South African Jews Organize to Widenscope

To enable Jews to adjust themselves to changed economic conditions so that they may broaden the basis of their economic life by taking more active part in agriculture and industry, an Association for the Promotion of Agricultural and Industrial Pursuits among South African Jews has been formed here. The executive board consists of Maurice Franks, president, Walter Pollak, chairman, and Dr. S. L. Feldman, vice chairman.

A. statement issued by the Association points out that the African Jewish Board of Deputies has welcomed its formation, expressing sympathy with its purposes and objects.

“The Jews in South Africa have from the first days of Dutch and English settlement played a very important part in the economic development of the country,” the Association’s statement declares. “As traders they not only brought the necessaries of life within the reach of those scattered in this vast sub-continent, but they also created markets for the products of the country, and thus contributed to South Africa, becoming a great agricultural country. Likewise, the Jewish citizens of South Africa have taken the initiative in the industrial development which has been so prominent a feature of South African economic life during the last twenty years.

“But conditions are changing, and it is becoming increasingly clear that in South Africa, as in most other countries, the position of the middleman is gradually being undermined and that in many spheres the middleman is being entirely eliminated. The professions and distributive occupations are being filled each year beyond their capacity of absorption. As time goes on this scope and opportunity will be still further restricted. It is obvious, therefore, that if the Jews are to adjust themselves to the changed economic conditions they must broaden the basis of their economic life by participating in all the economic activities of the country, and, in particular, by taking a far greater active part than hitherto in agriculture and in industrial pursuits. This necessity has been realized more and more in other countries, and in South Africa too the time has come for the Jews to give this matter their earnest consideration.

“It is in order to promote agricultural and industrial pursuits among South African Jewry that this Association has been formed. To achieve this purpose it is proposed, in the first place, to make a thorough investigation of the possibilities in South Africa in regard to promoting such pursuits among Jews, and, in the second place, to give assistance to South African Jews, and more particularly to the Jewish youth, in finding employment on the land and in industry.”