Possibilities of Jewish Immigration to France Outlined in Report

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

The possibilities for Jewish immigrants into France engaging in agriculture are discussed by M. R. Grinberg, director of the Committee for Assisting Jewish Immigrants in Paris, in report which he submitted to the Union of Jewish Workers here.

M. Grinberg pointed out that agriculture in France has suffered severely as a result of the war. A large number of peasants were killed; many peasants went to the lowns and consequently there are large areas of land lying idle. There are big possibilities therefore for aliens to engage in agricultural activity. In 1924, there were 360,000 alien agricultural workers in France, and the number has now increased to 800,000, mostly Italians and Poles. The conditions of work in the country districts are very difficult; wages are small, not more than 200 francs a month, and the sanitary conditions are bad. Foreign workers, therefore, prefer to remain in the towns, while France is in need of agricultural workers. Efforts have been made by legislation to limit the number of foreign workers in industry so that more of them should go on the land.

It is of more advantage for the Jews, M. Grinberg said, to rent small plot of land and to pay the landlords in kind rather than money. The crisis declassed the Jewish workers in France. There are many workers who would like to engage in agriculture. Up to the present little has been done to settle Jews on the land. It is unfortunate that most of the Jewish workers are unmarried. In agriculture it was better for a whole family to settle on the land. It would be possible, however, for small groups to organize themselves to work together.

JEWISH COMMUNAL ACTIVITIES

Joseph F. Grossman was elected president of the Covenant Club of Chicago at the organization’s annual election. Benjamin I. Morris was named first vice-president; Louis Harrison, second vice-president; Harry H. Krinsky, secretary; Leo Littman, financial secretary; M. E. Greenebaum, treasurer; Nathan T. Brenner, assistant treasurer, and David Labowitch, past president. Elected to the board of directors are Jacob Alter, David G. Abrams, Henry A. Berger, Alec L. Bernstein, Isidor Cobrin, Judge Harry M. Fisher, Jacob Logan Fox, Edward Graf, Max M. Grossman, Louis Kahn, A. M. Krensky, Morris Joseph, Albert Steindler and Isidor Weil.

The Department of Synagogue and School Extension of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations has just issued a book entitled “Out of the House of Bondage Teachers’ Manual” by Miss Adele Bildersee. The book is a companion volume to the bible reader “Out of the House of Bondage” by the same author, which is a pupil’s book. The new volume was prepared for the use of teachers and takes up the material in the pupil’s textbook and explains to the teacher how to teach it. The subject matter covers Exodus to Deuteronomy.

The book is published under the auspices of the Commission on Jewish Education, and was edited by Dr. Emanuel Gamoran, Educational Director of the Union.