A message from General Jan C. Smuts, noted South African statesman, declaring that “the Zionist ideal remains the most hopeful solution of the Jewish question” was read last night at a banquet launching the campaign of the Palestine Foundation Fund.
General Smuts said: “Palestine is now the only national outlet for Jewish settlement. The policy of the Balfour Declaration has been completely revolutionized. If progress is maintained at the present level, the ideal is nearer realization than was dreamt possible years ago.”
The total raised at the banquet was said to be the largest at any such function in South African Zionist history and was interpreted by N. Kirschner, chairman of the South African Zionist Federation as the answer of the South African Jews to Arab attacks in Palestine.
Prof. Selig Brodetsky, member of the executive of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, announced a $50,000 contribution by Isaac Ochberg of Capetown for the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
The first contribution was $7,500 from Wolf Senior. Among the messages read was one from Hertzog, chief rabbi of the Justice Leopold Greenberg presided.
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