The 19th convention of the Federation of Canadian Zionists opened with a mass meeting at Macy Hall, which was addressed by Dr. Chaim Weizmann, President of the World Zionist Organization, and A.J. Freiman, President of the Federation of Canadian Zionists.
Dr. Weizmann gave a detailed description of conditions in Palestine, declaring that the time had arrived when Palestine must be built in cooperation with the Arabs and Christians.
“It is ridiculous to talk of an exclusively Jewish Palestine”, Dr. Weizmann said in the course of his address. “Palestine must be built on the basis of autonomy for all people compsoing the population of the country, as is the case in Switzerland, for example”.
Replying to the criticism levelled against the Zionist Administration for not having rotten the Turkish Crown lands from the British Government, Dr. Weizmann declared that it was better to purchase good, arable land, than to take the Government lands which have no water and which are disease-infected.
A.H. Freiman, touched on Israel Zangrill’s criticism of the Zionists, which he characterized as destructive criticism which brings no results.
The Convention was addressed by Premier Ferguson and Mayor Hiltz. The Toronto City Hall displayed a large electric shield bearing the inscription: “Welcome, Canadian Zionists”. About 3,000 were present at the opening.
The Convention, in regular session assembled, decided to raise $12,000 for the Hebrew University on the Mount of Olives.
It was decided to appoint a national organizer for the Canadian “Young Judaea”, to extend the Zionist propaganda throughout the country, to increase the work for the Jewish National Fund, and to admit every organization paying a dollar a year for each member to membership in the Federation.
A.J. Freiman was re-elected President of the Federation of Canadian Zionists; Leon Cohen, Honorary Vice-president; Mark Workman, Honorary President.
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.
