Page Sixteen

HE JEWISH NEWS

Friday, February 26, I 943

Service to Jewry at Home and Overseas

Service on
Many Fronts

The J.D.C. on the War Front

By DR. JOSEPH J. SCHWARTZ
Chairman, European Executive Council of Joint Distribution Committee

The National Refugee Service. a bene-
ficiary of the United Jewish Appeal, has
: adopted 'a budget of $2,100,000 to carry
out the agency's program for 1943 •

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*

"America should be deeply grateful for
what the National Refugee Service has
done during the past years in rescuing so
many people from terrorism abroad.
America has been greatly enriched as a
result of N.R.S's activities"—Earl G. Har-
rison, Commissioner, U. S. Immigration
and Naturalization Service.

*

*

*

"What the National Refugee Service
has done toward adjusting refugees to fit
them for American life is of the very
greatest importance."—Frederick P. Kep-
pel„ member of the President's Board of
Appeals on Visa Cases. and member of
the President's War Relief Control Board.

*

*

The National Refugee Service is ex-
panding its activities in the field of social
adjustment. In New York the emigre
group has been more segregated from the
general community and the Jewish com-
munity than it has been in other parts of
the country. Efforts are being made to
deal with this situation.
Before the Keren Hayesod proceeds to
settle immigrants on the land in Pales-
tine, the Jewish National Fund drains the
swamps so that all danger of malaria is
removed. Both the Keren Hayesod and
the Jewish National Fund receive their
American support through the United
Palestine Appeal.
*
*
*
In October, 1942, the Jewish National
Fund acquired 1,317 dunams of land.

*

*

On both sides of the world the rescue
of children continues at a. steady pace. On
Jan. 25 31 refugee youngsters from Port-
ugal arrived in Philadelphia. The first
contingent of 834 Polish-Jewish refugee
children, i.vho left Teheran accompanied
by 400 adults, has arrived in Palestine.
*
*
One thousand children can be released
from refugee camps in fo
and
placed in foster homes for
r the duration,
if the necessary funds are available. The
matter is being investigated by the Joint
Distribution Committee.

Dr. Schwartz will address the annual meeting of the Jewish
Welfare Federation of Detroit and its constituent agencies on
Monday evening, March 8, at the Jewish Community Center.

During my present stay of 19 months
in Lisbon, I visited Spain on six separate
occasions, what was unoccupied France a
number of times, Switzerland and Eng-
land. What I saw and observed during
those 19 months, particularly after Amer-
ica entered the war, leads me to make
two outstanding conclusions: first, that in
all its history mankind probably has not
suffered as deeply as it is suffering to-
day, and, secondly, that this cumulative
tragedy would have reached far greater
proportions for the Jews on the Continent
if the J.D.C. had not been on hand to give
moral and material help.

who arrived there did so without the
necessary visas and legal papers. At the
prison of Miranda del Ebro some 3,600
refugees are being detained.

REFUGEES RELEASED
Before 1 left for the United States the
Spanish Government authorized the re-
lease of additional - large numbers of ref-
ugees from camps and prisons—women,
children and men of non-military age.
Though the J.D.C. is currently spending
$67,000 a month for its program in Spain,
this substantial sum will have to be in-
creased in order to care for the released
refugees who, it is expected, will live in
Last summer, in both the occupied and "assigned residence." Their continued
unoccupied zones of France, refugees in freedom is contingent upon their not be-
large numbers were rounded up in their coming public charges.
homes, on the streets and internment
camps for deportation to the Nazi East. THE PROBLEM OF EMIGRATION
In order to avoid deportation, thousands
I ascribe the sympathetic attitude of
fled into Switzerland and Spain, and this the Spanish Government toward refu-
exodus was intensified when Hitler seized gees to two factors. One is the turn for
unoccupied France following the Allied the better of the Allied military situa-
invasion of North Africa.
tion. The second is that the J.D.C., in the
more than 28 years of its existence, has
OVER 12,000 FLED FRANCE
established a record of achievement and
Today there are more than 6,000 of integrity. Governments rely on its
these newcomers in Switzerland. In Spain promises.
there are an equal number, with 100 to 150
In connection with the evacuation pf
men, women and children arriving daily, the refugees from Spain, the J.D.C. can
despite the deep snowdrifts and lashing bring into play its considerable experi-
winds in the Pyrenees Mountains, which ence and unique methods. In three years
they must cross.
from the outbreak of the war in 1939 the
When refugees began pouring into J.D.C. helped to rescue more than 95,000
Switzerland — destitute, bedraggled, in persons from Europe to the Western
need of food, shelter, clothing, medical Hemisphere and Palestine. Since Pearl
attention and all kinds of technical ad- Harbor it has evacuated 9,450 persons.
vice—the J.D.C. was spending $43,500 a THE CHILDREN'S PROJECT
month for aid to some 2,500 prior refu-
A special phase of the J.D.C..'s evacua-
gees. To provide for the additional needs tion program is the rescue of children.
of those fleeing from France, the J.D.C.
In this connection it must be recalled
had to increase to $60,000 its monthly
grant to the local relief committee that the J.D.C., in close cooperation with
the United States Committee for the Care
through which it operates. The Swiss
of European Children and other agencies,
Government is displaying its traditional
was working to rescue large numbers of
humanitarian attitude toward exiles
children from unoccupied France. In
seeking haven within its borders and its
fact, everything was in readiness when
helpfulness and active interest are prov-
Hitler, on Nov. 11 last, seized that area.
ing of constructive aid to the refugees.
In the meantime, the J.D.C. is evacuat-
In Spain the emergency is even more ing refugee youngsters from Portugal.
acute. For the most part, the refugees The first group just recently arrived in

