Report to American Jews On Overseas Relief Palestine and Refugees in the United States. The Work of The United Jewish Appeal, The Joint Distribution Committee, The United Palestine Appeal, The National Refugee Service – By Eli Ginzberg, published by Harper & Brothers Publishers. New York, 1942 – First edition. Copy with a signed dedication by the author.
Official report by the director of the Allocations Committee of the United Jewish Appeal, which focused on assisting Jewish refugees, saving lives, contributing to the Jewish community in Eretz Israel, and aiding in the integration of Jewish refugees in the United States.This organization, along with two others, was established with the outbreak of World War I to address the anticipated emergencies facing the Jews of Europe, particularly in Poland and the Baltic regions of Russia. In addition to fundraising, the committee worked on developing local institutions and leadership. Having gained experience during World War I and in the interwar period, the committee was well-prepared when World War II began. Even before the war, following Hitler’s rise to power, the committee managed to raise $15,000,000 for the economic rehabilitation of Eastern European Jews.
At the outbreak of World War II, the committee established connections with local Jewish leaders and clergy, often working under the watchful eyes of the Nazis, successfully transferring funds. During its first twenty years, the committee had a policy of helping Jews adjust to their local environments without encouraging emigration. However, this approach changed with Hitler’s rise and the persecution of Jews by the Nazis. Over the eight years since Hitler’s ascension to power until the submission of this report, the committee carried out an extensive emigration program, spending over $20,000,000 to aid Jews.
Ginzberg explains that when the committee sought to help the Jews in distress in Germany, they were determined not to aid Hitler’s regime. With ingenuity, the organization developed a method to help Jews under Hitler’s control without providing funds directly to the regime. Jews wishing to emigrate from Germany transferred their assets within Germany to local Jewish aid organizations in exchange for train tickets to embarkation ports or steamship tickets on neutral ships. For poor Jews who wished to emigrate but lacked assets, transportation was provided by the aid organization. The Joint Distribution Committee spent funds on purchasing steamship and train tickets. In the early days of “certificate transfers, ” emigrants left behind thirty marks for every dollar of transportation offered by the Joint Distribution Committee. Some left much more, some left nothing, but thirty marks was the average. By the time of the report’s publication, due to the continued impoverishment of Jews in Germany, the average had fallen to eight marks.
The report also provides a detailed account of the extensive aid program for Jewish immigration to Eretz Israel, the cooperation with Zionist organizations, and the various ways the committee worked to save Jews.
IX, 92 pages. Hardcover with the original dust jacket, complete. Very good condition.
