The Denver Jewish news., 1924-10-30
"Ort" "EHort to Teach
Jews Farming

!
Lending Jews of the United Stntcs
and Europe have expressed their ap-
provnl OF the work of THE Ort Recon
structlon Fund which Is cndeavoring
to settle Jews OF Eastern Europe in
Guiding Russia, ON the soil as farmers
and to maintain and establish trade
schools in same countries to teach other
Jews the miHual trades.
Among those who have endorsed the
activities Of the Ort are three men who
have been prominently identified with
the work OF the joint distribution com
mittce, whose activities In Europe are
beng rapidly brought to n close. They
are Colonel Herbert II. Lehman. chair
man Of the J. ID. C's reconstruction
committee, in which capacity he came
into very close contact with the Ort
program of agricultural and manual
training schools; DIR. Julius Goldman,
who was the first representative of the
]. ID. c. in Europe and the first chair
man of its European council. in which
capacity he came into constant contact
with the representatives of the Ort ;
and DIR. Joseph Rosen. who found the
Orts cooperation of incstimablc value
In carrying out the ]. d. C.'s agricul-
tural plans In Russia. Others are Is
| rncl Zangwill and the Rev DIR. Moses
Caster of London, the Haham of the
Sepharlic Community Of England
Colonel Lehman has written the fol-
lowing:
II am very sorry indeed to hear that
prses established by the Ort with the
aid Of the J. ID. c. are in great danger
Of being discontinued for lack of funds
As you know. l am in sympathy with
the work Of the Ort and I wish you
every success in your efforts to secure
financial support In this country"
DIR. Goldman, after expressing his
deep interest in the efforts being made
on behalf of the Ort TO obtain financial
assistance in this country to enable it
to continue its activities for the recon
struciicn of the Jews in Russia and
other rarts of Eastcri Europe, says:
Il know of no work that deserves
greater encouragement than does yours !:
that of advancing agriculture and trade
schools as reconstruction factors among
the Eastern Jews This has been the
opinion | formed during the forty years
have worked among the Russian Jews
My opinion became Il conviction from
the time | reached Europe in 1920 as
the general director of the joint distri-
button committee"
DIR. Joseph Rosen writes:
"With every family that settles ON
n farm, the crowded conditions in the
towns are alleviated and the opportun-
ity for finding work increased for
those who remain. Young healthy men
wander about in search of something
to do cannot find IT. and resign them
selves to an aimless life and starvation
In village with n population of 300 or
100 Jewish families, only ten have II
definite means of livelihood. If they
are traders, they have nothing to sell !;
if they are artisans, they have no ma
terials or tools with which to work. 1t
must be understood that a people. 90
per cent of whom are traders, is doomed
10 destruction in prcSent-day Russia.
The movement of the Russian Jews to
settle on the land is a pressing ncces-
sity. In this respect, credit has to he
given to the Ort Society, which has
helped the first GOO Jewish families TO
settle on the land The regional offices
of the Ort in Kiev and Charkoff did
much to better conditions of the old cX-
isting colonies. Much benefit is also to
he expected from the trade schools for
the Jewish youth maintained by this
society"
DIR. Caster expresses his deep con
vlction that the future Of the Jews in
Eastern RusSa will best be secured If
they become more deeply rooted in the
.
of their hands and the sweat of their
brows. "The only thing that is re-
quired," continues DR.. Caster, lis TO
give to the Jews the means of working
that land the whole responsibility for
its success. however, will lie with the
workers themselves. There is no more
powerful inducement and greater ncen-
tive to strenuous work, to sclf-reliance
and TO tenacity of purpose than the
hope of preparing for themselves ana
for their children a happier outlook for
the future. | am glad to learn that
you found sympathetic understand
ing for your scheme and Il Willingness
to assist as far as is practicable by
men of great influence and practical
experience, especially in financial mat
ters. | have not the slightest doubt
10 I,..V..