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Record Boston Audience Hears Mayor Briscoe’s Plea for U. J. A.

March 20, 1957
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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One of the largest crowds ever to attend an opening of the Combined Jewish Appeal of Boston packed Symphony Hall tonight to hear Robert Briscoe, Lord Mayor of Dublin, deliver the principal address in support of the United Jewish Appeal $100,000,000 emergency rescue fund and the regular 1957 UJA campaign.

Emphasizing the need to help the new wave of 100,000 Jewish refugees from Hungary, other Eastern European countries, Egypt and North Africa, Mayor Briscoe drew a parallel between the situation confronting them and the Purim holiday. He recalled that Esther had asked: “How can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?”

Mayor Briscoe told the audience: “Any Jew with conscience will say ‘I cannot.’ We cannot see evil come upon any of our people. We cannot endure to see the destruction of our kindred. That is why I feel it is a duty and an obligation to lend my support to the campaign of the United Jewish Appeal, both in behalf of its $100,000,000 Emergency Rescue Fund and in behalf of its regular 1957 campaign. I have been deeply disturbed by the terrible events that have driven so many Jewish men, women and children into flight from Communism, Nasserism and other forms of totalitarianism in Hungary and other European and Moslem lands.”

Earlier, Mayor Briscoe had been honored at a reception at Boston’s Somerset House by leaders of the Combined Jewish Appeal and Associated Jewish Philanthropies and was the guest of honor at the Combined Jewish Appeal advance gifts dinner. During the day, he toured local philanthropic agencies financed by the Combined Jewish Appeal.

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