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In your issue of Sunday, November 18, under the caption “Joint Distribution Committee and Poland,” you editorially call attention to the important work being done by the loan kassas in Poland and the service being rendered in that connection by the Joint Distribution Committee. There can be no question of the major importance of the work of the loan kassas, as you editorially state, and the ignorance of great masses of American Jews on the subject is rightly to be deplored.
I trust you will permit me to take the occasion of your raising the question to add a few facts which may further enlighten the situation.
The work of the Joint Distribution Committee for the loan kassas is carried out through the “Foundation,” in which the ICA also participates.
Some time ago there occurred certain differences of opinion between the “Foundation” and the leaders of the Rassas which resulted in the liquidation of the central bank. The leaders of the cooperative kassas fought strenuously against that, but the “Foundation” instead and had its way.
We would not recall this but for the fact that again the Federation of Polish Jews in America is hearing complaints from many Polish Jewish leaders of the attitude of the “Foundation” leaders towards many aspects of the matter of developing the kassas.
Polish Jewry has a right to be heard in this matter, not only because it is principally concerned, but because it has staked the major part of the 100 million zlotys, constituting the loan funds. In its criticism, it should be said that Polish Jewry is duly appreciative of what the Joint Distribution Committee has done through the “Foundation” in helping the work.
What is needed now is a thorough investigation of the situation by the Joint Distribution Committee. Only such a sincere and adequate study and report can meet the situation.
Federation of Polish
Jews in America
Z. Tygel, Executive Director
New York,
Nov. 20, 1934.
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.
