The amount of $1,404,268 86 was raised by New York Jewry for the United Palestine Appeal which had set a quota of $1,500,000 for New York City, it was announced by Morris Zeldin, director of the United Palestine Appeal in New York, at a dinner at the Hotel Astor Tuesday night, marking the conclusion of the New York drive.
Nathan Straus, Louis Lipsky, Dr. Stephen Wise, Chaim Nachman Bialik, Emanuel Neumann, Morris Zeldin, Benjamin Winter, Dr. Schmarya Levin and Dr. Israel Goldstein addressed the gathering, which included over 800 campaign workers of the various districts throughout the city.
Benjamin Winter, chairman of the United Palestine Appeal drive for New York City, opened the proceedings and handed over the gavel to Louis Lipsky, who acted as chairman of the evening.
Mr. Lipsky, in his opening remarks, reviewed the situation preceding the inauguration of the United Palestine Appeal. The United Palestine Appeal, because of the unification of the forces and placing Palestine in the center of attention, succeeded not only in maintaining the interest of American Jewry in the rebuilding of Palestine, but also in extending the effort, he said. The receipts of the United Palestine Appeal this year are much larger than in preceding years. Every campaign for Palestine brings additional strength and prepares for the success of the forthcoming campaign. The Zionist workers who were in the appeal are glad that they were in it and that they emerged triumphantly, Mr. Lipsky declared.
Nathan Straus stirred the gathering with a short address in which he urged greater interest of American Jews in the rebuilding of Palestine. The period of education in giving has passed and the time for action has arrived, he stated.
Mr. Lipsky read the text of a letter Mr. Straus addressed to David A. Brown, national chairman of the United Jewish Campaign, in which Mr. Straus declares that the raising of the $15,000,000 should not be difficult if those American Jews who acquired wealth in the last 25 years would give in proportion to their wealth. He charged the wealthy with reluctance to fulfill their duty.
Dr. Stephen S. Wise, national chairman of the United Palestine Appeal, reviewed the difficult period through which the United Palestine Appeal went, beginning with September 13. He urged the Zionist workers to participate in the United Jewish Campaign.
“There is no need to urge our fellow Zionists to do this. We Zionists always fulfill our duty. The difference between us and the others is this: We Zionists work for the present with a view toward the future, while the others work only for the present. It is the duty of every Zionist to help to bring temporary and palliative relief to our brethren in Eastern Europe, at the same time continuing the work for building the Jewish future in Palestine,” he stated.
“Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 21st is the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Keren Hayesod in the United States. Great progress has been made since then. The results achieved in the present campaign in New York are four times the sums obtained in New York in the first campaign for the Keren Hayesod,” Mr. Neumann stated.
“I am certain that in the next few years the progress will be even more striking and that we will come to the Jews of New York and ask them for as large a sum as we are now asking the Jews all over the country. I am certain too, that they will give it.
“Our campaign for this year in New York has now closed and the relief campaign for three years is about to open. Although we have had certain differences with those who are prominently connected with the relief effort, and although they have withheld their support in our campaign, we will nevertheless, not withhold our support and there will be no retaliation at the hands of Zionists at the expense of suffering Jewry.
“The attitude still maintained by certain anti-Zionists forces on one the impression that they are possessed, as it were, with a kind of a Dybbuk which has to be exorcised by the use of texts and the blowing of the shofar. These texts are being created in Palestine. We will use them to exorcise their Dybbuk and the blowing of the Shofar Shel Moshiach, will provide the other required means.
“I feel convinced that those who are staying out of the work for Palestine are missing a great deal of pleasure and gratification. There is a symphony that issues from Palestine to which these people are not listening and from the joy of which they are depriving themselves. It’s true, of course, that some of them have no ear for music. But Palestine is in the air and they had better tune in,” Mr. Neumann declared.
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.
