Mizrachist World Presidium Resigns at World Convention in Basler Sequel to German Mizrachi’s Opposit

The entire Presidium of the Mizrachi World Organisation, consisting of Rabbi Meir Berlin, Rabbi J. L. Fischman, of Jerusalem, and Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, of New York, resigned today at the World Convention of the Mizrachist Organisation, which is now in session here.

The resignation is the sequel to the determined opposition of the German Mizrachist delegation to the withdrawal of the Mizrachi representatives, Rabbi Berlin and Mr. Lazarus Barth, from the Zionist World Executive, contending that the Mizrachi must confine itself to religious and cultural activities and not take part in political conflicts. The German delegation threatened that the German Mizrachi would break away from the Mizrachi World Organisation, if the Convention approved Rabbi Berlin’s opposition to the Weizmann leadership. In order to avoid a split, Rabbi Berlin and his two colleagues in the Mizrachi World Presidium, resigned. About 90 per cent. of the delegates at the Convention, it is claimed, are in agreement, however, with the attitude of Rabbi Berlin and the Mizrachi World Presidium.

The Convention is being continued under the chairmanship of ex-Deputy Farbstein, the leader of the Polish Mizrachi, who is also Vice-Chairman of the Actions Committee of the Zionist World Organisation.

At the Conference of the German Mizrachi held in May a resolution was adopted which was practically an ultimatum to the Mizrachist World leadership. If the demands embodied in the resolution are rejected at the World Convention, it was stated, there will be a split in the World Mizrachi followed by the Opposition forming a separate Left Mizrachi Federation.

The German Mizrachi leaders claim to have the support of the Dutch Mizrachi, a large section of the Mizrachi in Czecho-Slovakia, several smaller Mizrachi groups in other countries, and considerable sections of the Zeire Mizrachi and the Hapoel Mizrachi.