The World Jewish Congress adjourned for the Sabbath this afternoon after voting to hold its second session in 1938. It will reconvene tomorrow evening for election of permanent officers.
A plenary session this morning rejected a constitutional clause claiming the congress to be representative of entire world Jewry, referring it by a vote of 87 to 46 to the executive committee for re-editing.
Louis Gribetz, on behalf of the American delegates and a minority of the constitution committee, led the fight against the clause, supported by Nathan Isaacs and the Rev. M. L. Perlzweig for the British, Swiss and Italian delegations. Dr. I. Hellman of Warsaw defended the clause.
Dr. Stephen S. Wise, proposed an alternative definition of the congress, stating its object was “to form a voluntary, cooperative union of Jewish communities and organizations of the world to act in behalf of world Jewry in relation to common problems.”
This also was referred to the executive committee.
Resolutions committing the Congress to assistance in readjustment of Jews to new vocations, cooperation with the Agro-Joint, the ORT and the OZET were adopted.
Groups active in aiding the project to settle Jews in Biro-Bidjan, autonomous Jewish territory in Soviet Siberia, also were pledged aid.
The congress decided to establish a department for economic defense.
Discussion of the Reich-Palestine agreement by which Jews of Germany are enabled to take part of their capital to Palestine in the form of goods, was barred when the question was raised by several delegates.
DEMAND SOVIET RETURN SEIZED SYNAGOGUES
The Congress decided last night to negotiate with the Soviet Government for return of confiscated synagogues and release of all Jews arrested for teaching religion.
Invoking Article 124 of the Soviet constitution, the congress will also present demands calling for liberalization of Russia’s attitude toward the Jewish religion, the Hebrew language and Zionism.
Another resolution was adopted appealing to Great Britain and the League of Nations against suspension of Jewish immigration into Palestine or any limitation based on political grounds.
It declared that suspension, “however temporary it would be, would act as an injustice and a cruelty directed against the most vital interests of the Jewish masses throughout the world.” The resolution affirmed the Jews’ desire to live in peaceful cooperation with the Arabs.
The resolution on Russia is based on a report submitted by the political committee. Among the other demands which will be the subject of negotiation are:
1) That the Soviet permit emigration of Jews wishing to leave Russia.
2) That teaching of Hebrew and importation of Hebrew literature be permitted.
3) That “persecution” of Zionists be halted and arrested Zionists released.
4) That the Government permit organization of Jewish religious communities with legal rights and permission to maintain kosher abattoirs, matzoh bakeries and other religious institutions.
The congress, in another resolution, appealed to various nations to fulfill their obligations under minority treaties.
The delegates approved a declaration by Abraham Goldberg, of New York, asserting that minority rights of Jews in Eastern and Central Europe were being violated with the League of Nations taking no effective action to safeguard them.
The declaration calls on the League not to disregard the Jewish question, which, it says, requires the cooperation of all nations for solution.
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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.
