The Association of Liberal Jews in Germany, the organization representing the Reform congregations, will not join the non-Zionists of other countries in participating in the extended Jewish Agency for Palestine under the agreement concluded between Louis Marshall and Dr. Chaim Weizmann.
At a meeting of the Board of the Association, which is composed of 37 congregations with a total membership of 8,000, a unanimous decision was reached to decline the invitation extended by the World Zionist Executive to join in the formation of the Jewish Agency which is to be composed of non-Zionists and Zionists, for the upbuilding of Palestine. Heinrich Stern is president of the Association.
In making public its decision the Board gave the following three reasons for its refusal to participate in the Jewish Agency:
1. The Palestine Mandate refers to the creation of a national home for the Jewish people and to the historic connection between the Jewish people and Palestine, while the Liberal Jews of Germany consider Jewry a religious community, being a part of the various nations among whom Jews live;
2. According to their views Palestine does not occupy a special place in the contemplation of the future Judaism. Palestine may be considered for colonization purposes in a general plan of settling Jews on the land in order to bring relief to those who are in need.
3. The settlement of Palestine may be justified only if the people who are now on the land are in agreement with the plan.
The Board further stated that this does not preclude the possibility of cooperation, but the ways and methods of such cooperation are dependent upon the removal of these obstacles by the Zionist Organization.
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.
