Dr. Chaim Weizmann in his only visit to New England during his current stay in this country, told an audience of 1500 at the convention banquet of the New England Zionist Region last night that Palestine and world Jewry must be ready to face one of the greatest mass migrations in the history of mankind as a result of Jewish homelessness. Because it must be ready to absorb countless wanderers, it is imperative that Palestine become a Jewish Commonwealth.
“Unless we have state functions”, Dr. Weizmann stated, “we shall not be able to carry out the job that is ahead of us. The Jewish Commonwealth must be given a status of complete sovereignty, equality and dignity among the nations of the world.” Dr. Weizmann expressed optimism over America’s interest in Palestine. He declared that the “Jewish contribution to the victory of democracy will not escape the attention of American statesmen. The Battle of Britain is being waged in defense of the approaches to America, but the war is being waged not only on the Atlantic and in England. It is being fought in the East, too, and in the east, the Jewish homeland stands ready and willing to serve against the common enemy of mankind.”
Among the resolutions passed by the convention was one declaring that it is imperative that a united Jewish leadership should represent American Jewry at the coming peace conference which will be dominated by the democracies and that the program to be presented should deal both with Palestine and the Jewish position in European countries. Another resolution expressed the convention’s “firm belief in the American democratic form of life” and recognized in President Roosevelt “the symbol of the higher aspiration of humanity.”
The President’s foreign policy was fully endorsed, emphasizing in particular the determination that this country extend every possible aid to Great Britain and the other nations struggling against totalitarian aggression. The resolution further stated that was builders of a democratic Palestine we are confident that with his support, in the final triumph, Palestine will occupy its place in the commonwealth of democracies.”
Max Kabatznick, Boston attorney, was unanimously elected President of the New England Zionist Region.
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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.