Services by
Local Agencies

The Jewish Children's. Bureau of De-
troit has found that over a period of 12
years an average of four children per
year were given in adoption. For every
child available for adoption, there are
approximately 15 to 20 applicants.
*
*
*
Forty-one new children were placed
under the care of the Jewish Children's
Bureau during 1942. Forty-seven children
were discharged by the agency during
the same period. One hundred and ten
children are now under the care of the
Jewish Children's Bureau. Sixteen of the
110 children under the care of the Jewish
Children's Bureau are of pre-school age
(1 to 5). There are 35 children between
the ages of 5 and 12 and 40 children 12 to
16 years of age. Nineteen of the children
are 16 years of age and over.

•

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*

The Jewish Social Service Bureau pro-
vided assistance "and service to 336 fami-
lies in January, 1943, and spent $1,137 for
relief for 38 of these families. In January
of last year 354 families were under the
care of the agency and of this number 67
families received relief amounting to
$2,248.
*
*
*
Seventy-four refugee families were
helped by the local Resettlement Service
during January, 1943. Thirty-three fami-
lies were given financial assistance in the
amount of $1,800. In January of last year
110 families were under the care of the
Resettlement Service and of this number
79 families were given financial assist-
ance in the amount of $4,400.

the United States. Others are to follow.
While it might be hazardous to make
predictions concerning the political situa-
tion in North Africa, I feel that the
French will work out their destiny in
conformance with United Nations' aims.

(The Joint Distribution Committee re-
ceives its income from the campaign col-
lections of the United Jewish Appeal,
which also includes the United Palestine
appeal and the National Refugee Service.
In Detroit these agencies are supported
by the Allied Jewish Campaign through
the War Chest of Metropolitan. Detroit).

What's Happening in Detroit

D

ETROIT'S protest against Nazi atrocities will be
heard this Sunday afternoon at Cass High audi-
torium, where Dr. Stephen S. Wise and Charles P. Taft
will be the guest speakers.
Dr, Wise's visit in Detroit will be utilized in the
observance of Brotherhood Week, and the eminent
president of the American Jewish Congress will be in-
terviewed on Station WJR at 12:30 p. m., just prior to
the luncheon being arranged in his honor by a repre-
sentative committee of Detroit Jews.
Charles P. Taft arid Judge Ernest A. O'Brien will
also appear on the "In Our Opinion Round Table" of
WJR. The central theme for discussion by the three
speakers will be "Can Brotherhood Be Made a Reality?"

Twenty Years Ago This Week

Compiled From the Records of the
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

NEW YORK—The proposal for the establish-
ment' under Arab and Jewish auspices of a "national
government" is viewed favorably by Dr. Chaim_
Weizmann, president of the World Zionist Organ-
ization, who has just arrived here from abroad.
The plan, it is understood, is being broached as a
possible means of nullifying Arab hostility to Zion-
ist activities in Palestine.

NEW YORK — Congressman-elect Fiorello La-
Guardia charged that the new immigration bill be-
fore the House of Representatives is deliberately
framed to bar Jewish and Italian immigrants in
:i'svor of emigrants from England and Western Eu-
rope. In a letter to Rep. 1VIondell, majority leader
of the House, LaGuardia wrote that the new law
is .a result of collusion between bigoted and nar-
row-minded people nursing religious and racial
hatreds and the activity of certain British steam-
ship lines.

LONDON—A 16-page statement issued by the
Joint Foreign Committee of British Jews charges
that the rising generation of Russian Jews is in
serious danger . of growing up atheists and the en-
tire structure of Judaism in - Russia is imperiled
because of the attitude of the Soviet Government.

MOSCOW—Courses in various branches of Jew-
ish culture will be given at Moscow University.

