The World Jewish Congress has made a gift of 2,000,000 lira, the equivalent of $20,000, to Vatican charities, it was disclosed today by Dr. A. Leon Kubowitzki, secretary-general of the World Jewish Congress, who returned recently from a visit to Europe.
A check for this sum was presented by Dr. Kubowitzki, following his reception by Pope Pius XII, to Monsignor Giovanni Battista Montini, Acting Secretary of State at the Vatican, in recognition of the work of the Holy See in securing the rescue of Jews from Fascist and Nazi persecution, which entailed considerable expenditures. The gift was made, he said, at the request of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities. A contritution of a similar sum had been made by the World Jewish Congress prior to the liberation of Italy to the Italian Resistance Movement which was instrumental in saving many Jewish lives.
(The Swiss newspaper Berner Tagwacht criticizes the World Jewish Congress gift to the Vatican, declaring that “when the remnant of European Jewry lives in despair and in need, there is no reason for making such gift to the wealthiest institution in the world.”)
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