RifrinUd from yesterdays tote edition.
Criticism of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee on. the grounds of its alleged refusal to join forces with other groups in world Jewry for the purpose of’ dealing with the German situation under a common program directed by a common administration was voiced by Louis Lipsky, national chairman of the American Palestine Campaign, at the conference of the Jewish -National Fund here today. He declared that “at the present time there is every probability that there will not be a joint drive in the United States as between the Joint Distribution Committee and the American Palestine Campaign.”
The coniercDcc aaoptea a resolution introduced by Abraham Spicehandler and seconded by Morris Rothenberg. president of the Zionist Organisation of America, to raise the aura of $100,000 to establish Kfat Ussishkin in ‘ honor of the seventieth birthday of the veteran Zionist leader, Uemacbim M. Ussishkin, in adoption to the sum of 5400,000 as America’s contribution to the Jewish National Fund.
The conference adopted resolutions calling for the intensification of Jewish National Fund work in the country; approval of Tydings resolution, which calls upon the United States Senate to protest the treatment of the German Jews, and voted to boycott all German merchandise.
Bringing the greeting of the American Palestine Campaign, Lipsky deplored lip-service to unity in world Israel by forces in American life who refuse to translate this unity into reality. “In all the discussion about unity in Jewish life,” Lipsky declared, “The fact Is lost sight of. that unity deals with ideas and the proper word to use Is cooperation. What we need In Jewish life Is wholehearted and unreserved cooperation in dealing with the present tragic situation of the ‘Jewish people.
“Many of those who constantly ‘ speak of peace and unity, in practice are least Interested’ in the actual work of cooperation. With them it seems that these words, peace and unity, can be used forever to cloak and mask* the essential indifference to working together with all Jews for the command good.
“For example, last year a Jewish economic conference was held in London. It was called primarily by the London Jewish Board of Deputies. There were represented any number of the most important Jewish organisations of various lands. This conference was turned into a failure because of, the refusal of the Joint Distributing Committee to pool Its funds together with other Jews for the purpose of dealing with the German situation under a common program directed by a common administration. Had this economic conference been successful, a great number of controversial questions prevailing in general Jewish life would have been eliminated because through common Action understanding is created.
“At the present time there is every probability that there will not. be a joint drive in the United States as between the Joint’Dls-tribution Committee and the American Palestine Campaign, due to a large extent to the feeling that still prevails among the leaders of the Joint Distribution Committee that Palestine stands in one way oranotner in opyuw tloa or parallel to the work in the Galuth.
“From every practical point of view. Palestine Is no longer to be i regarded as a parallel undertaking ot the Jewish people which runs counter to or along with an ameliorative program in the Galuth. Palestine is the essential factor in the permanent relief of aitua-tion in the Galuth.
“We have a perfect right to ask, with all due respect, whether the Joint Distribution Committee represents its thousands of contributors when it arrives at a decision which prevents that cooperation .which the Jews In tbie country seem to be asking for. The time has coma for a clear discusion ol this ‘important issue in American Jewish life.” Lipslcy concluded.
Arthur Greenstein greeted the conference in the name of the local National Fund Council, while Judge. William Lewis spoke in thf name of the Philadelphia Jewish community. Greetings wftre received from Ussishkin and from Dr. Chalm Weizmann, former president bf the World Zionist Organization. *
Dr. Israel Goldstein, recently elected president of the Jewish National Fund of America, rabbi in Temple B’nai Jeshurun in New York City, delivered the annual report.
In his address Dr. Goldstein paid tribute to Ussishkin and pleaded for funds for the colony.
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.
