JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
Thursday, April 10, 1941
The Jewish Western Bulletin
Official Organ of the Vancouver Jewish Administrative Council
Harold B. Kahn........................:.....Chairman Administrative Council
Harry Musikansky...............................Editor and Business Manager
2675 Oak St., BAy. 4210.
Business Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Saturday and Jewish Holy Days. Entered as Second Class Mail Matter at Ottawa
The responsibility of tolerance lies with those who have the wider vision.—George Eliot.
VANCOUVER, B.C., THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 1941
VICHY AND THE JEWS
The appointment of Xavier Vallat, notorious French anti-Semite, as head of the Commissariat for Jewish Affairs established by the Vichy Government in France must be taken to mean the Petain regime is definitely falling in line with Nazi Germany in the latter's anti-Jewish policy. Vallat is known as a bitter anti-Semite and was especially active in conducting anti-Semitic propaganda in France during the regime of Leon Blum, exploiting the fact that Blum is a Jew.
It is regrettable enough that the Vichy Government has fallen to a point of establishing a special Jewish Commissariat in the land where "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" was the official motto for the last 150 years. The fact, however, that none other than Vallat has been appointed head of this commissariat makes the situation of the Jews in France even worse than the mere decision to isolate them into a "g hetto commissariat." Vallat is as notorious in France in his attitude towards the Jews as Goebbels is in Germany.
We still are reluctant to entertain the belief that the French people as such approve of the growing anti-Jewish legislation in France. We seek to comfort ourselves that what the Vichy Government is now doing against the Jews is being done under pressure from Berlin. It is, however, painful to see how the Petain Crovemment falls more and more under German domination and how this is illustrated by introducing all kinds of anti-Jewish reg-xdations in unoccupied France much against the will of the French people.
Parallel with the appointment of Vallat to head the Commissariat for Jewish Affairs, it has also become known that a tentative agreement was reached in the armistice negotiations at Compiegne according to which the French Government is to permit Hitler to deport all Jews from Europe to the French island of Madagascar. Under a secret clause of the Franco-German armistice, all of the Jews in the Reich and Nazi-held territories are to be shipped—^if and when the British blockade is broken—^to the island off the coast of Africa which is to become a vast ghetto protectorate governed by a joint French-German board. The information now published reveals that the project was perfected in face-to-face conferences which took place after the signing of the armistice and in which Hitler and Ribbentrop met with Marshal Petain and Pierre Laval.
Since we believe in the victory of Britain over the Axis, we are certain that the French-German pact about Madagascar will never hkve a chance to be carried out. It will, however, remain on the records of history that the Petain Government associated itself Iwith Hitler >in4theshamef«li;^^^ making Europe "judenrein." So will the fact that after 150 years of Jewish emancipation, France which was the first cbuntry in Europe to emancipate the Jews, has turned the clock back and has established a special Commissariat for Jewish Affairs with one of the notorious French Jew-baiters as its director.
Hadassah Carries on for Palestine and Empire
Passover Message from the President of the Vancouver Jewish Administrative Council
KAUFMANN PREDICTS SETTLEMENT OF JEWS IN PALESTINE
At this time when Jewry throughout the world is ushering in the traditional Festival of Passover, I extend to all members of the Jewish Community of Vancouver my sincerest wishes for a happy Pesach.
Van. Hadassah Remits $1,440 for Youth Aliyah
Hadassah today as never before— carries responsibilities of the utmost seriousness. Our work in this perilous hour is as important as life itself. So much depends upon us in this war period, that we dare not relax our efforts for one moment.
Palestine and the Empire—are the keystone of our work. We have assumed a National Budget of $250,000'. for Hadassah's War Service Fund and Palestine Trust Funds. This is a
high objective—but we can reach it if we have the utmost co-operation of every chapter and every member. The British Government has advised u^^that there is immediate need of the Base Hospital which Canadian Hadassah is to build in Palestine. Your National Executive has already taken steps to have the hospital started at once. We depend upon you to help us complete it—and in the shortest possible time. Please Act At Once.
Youth Aliyah—assumes the most
Harold B. Kahn
When the shadows of war hang equally over us all, it is encouraging to find our local Community striving successfully towards that unity which is so necessary if we are to progress with the quickly changing times.
Vancouver Jewry, the powerful factor behind the Administrative Council, indeed deserves commendation for its co-operative spirit, which has made possible in the past several years the growth and strength of this body, aiding the unification of effort to an enviable degree.
