespread readjustment.”
“In your efforts to uphold these ideals and to reenforce them by a new and potent spiritual awakenin I wish you every success,” read the message.
The President’s message was sent to Dr. Herbert S. Goldstein, chairman of the committee.
From Governor Herbert H. Lehman came the following message: “Permit me to felicitate you and the Jewish pepole on the occasion of this, our festival of Purim. The Purim festival is a day of rejoicing over the deliverance of the Jews by Queen Esther, who defeated Haman’s plot to massacre her people by prevailing upon King Ahasuerus to retract his order of destruction, as recorded in the Book of Esther.
“The Jews today face a twofold crisis, one physical and the other spiritual. They must reawaken to their righ heritage and ## traditions; must consider their Individual obligations to keep awaken to their right heritage and port of the rellgious and educational institutions through which Judaism is perpetuated, and must renew the strength and courage which has brought the Jewish race victorious through past periods of suffering.
“We are busily engaged in the state and nation to reconstruct our economic foundations and it is but fitting and proper that he religious leaders come forward at this time to give thought and urge action for the reconstruction of our religious and educational institutions.”
MAYOR LAGUARDIA’S MESSAGE
Mayor LaGuardia wrote:
“Of the many privileges devolving upon me in my official capacity, none gives me’greater pleasure than this opportunity of extending official greetings to the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. As the official head of the city which contains the largest Jewish population in the world, I desire to offer my tribute to the invaluable contributions rendered by the Jewish people to this city in particular. In law, statecraft, the professions and the arts as well as in the realms of business the Children of Abraham have contributed a leadership which has been actuated by their devotion to the principles and traditions of their ancestry.
“It is perhaps appropriate at this season to remind my hearers that the Jews today face a series of crises in many lands which are not dissimilar from that earlier crisis through which Queen Esther safely led her people. In the brief time at my disposal, I wish to express my sincere conviction that similar leadership and a similar devotion to the ideals of the Jewish people will see them safely through the present one.”
In his address Rabbi Goldstein asked that each of the 4,000,000 Jews in the United States contribute a dollar toward the upkeep of the Religious Reconstruction Fund whose purpose is to aid Jewish institutions, maintain Jewish educational centers and other work. Other speakers were Samuel Levy, borough president of Manhattan; William Weiss, president of the Union of Orthodox Congregations in America; Mrs. N. Taylor Phillips, honorary vice-chairman of the women’s division of the committee and Albert Wald, president of he Synagogue Council of America.
A group of cantors led by Joseph Rappaport, president of the Cantors’ Association of America, sang Jewish festival music.
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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.
