“Over the top by a quarter of a million by Monday night,” was the message which was sent by Acting-Chairman David M. Bressler to the 1500 workers in the United Jewish Campaign of Greater New York, urging them to double their efforts to bring the drive to a successful conclusion at the final rally tonight at the Hotel Biltmore.
With the addition of $100,000 from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and $14,000 already reported from collections in various synagogues during the Shevuoth memorial services on Thursday, Mr. Bressler announced that the total had reached $5,901,000, leaving $99,000 still to be raised to reach New York’s goal of $6,000,000.
Mr. Bressler made public his reply to the letter from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., enclosing his contribution of $100,000.
“It affords me unusual pleasure to acknowledge, on behalf of the officers of the United Jewish Campaign, your magnificent contribution of $100,000 to the $6,000,000 fund we are endeavoring to raise in New York City as part of a national overseas chest of $25,000,000 for the alleviation of the distress of millions of our co-religionists in Europe, and for reconstruction, medical, cultural, child care, agricultural settlement, refugees and relief in foreign lands.
“We appreciate your gift the more deeply in that it is an entirely voluntary contribution by you, and because as you say, it was not solicited by us. Equally great is our satisfaction that your contribution has been made after an investigation of the plan of distribution of our funds by the Joint Distribution Committee which you have found to be very carefully and wisely worked out.
“But even beyond that, we are profoundly moved by the breadth of spirit which your contribution displays. It is good to have this very concrete evidence that at a time when large masses of human beings are suffering, no barriers of race and creed are strong enough to prevent all humanity from rushing to their rescue,” Mr. Bressler’s letter read.
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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.
