Thousands of Jews in Poland in Danger of Going Without Matzoth This Passover: Jewish Situation Worse

Thousands of Jews in Poland will be left this Passover without matzoth, if immediate relief is not sent them from abroad. The Beth Lechem organisation here, which during the year sends its carts through the streets of the Jewish quarter of Warsaw, distributing free bread and tea to the needy, issued an urgent appeal to- day calling on Polish Jewry to raise as much money as possible by its own efforts, to prevent such an unprecedented situation as would be created by Jews in Warsaw being left unprovided with food for Passover. The Jewish situation in Poland is worse how than in the wan period, the appeal says, and the relief from America has completely stopped. The number of Jews applying this Passover for charity is the largest ever known in Polish Jewry. It is more than ten times the number last year. Thousands of hands are stretched out for aid, and among the suppliants are hundreds of people who not long ago were themselves big contributors to various charity organisations.

9,600 applications for Passover relief have been registered this year by the Warsaw Jewish Community, a figure never before approached in this city.

The Federation of Jewish Relief Organisations in Great Britain has assigned £3,000 for Passover relief and the provision of matzoth in Russia and Poland this year. Of this amount £2,400 is going to provide Passover food for the Jews in Russia and the other £600 has been sent to Poland. Most of the money has been sent to the provinces, and Warsaw itself is receiving nothing, the view taken by the Federation being that a large Community like War saw should be able to raise the necessary funds from among its own members. £60 however, has been sent for distribution in the Warsaw suburbs, £60 has been sent to the Vilna district, and £50 to Lodz and district, the balance going to the small townships.