Save Jewish Welfare Work in Germany: False Economy to Save by Cutting in This Direction Says Appeal

Save the Jewish welfare work, says an appeal which has been issued to the Jewish Communities in Germany by the Central Welfare Office of the German Jews. In this critical hour, the appeal proceeds, we call to the Jewish Communities of Germany – “Save the Jewish welfare work”.

We know, it says, that all the communities, big and small, are crushed under the burden of expenditure for which it is impossible to obtain a corresponding revenue. Contributions are falling off, and the communities are inevitably forced to cut expenditure. The first thought is to reduce the cost of the welfare work. But that is just the work that in these critical times must not be diminished. Without a proper welfare and social activity no community can retain its health, and if the community perishes or is diseased, there is no longer any sense in maintaining ritual and administration. Several communities have been far-sighted enough to realise this fact, that precisely at a time of distress there must be no cuts in the welfare work, but rather an increase. No matter what happens, the present extent of welfare work at least must be maintained. We therefore appeal urgently to all the Jewish Community Boards and Representative Assemblies, the appeal goes on, to reconsider this question, and to make it clear that wherever cuts are made they must not be made in the welfare work. The kindergartens, the orphanages, the homes for the aged, must all be retained. In hard times more than at any other time, their inmates must not be turned adrift. In times like these it is more essential than ever to provide food for the children of the impoverished, and to maintain and extend, if possible, the technical courses, which teach our youth a trade, so that they should be able to earn their living. In the long run these welfare services, bring in ever so much more than they cost, and if we allow them to lapse now, it will take an immense amount of money and labour to restore the damage that will be done, if it is not, as we fear, irreparable.