World Parley on Youth Emigration Opens in Amsterdam

Dr. Werner Senator, member of the Executive of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, today addressed the first international conference dealing with the problems of transferring German-Jewish children to Palestine, now in session at the Amstel Hotel here.

Dr. Senator praised the successful work of the children’s department of the Central Bureau for the Settlement of German Jews in Palestine. He paid tribute to Miss Henrietta Szold, 75-year old American Jewish woman leader and head of the children’s settlement work. He also touched upon some of the problems involved in the continuation of settlement activities.

The international conference of the Association for the Emigration of Jewish Youth to Palestine, opened here last night in the presence of representatives from a score of countries, including Germany and the United States. The German delegation is headed by Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck, president of the Reichsvertretung der Deutschen Juden.

The conference was opened by Frau Wijsenbeek-Franken, president of the Dutch committee. Prof. L. S. Ormstein of the University of Utrecht is presiding. Speakers include I. N. Sieff of London, chairman of the Women’s Appeal Committee for German-Jewish Women and Children; Dr. Georg Landauer, Dr. George Josephthal, Miss Eva Stern, M. Schattner and Rabbi Dr. M. Ehrenpreis.

Miss Szold reported that her department has transferred more than 700 young Jewish refugees from Germany to Palestine, where they are being trained for agriculture and manual work. She expressed the hope that it will be possible to bring at least 1,000 Jewish youth and children to Palestine each year. Fifteen colonies in Palestine now receive youths for special training, which in most cases is expected to take two years, she said. Miss Szold also revealed that emigration of Jewish youth from Poland is also being considered.