It is my hope that this spirit of co-operation will continue and that it will be the means through which increased benefits may be derived by oiu- entire Community, and through us. National and World Jewry wherever such opportunity may occur.
HAROLD B. KAHN,
Chairman 1941, Vancouver Jewishi-. ,i. Administrative. Council.
extreme importance at this time. Children are being saved and new groups are being sent to freedom and safety in Palestine, month by month. Hadassah in Vancouver remits $1440 to Montreal for Four Children to go to Palestine under the Youth Aliyah Movement, Word has been received that the 1600 certificates which should expire at the end of March will be extended until the end of June 1941, so every Hadassah effort will be concentrated in raising as much nioney as possible for Youth Aliyah until the end of June.
We need as much help as is pos-sibley. If you have not already contributed, you are urgently requested to do so immediately. Make it a gift of Thanksgiving during the Passover.
Mrs. J. Gorosh has been appointed the new Treasurer for Hadassah.
Don't forget to have your Bum-mage parcel ready.
NEW YORK (WNS)—The establishment of Palestine as a Jewish Commonwealth after the war and the settlement of at least 3,000,000 homeless Jews in that country over a period of five or ten years was predicted by Edmund I. Kauffman, president of the Zionist Organization of America, in an address here.
Speaking before 1,500 Zionist representatives and workers gathered at the Hotel Astor to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Order Sons of Zion, Mr. Kauffman asserted that a large part of the Jewish refugees who have been driven from Nazi-Germiany and Nazi-occupied Europe will find their return to their former homes barred even after the expected Allied victory.
"England and the European continent will be too pre-occupied with the stupendous task of repairing the damages of war and rehabilitating their own victims to. give thought to the problem of those homeless Jews who are now stranded on the highways and byways of the European jungle. Palestine is the only country which will be willing and capable tt absorb these large masses of homeless," he said.
The Zionist leader added that the establishment of Palestine as a Jewish commonwealth will be the main peace aim of the Zionists, foreseeing the immigration into that country of millions of Jewish homeless.
Rabbi Irving Miller, Zionist leader, was the toastmaster of the dinner, which also marked the completion of the $25,000 project which the Order launched early in January for. land acquisition and reforestation in Palestine. This fund is an addition to the sum of $100,000 raised by the membership of the Order in the last three years for the establishment of a refugee colony in Palestine. The new project includes the planting of a forest in the name of Dr. Harris J. evine, former Grand Master, in recognition of his services to the upbuilding of Palestine.
A resolution endorsing the program of "all out aid to Britain" of the United States Government was adopted by acclamation, following an address by Mr. Harry Grayer, Grand Master of the Order, calling upon the assembly to support the forces of democracy in their respective communities.
Thirteen Years of Service to the Community
Vancouver Jewish Community Centre
dur
peop_, _______ ^ ,
A lai'f?e factor in holdinf-- and cementing the unity of the Comminiity. In these critical times when "cruel persecution is the order of the day in other lands, the Jewish Community of Vancouver is gratefid and thankful to own such a beautiful building, an asset to the fine architectural structures in this city, and erected in a land which stands for freedom and democracy.
DR. WEIZMAN
fContinued from Page 1)
position is largely academic.
"If we were allowed unfettered development, not hindered by a great many political reasons which may possibly disappear after the war, we could absorb 2,000,000 to 2,500,000 persons in the course of 15 years."
Earlier, Dr. Weizmann was guest of honor at a public reception under the auspices of the United Palestine Appeal at the Hotel Astor. More than 4,000 persons jammed into the grand ballroom to hear the Zionist leader.
After describing the efforts made by the Palestine Jewish community to aid the British war effort. Dr. Weizmann stated that "this Jewish contribution to the victory of democracy will not escape the attention of American statesmen."
Touching upon Arab-Jewish relationships, he said: "The just aspirations of the Arab people will find their fulfillment at the close of the war—to some extent, at least, as the result of the efforts of the Jewish people. If anyone asks whether cooperation between Jews and Arabs is possible, the answer is that this co-operation is already a fact. The question of its extension into the future is a matter of practical statesmanship."
Dr. Weizmann stressed that "the Jewish people is not prepared, and never will be prepared, to abandon its claim to Palestine."
"The Jews have been able to do for Palestine what no other people has been able to do for it; and Palestine -has been able to do for the homeless Jews what no other territory has. been able to do for them. This amazing combination—the .Jews and Palestine—has provided the world with the one great constructive achievement of the last two decades."'
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