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Young Jewish Immigrants in France Enlist for Farm Work

September 5, 1939
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The Association of Jewish Youth Organizations is mobilizing Jewish boys and girls of 14 to 18 to send them into the fields to help with the harvest. The action, designed to help fill the gap created on the farms by the general mobilization decree was taken with the approval of the labor and agricultural ministries.

The Organization of Immigrant Jewish Youths, meanwhile, issued a declaration stating that its membership was aware that its place at this time was in the ranks of the French nation which was fighting for justice, liberty and equal treatment.

Reports from Tunis and Algiers tell of the enthusiastic patriotism being displayed by the Jewish populations there. In Tunis, thousands of Jews are besieging the recruiting offices to enlist for war service. Their number is so large that the offices were unable to handle them in one day.

The entire French press has been impressed by the attitude of the immigrants and their eagerness to enlist. The newspapers emphasize that among those registering for voluntary service are many Jews of all professions and particularly feature the story of a former Austrian rabbi who appeared at a recruiting office and asked to be taken into the French army.

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