NEW YORK—The American Jewish Joint Dis-
tribution Committee announced that a sum in ex-
cess of $50,000,000 has been expended in relief work
in European countries. -

Deficiencies in Civilian War Efforts

Benton Harbor Women Fete Soldiers

It is inevitable that there should be some deficiencies
in civilian war efforts. This is true of gas and food
rationing as well as regulations affecting the sale of
shoes and other clothing articles.
One of the Detroiters who has been assigned to the
United States Coast Guard—Manuel Helfman, Y. 2c (R),
D.C.G.O., 9th Naval District, Keith Bldg., Cleveland, 0.,
—writes us as follows to express his disturbance over
the anxiety that has been shown by some people to
obtain extra shoes when the rationing order was an-
nounced:
"How will you justify not being able to get along with
that one more pair of shoes to your Jewish neighbor
who found himself getting along without a loved one
killed in fighting, for your freedom?
"Why couldn't you get along without a pair of shoes
to help your allies when your relatives in Warsaw
and Kiev must get along without the food and shelter
that helps their enemies?
"Why couldn't you agreeably sacrifice that pair of
shoes when others as human have so gladly sacrificed
their lives, their careers, their rights to live the same
normal life you do?
"Why couldn't you be satisfied with less shoes when
your co-religionists would be satisfied merely to breath
pure, typhus free air away from a ghetto?
"How can you convince your right to be dressed in
style to our Jewish boys in dirty uniforms from muddy
trenches and creeping in the face of machine gun fire?
"When you put on that pair of shoes some Sunday
for your club meeting, may the echo of the "Shma
Yisroel" cried out by your naked, anguished, diseased,
massacred Jewish brethern remind you in shame of the
small price you were called upon to pay for your
freedom—and refused!"
We are confident that the points raised in this letter
will be accepted as giving proper emphasis to the
need for general realization that the civilian responsi-
bilities in winning the war are as great as those of the
men engaged in active duty with our military forces.

The Women's Auxiliary of the Bnai Brith of Benton
Harbor entertained more than 200 soldiers at a Valen-
tine party in the Western Michigan USO Club in
Battle Creek Sunday, Feb. 14, under the auspices of
the Jewish Welfare Board. Samuel Kurzon is director
of the JWB in the Fort Custer area.
Mrs. H. S. Friedman, chairman, and Mrs. Lillian
Faber, co-chairman, were assisted by: Mrs. Al Hatosky,
Mrs. Paul Price, Mrs. Jonas Gelder and Mrs. Bert
Gelder, of Benton Harbor. Mrs. Friedman, with the
help of her husband, who brought the dinner to Battle
Creek through a driving blizzard, prepared and ready
to serve, was assisted by the USO Club by Mrs. Jacob
Mehler and 'Mrs. Nate Green of the hostess committee
of the Jewish Welfare Board Army and Navy Com-
mittee of Battle Creek.
Present were a group of junior hostesses from Ben-
ton Harbor who stayed at homes of the Battle Creek
Jewish community, through arrangement with Mrs.
Lawrence Ely, chairman of the hospitality committee
of the Jewish Welfare Board Army and Navy
Committee.

Prisoners of War Receive Packages

A plea for Detroiters to continue sending packages
of food to relatives who are prisoners of war was
made this week by Benjamin Graubart, executive
director of the American Federation for Polish Jews
here.
"Neither the United States, nor Great Britain, nor
the International Red Cross would continue to accept
obligations for safely transporting and distributing
packages to war prisoners were there the slightest
possibility that they would not reach their destina-
tion," Mr. Graubart asserts.
Packages reach their destination because Germany is
wary of reprisals, and any mistreatment of Allied pris-
oners would result in similar treatment of German
prisoners in Allied hands, he asserted.

Coming Events

Feb. 28—Mass demonstration against Nazi atro-
cities at Cass High School.
Speakers: Charles P. Taft, assistant director of
Office of Defense Health and Welfare Service and
member of President Roosevelt's War Relief Control
Board, and Dr. Stephen S. Wise, president of Ameri-
can Jewish Congress.
March" 3 — Brotherhood Banquet arranged by
Catholics, Jews and .Protestants, at Amity Hall.
March 7—Torah Month banquet at Jewish Cen-
ter, marking first anniversary of Yeshivath Beth
Yehudah.
Speaker: Dr. Manuel. Laderman, rabbi of He-
brew Educational Alliance of Denver.
March 8—Annual meeting of . Jewish Welfare
Federation and its constituent agencies. Guest speak-
er: Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, European chief of the
Joint Distribution Cominittee.
March 9 — Tenth anniversary celebration of
Business and Professional Division of .Hadassah, at
the Statler. Speaker: Philip Adler.
March 15 — Victory Rally of Greater Detroit Bnai
Brith Council, in celebration of sale of $1,000,000
of War Bonds, at Jewish Center.
March 17—Annual donor event of Ladies' Auxil-
iary of Jewish National Fund, at Masonic Temple.

