-
THE JEWISH NEWS
Page Sixi-ec
March of Time
A
Chronological Record of the Accomplishments of the
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
From 1914 to 1 945
1914 . . . August. From Pales-
tine, then under Turkish juris-
diction, comes an urgent cable
from Henry Morgenthau, Am-
bassador to Turkey, pleading
that American Jews send $50,000
at once to save 60,000 Jews in
Palestine from actual starvation.
Appeals for food, for medicine,
for clothing, follow from Jews
in every other belligerent coun-
try in Europe.
A national Jewish effort, rep-
resenting every segment in the
American Jewish community, is
needed if these appeals are to be
ansWered.
In October the Union of Orth-
odox Congregations organizes the
Central Relief Committee for the
relief of Jews. A few days later
the American Jewish Committee
calls a conference of all Jewish
, organizations. These organiza-
tions form the American Jewish
Relief Committee under the lead-
ership of Jacob H. Schiff, Felix
M. Warburg and Louis Marshall.
In November these two commit-
tees join in establishing the Joint
Distribution Committee for the
relief of Jewish war sufferers.
Within a few months the Peo-
ple's Relief Committee, designed
to reach Jewish labor groups, is
formed. This group, too, be-
comes a constituent member of
the. Joint Distribution Commit-
tee.
Receives Cooperation
1915 . • War years., Funds are
raised by the millions. J.D.C.
receives the sympathetic cooper-
ation of the State Department of
the United States and neutral
governments..
The relief ship, U.S.S. Collier
Vulcon, is sent to Palestine. 20
cases of clothing are sent to Bel-
gian-Jewish refugees in England.
24 cases of clothing are forward-
ed to Austria. Soup kitchens are
subsidized in Poland. U.S.S.
Sterling sails for Palestine
with medicines and matzoth.
Dr: Judah Magnes heads relief
mission to Central and Eastern
Europe. He spends five months
in the war zone and returns in
November to give a firsthand re-
port. 20 tons of matzoth are
sent by U.S.S. Collier Caesar to
Alexandria, Egypt for refugees
from Palestine.
In August 1917 Germany and
the United States sever relations.
The State Department grants
permission to J.D.C. to estab-
lish an agency in Holland for the
distribution of J.D.C. funds.
- Disorders in Poland
1918 . . . Peace—but the Jew-
ish communities of Europe are
devastated. There are anti-Jew-
ish disorders in Poland, riots in
Eungary and Romania. Maraud-
ing bands attack Jews in Lithu-
ania, Latvia, Esthonia.
Wearing the American uni-
form with the authority of the
United States Government, spe-
cialists in child care, public
health, sanitation and economics
go abroad as representatives of
J.D.C. American Jews raise $27,-
000,000 for child care activities,
trade training, schools, cultural
institutions.
J.D.C. appropriates $1,100,000
towards cargo of foodstuffs sent
on S. S. Westward Ho to Poland
and throughout the year pro-
vides maintenance for 800,000
Jews in that country.
1920 . . . Special aid is .given
to rabbis, writers, teachers and
spiritual leaders. J.D.C. re-
stores 1,800 schools. Their total
attendance is 225.(''''
Rabbis Israel
and
Bernard Cantor
d in
the Ukraine while on a mission
of mercy for. the J.D.C.
J.D.C. appropriates $500,000 for
medical supplies and clothing for
Soviet Russia.
Organize Health GroupS
1921 . . . Tuberculosis and
typhus stalk Jewish communit-
ies. • J.D.C. organizes health so-
cieties in Poland and Russia and
founds the Nurses Training
School in Warsaw. A malaria
Painting - Paperhanging
Want Your House Clean?
Call Oreen
N.O. 4020
research unit is established in
Palestine.
Famine is at its height in Rus-
sia. J.D.C. feeds 1,220,762 men,
women and children and pro-
vides medical care for 1,500,000.
Dr. Boris D. Bogen and Dr. Jos-
eph A. Rosen, representing the
J.D.C., go to 'Russia with the
American Relief AdWinistration
Mission.
Under the leadership of Her-
bert H. Lehman, committee on
reconstruction creates and re-
stores credit cooperatives, loan
societies, trade and technical
schools, and rebuilds homes,
shops and stores.
Joseph C. Hyman, later to be-
come J.D.C. Executive Vice-
Chairman, joins the J.D.C. staff
as assistant to Mr. Lehman.
James N. Rosenberg becomes
Chairman of the European Ex-
ecutive . Council the same year.
Aid 18,000 Orphans
J.D.C.'s child care committee,
headed by Dr. Solomon Lowen-
stein, establishes orphanages,
summer colonies and children's
workshops. In Russia, J.D.C.
cares for 18,000 orphans; in Pales-
tine 1,300.
