The hope that common mourning “for the man who meant so much to England and to us may wash away something of the strain” that last August’s events had “unfortunately cast on the brightness of the relations between Jews and the people of England,” was expressed here today by Col. Frederick Kisch, chairman of the Palestine Executive, at a brief memorial meeting in the office of the Zionist Executive attended by members of the Executive and of the Vaad Leumi.
All Jewish national headquarters were closed this afternoon and the executive of the Vaad Leumi has asked the rabbinate to arrange for memorial services in all the synagogues Saturday. If Lord Balfour’s funeral is held on a day other than Saturday, a general stoppage of all activity throughout the Jewish community of Palestine will be called.
A mass and memorial meeting has been arranged for the Hurva synagogue. Although the schools will not close on the day of the funeral, the teachers in all Zionist schools will address their pupils on Lord Balfour during the funeral hour.
The Zionist Executive here and the Vaad Leumi have sent messages to Dr. Chaim Weizmann, president of the Zionist Organization, to be conveyed to members of Lord Balfour’s family. Both bodies will hand a message of condolence today to Sir John Chancellor, British High Commissioner. It is learned that the Jewish leaders do not desire demonstrations, especially in towns of mixed Arab and Jewish populations.
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.
