Suggestion that 500,000 signatures be gathered to support the resolution calling upon the government of the United States to force Britain to respect the Palestine Mandate was made by Rabbi Saul Silber in his address before the first business session of the Mizrachi (Orthodox Zionist organization) Convention this morning.
Industrialization of Palestine by middle class immigrants from the United States is of paramount importance, Rabbi Silber said, because the Palestine government needs the taxes collected from industries. Even today, he continued, there are 10,000 more Jews engaged in industry in Palestine than there are working in agriculture.
That those American middle-class
Jews who recently lost money can save Palestine and themselves by settling in Palestine and investing money there was also suggested by Rabbi Meier Berlin, speaking at the mass meeting at the Southern Hotel, Sunday night. The meeting opened the convention of the Mizrachi (Orthodox Zionist Organization) which 300 delegates are attending.
More than 1,000 Baltimore Jews were present at the Mizrachi opening session. The British policy in Palestine was denounced in a resolution adopted unanimously by the session. The resolution was introduced by Attorney Samuel Goldstein of New York City.
The organization of American Jewish middle classes to partake in the industrialization of Palestine was suggested by Gedaliah Bublick, president of the Mizrachi Organization of America. He explained that neither the Simpson report nor the British statement of policy prohibit the immigration of the well-to-do.
A world congress of rabbis for the purpose of arousing middle-class orthodox sentiment for Palestine was suggested by Rabbi Wolf Gold. Such a congress, he said, could lay plans for the organization of a wide-spread industry for the manufacture of sacred synagogue articles in Palestine which would be sold to Jews outside of Palestine and would involve an expenditure of millions of dollars.
AMERICAN MIDDLE-CLASS NEEDED
American middle-class immigration and investment as well as general increased activity for Palestine is needed at this critical moment, all the speakers who addressed the opening session stated. They deprecated protest against and despair over the present situation.
Rabbi Berlin, responding to the report of Sir John Hope Simpson and the statement of proposed policy by Britain, revealed that the leaders of the Jewish Agency had proposed to Sir John that land be bought in Transjordania on which to settle Arabs dispossessed by Jewish purchase of land in Palestine. This proposal was turned down by Sir John, Rabbi Berlin stated.
Cables from Dr. Chaim Weizmann, resigned president of the World Zionist Organization and of the Jewish Agency, and from leaders of the German Mizrachi urging strengthened efforts for Palestine were read at the meeting, following which the resolution denouncing the British government’s proposed policy was passed.
A great increase in membership in the Zionist Organization was urged by Jacob de Haas who said that the British government, knowing the numerical weakness of the Zionists, acted accordingly.
The opening of the convention was welcomed by former Mayor Jackson of Baltimore representing Governor Ritchie. Joseph Allen, chairman of the Baltimore arrangements committee for the convention was chairman of the session.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