1924 . „ . The American Joint
Reconstruction Foundation is or-
ganized by J.D.C. and the Jew-
ish Colonization Association to
carry on economic reconstruction
in Eastern and Central Europe.
The American Jewish Joint
Agricultural Corporation (Agro-
Joint) is organized for resettle-
ment and reconstruction in Rus-
sia. Russia provides 3,000,000
acres of land aand Agro-Joint
settles 250,000 people. Three
hundred loan societies, 42 trade
and farm schools, 6 medical so-
cieties are operated by Agro-
Joint. (By 1938 it disburses
$16,000,000.)
Dr. Bernhard Kahn is --made
head of J.D.C.'s European. Ex-
ecutive Council.
1925 . . . J.D.C. considers the
possibility of sharply reducing
its operations. It feels that the
emergency which created it is
nearing a close. Before 'action
can be taken, depression descends
on Europe, and once again Amer-
ican . Jews send food and medi-
cine and clothing to Europe.
Palestine Corporation
J.D.C. participates in setting
up the Palestine Economic Cor-
poration for the social-economic
development of the Holy Land.
Bernard Flexner later becomes
P.E.C. Chairman.
1932 . . . J.D.C. has spent $80,-
000,000 in 18 years. Paul Baer-
wald is made J.D.C. chairman.
1933 . . Adolf Hitler be-
comes Chancellor - of Germany.
600,000 German Jews appeal for
help. Rabbi Jonah B. Wise heads
mercy mission to Germany and
J. D. C. establishes a gigantic
welfare and emigration program.
Loan societies are established.
The word refugee becomes com-
monplace.
Jewish organizations in the
countries surrounding Germany
do what they can to help their
unfortunate co-religionists now
fleeing, but they • are inundated
by the thousands who appeal for
aid. J.D.C. underwrites large
parts of their activities.
Palestine, North America,
South America and South Africa
become the chief immigration
centers.
Austrian Jews Destitute
1938 • .. Anschluss of Austria
with Germany. Austrian Jews
are destitute. J.D.C. sets up a
chain of soup_ kitchens and with-
in a few months $1,000 a day is
being spent for feeding alone.
Emigration office is set up and
retraining facilities instituted.
Thousands of Austrian Jews flee
across borders, stateless and pen-
niless.
In May of 1938 the Jews of
Hungary became subject to a
new racial policy. Italy follows
Hungary and in September,
Czechoslovakia is partitioned.
J.D.C. puts its emphasis on res-
cue. Within twelve months 70 -
000 Jewish men, women and
children are brought to havens
of safety.
J.D.C. is now operating in 50
countries, even in the small out-
posts of Iceland, Albania, the
Philippines and China.
War is declared as the year
draws to a close.
Feed 500,000 Daily
1940 .. . J.D.C. provides meals
for 500,000 people daily in Po-
land. Representatives work in
Switzerland, Italy and Hungary.
The Paris office is moved to
Bordeaux, just ahead of the Ger-
man 'advance, and then to Lisbon.
When Italy's entry into the war
blocks the Mediterranean, over-
land transportation via Russia,
Siberia and Japan is arranged
for emigrants proceeding to the
Western Hemisphere. 25,000 re-
fugees flee Europe with J.D.C.
help.
J.D.C. becomes the mainstay of
Jews in Germany, Poland,
France, Portugal, Italy, Switzer-
land, indeed, all of Europe.
In South America the picture
is • brighter. concentrates
on a program of economic rehab-
ilitation. Loan co-operatives are
set up to make „it possible for
refugees to go into business. Re-
fugees are moved from large
cities to smaller cities and towns
where their skills and aptitudes
will be welcome.
Postwar Repayment
Dec. 7, 1941 . . . America en-
ters the war and communication
is severed between J.D.C. com-
mittees in Europe and the home
office, but committees carry on
by borrowing in the name of the
J.D.C. for post-war repayment by
J.D.C. in accordance with a pre-
war arrangement. J.D.C. pro-
vides hundreds of thousands of
Jews with food and lodging, emi-
grates 34,000 refugees and cares
for 151,000 children.
1942 . . . J.D.C. begins food
package shipment to Jewish re-
fugees in Russia. A sum of
$200,000 is granted to Palestine
for the war relief purposes. Re-
lief in France alone totals $1,724,-
250 while $2,009,200 is appro-
Friday, March 23, 1945
priated for emergency aid in oc-
cupied countries.
1943 . . . J.D.C. continues its
1942 program. In addition, it
feeds 5,000 daily in Shanghai and
provides partial or complete
maintenance for 18,000 refugees
in Switzerland, 6,000 refugees in
Sweden.
