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Speaking frankly, the district and divisional plans .were introduced . into the framework of the Canadian Zionist Organization primarily because we were under the influence of our Zionist brothers in the United States. They had the district plan, and the division plan (called in their political terminology, the "regional plan"), and we had to follow their in footsteps. I believe I can safely say that we did not approve of these plans, and adopt them, because we were convinced .that the exigencies of our local situation demanded them. Rather, we fell in with them because they were, at the time, quite the proper thing.
Well, after the convention, the few people who were clad with the honor of , membership in the Executive came back to Toronto, and began to make plans for the creation of a divisional organization. What were the conditions here?
Zionist work and interest had reached a very low ebb. The Palestine Restoration Fund Campaign, ushered in amid . the blare of trumpets on a money-strewed path, blazoned by the demonstrations and parades of a Palestine-intoxicated community, 'had dwindled away and almost passed into nothingness. Pledges made, during the height of prosperity were hidden in the obscurity of unthumbed account books, and no one bothered to collect them. There was no Zionist office. The societies had lapsed into a state of sweet somnolence. Created originally as little propaganda groups, they were totally unprepared and unequipped to deal with the new situation. At any rate they had become inactive.^ The young men's societies had. disappeared altogether. The ladies' groups had become absorbed in the Hadassah organization. Remained only one or two of the older men's societies, operating'at the easy gait required by the semi-social, or rather semi-fraternal character of their being. The branches in the Province, with one or two exceptions, were out of gear, and needed thorough overhauling. And staring the small committee in the face was the stupendous task of organizing the Keren Hayesod Campaign!
The first thing the members of the National Council did was to attract a number of other people, regardless of their past connections, and with an eye only to their ability and readiness' for service, to act in the capacity of members of an advisory council. It may be said that the majority ^>f those so drawn in proved to be very useful members, and greatly helped the cause.
It was the intention of the Committee to proceed instantly with the creation of an adequate divisional and local organization. But before this could be accomplished there forced themselves upon the committee two very big tasks which had to be accorded immediate attention, even before the tools and
" at
instruments had been properly prepared. First, there was thrust upon us the Weizmann reception, at very short notice, and then came the campaign proper. These would not wait upon our efforts to create an adequate organization. They had to be met when they presented themselves.
From then on, the Committee had to concentrate its full strength upon ' , the campaign and its aftermath, and
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work on the drriaiotfM o^ edifice only in its spare momenta is true that certain detected ,'in the
But when it is considered that starting with nothing, without an office, without a staff, without an organization, with an adverse balance of indifference, and in many cases, of actiyfc opposition in unexpected quarters, it managed to organ ire an unparalleled demonstration, for Weitzmann and a campaign of \in-precedentedry wide appeal, and at the same time to create a well functioning office and a fairly responsive provincial organization,, then the magnitude of the achievement can be properly gauged.
(2) Keren Hayesod Campaign:
In many respects the Keren Hayesod campaign in the Central Division was a success. Campaigning these days has become a science with a highly developed tehnique. Certain very definite instruments are required to carry oh
ain defects could be' ^e^^jri^ �div�onat, structure'. i�ed'Work. 'We had no o^ ' ' ' ' ' ' '" ' no trained etaff. We<had nq^rn^
lists; tn this respect,' we-were ip a-far .-imprwsion on^ther^
'lesi'favorafc^ the organ- ' '^-^^^.^'S^
izere \in Montreal,; who. had'-.'a^
equipped office, and':a :'trailed',! staff '., < t^^MW^'^fe ready.at hand. In addition, the cam- .-**V^*>.>^i*.i^
paign was forced upon us at a time when , we were not yet prepared fdf 'such an undertaking. \ Nevertheless, 'we managed to carry out the task in, � manner, that should prpve satisfactory* y The total amount of the pledges received
total we>had to obtaip pledge^ .frp^ovejh
oT*pled^X-te
amo^n�.of money,1rsmaller.$ut -y.^ reached � nfor^, fp&Q&ti;. /hV^l>t>:the;|^| message � to .' more. homes;.'.and.Wv^jq*|
in Toronto' alone reached tFje suol' of'v
over eighth-five thousand dollars. 'Con-' ^g^^
" � ' 'least, fHteen^ pfr ceni^^,^w;^o-^-^
written off as uncollectable^.;pwfa^^^:--vi-'^ the still Availing' n^anckrde^ie^ptt,; a' number of people whohone^ly^ijaeaht^^f to donate to the jieren Hayesod are �" � now" finding themselves %A?Jwtfp.nv.'V&J
aidering the fact. that our so-called. German Jews stayed away entirely from our work, the result is '^ratifying. While in Montreal, the Get man-Jews� the Yahudim�proved receptive to the call, and a number of them actually responded; here in Toronto,; they per-
' ,' Continued jmpoi* 1$ �>�;