Urges Strengthening of Mutual Relief Work on New Sound Rational Basis

Strengthening of Jewish mutual relief work on a new sound rational basis is an urgent necessity for the various Jewish relief organizations all over the world, according to an editorial in the “Juedische Rundschau” of Berlin, entitled “Community of Fate.”

In spite of their own needs and wants, says the article, even the Jews in Warsaw and in Carpatho-Russia, among whom are the poorest of the poor, are highly interested in, and sympathetic with, the fate of the German Jews. This fact proves, on the one hand, “Jewish Solidarity,” but, on the other hand, it puts a high obligation on the Jews in Germany. German-Jewish organizations have always participated in relief activities in behalf of the Eastern Jews, together with other worldwide known organizations of other countries. This was the case even in post-war time, when German Jews were by far no longer the well-to-do part of the Jewish people, and when their contribution had to be reduced according to their own diminished resources, but the German Jews have never lost the consciousness of their obligation to cooperate with the other inter-territorial organizations. The manifestations of sympathy coming from Jews in all countries and also from the Jews in Eastern Europe have only intensified this consciousness.

But, to speak frankly, the crisis of the Jewish masses in Poland, Roumania, Carpatho-Russia, and other small countries is so acute that the best planned relief action can succeed only to a small degree. Certainly, it must not be overlooked that the Jews in all countries, including America, have considerably suffered, and all Jewish communities have to alleviate so much distress within their own countries that they cannot make great contributions to the Jews in Eastern Europe.

The Jewish crisis has become universal. Countries which were on the contributors list are now among the applicants for relief. The Jews in Germany have, by their own experience, learned to understand this. These considerations cry aloud for a change of attitude and procedure.

All measures which aim at alleviating the crisis and at re-establishing the Jewish social structure have to follow a unified plan. The more or less isolated working Jewish organizations must disappear as soon as possible. The entire Jewish relief activity has to be re-established on a solid rational basis, as have all branches of business, by re-organization, elimination of superfluous expenses, etc. Visible expression of former, similar, but unsuccessful attempts might have been seen in several world welfare conferences. The present terrible crisis possibly should effectuate what in better times had failed for lack of psychical premises.

We begin, concludes the article, a new Jewish year. We face an emergency winter which unfortunately, it appears, will be more burdensome than the past ones. The consciousness of Jewish solidarity all over the world, the obligation of mutual help must be strengthened. In the union of Jewish communities of the entire world which should be brought about by the crisis, the German Jews must not stand aside. Though there is, in their own community, much opportunity for welfare work, they should never forget that they are, by community of fate, bound to those Jews, who are suffering from an even greater spiritual and economic want than the Jews in Germany.