Warburg Chairman
Edward M. M. Warburg, who
was elected Chairman of the J.
D. C. in 1941, resigns in 1943 in
order to report for active duty
in the United States Army. Paul
Baerwald returns to the chair-
manship.
1944 . . . The S. S. Nyassa, first
commercial passenger vessel to
cross the Mediterranean since
Italy entered the war, carries
750 Jewish refugees from Europe
to Palestine. More than 8,000
youths are evacuated from the
Balkans to safety in Palestine.
$3,000,000 is allotted for this pro-
ject. J.D.C. brings several hun-
dred refugees to Canada. Rus-
sian shipments reach 10,000 pack-
ages a month.
The advancing Allied armies
begin the liberation of Europe.
Throughout the Nazi regime J.
D.C. continued its work in oc-
cupied Europe through a system
of local borrowing. Now J.D.C.
reopens its offices. and has direct
contact in Italy and France.
$500,000 is appropriated for re-
lief in liberated Poland. $1,000,-
000 is appropriated to help the
surviving Jews in Romania. A
J. D. C. worker accompanies the
UNRRA unit to Poland. An of-
fice is opened in London.
In 1944, J.D.C. spends $20,000,-
000-40 percent of it for rescue
and emergency aid in war-torn
areas.
1945 . • . Minimum budget of
J.D.C. is set at $46,570,000.
Palestine Floats Loan
JERUSALEM (JPS-Palcor) —
The Palestine Government will
soon issue a new $4,000,000 war
loan in $40 bearer bonds, accord-
ing to an official annoncement.
Zionist Leaders
Urge Emergency
Council End Rift
Restoration of Dr. Silver
to Leadership Asked to
Settle Dispute
NEW YORK (JTA) — Thirty-
six members of the administra-
tive committee of the Zionist
Organization of America, and a
large number of other .-active
members of the organization in
30 states, have addressed a tele-
gram to the American Zionist
Emergency Council and to Dr.
Israel Goldstein, president of the
ZOA, asking for the restoration
to Zionist leadership of Dr. Abba
Hillel Silver and for settlement
of the dispute within the Zion-
ist ranks in the U. S., it was
announced.
The telegram expressed t h e
feeling of uneasiness prevailing
among some Zionist leaders
throughout the country in the
.present political situation a n d
asked for a "militant policy."
"We are greatly disturbed over
the remarks made by Prime
Minister Churchill and President
Roosevelt with regard - to Pales-
tine; Zionists received these re-
marks with a feeling of great
disappointment," the telegram
said, emphasizing that the pres-
ent rift in the American Zionist
movement may spell danger for
the entire Zionist cause.
Rabbi Leon Frain and Philip
Slomovitz are the Detroiters who
have signed the telegram.
--
Many. Seeking Relief
for Colds' Muscle Aches
Millions depend on St. Joseph Aspirin
to ease pain of colds' achy muscles
and colds' headaches. Gargled, swiftly
reduces soreness of colds' sore throat.
Always be sure to look for the name
on the box—St. Joseph Aspirin.
ZeoPtemiust2eateetv
A LMOND
MACAROON
SCOTTISH RITE
CATHEDRAL
Masonic Temple
SECOND AND TEMPLE
Welcoming the two noted
stars
SAMUEL GOLDENBURG
MICHAL MICHALESKO
SPECIAL
COURSE
TICKET
ONE EVENING ONLY
SUNDAY. APRIL 1
in the new musical play
"WHEN HEARTS SING"
By William Siegel
Music by Sholem Secunda
Celebrated Assisting
Cast Includes
Roseta Bialis, Sylvia Feder, Sarah
Gingold, Anna Levine, Mildred
Block, Leon Charas, Jacob Zanger,
Leon Schechter, Ben Zeidman and
Others.
Tickets available at Metro Music
House, 10328 Dexter, TO. 8-4114;
Atkins Confectionery, 8640 12th
St.. Corner Lee Place, TR. 2-8889
or TR. 2-8884; Abraham Littman,
1927 Pingree, TY. 6-9186; At Mas-
onic Temple, TE. 2-6648, on the
day of the performance.
IMPORTANT NEWS FOR DETROIT JEWS
CANTOR REUBEN BOYARSKY
has been engaged to conduct services for
the entire Passover Festival at
Congregation Mishkan Israel
Blaine and Linwood
Cantor Boyarsky is well known in Detroit and has gained fame as
one of the outstanding synagogue singers In America.
RABBI ISAAC STOLLMAN
will deli'ver. the Sabbath Hagodol sermon this Saturday
,J. WEISS, President
J. GOLDSTEIN. Vice-President
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