Evening star., 1950-04-13
United Jewish Appeal
Raises S926,OOO in
Opening Night ofDrive


United Jewish Appeal drive, fol-
lowing q charge by Senator Leh-
man, Democrat, of New York that
there is a great deal of evidence
to prove" the Arab states are pre-
pairing for another war against
Israel.
The sum of 1925 900 was pledged
by about 800 persons attending a
dinner opening the campaign in
the Shoreham Hotel. It was one
Of the most successful campaign
openers in the history of the local
UJA. which has a quota of $2.5
million.
Nationally. UJA is seeking $272,-
ass. 800 for the relief, rehabilita-
ton and reconstruction of Jewish
life in Israel, the Moslem coun-
tries and Europe.
In his keynote address, Senator
Lehman declared the possibility of
another conflict in the Middle East
sis not merely a threat to the
existence of Israel"
Sees Peace Endangered.
"It is a danger to world peace"
the legislator charged.
"It Is the responsibility Of this
government. in the interests of
peace, to take a firm stand in
speeding the peace settlement in
the Middle East" the Senator ex-
planned. One of the first steps in
this direction, he continued. is to
discourage all preparations for
war and to prevent the large scale
rearming of Egypt and oUher Arab
countries"
Senator Lehman told the lead
erS OF Washington Jewry that
the needs of the United Jewish
Appeal are greater today than
ever before.
What we have built up through
decades of devotion and sacrifice
hangs in the balance of the out
come OF this years campaign" he
said.
He said world Jewry has come
long way since the days of mass
murder in Europe, since the days
when the doors of Israel were
open only to a trickle of immi-
grafton, and when there were
250,000 survivors of Nazi oppres-
sion waiting in the DIP camps of
Germany"
Sees Crisis Not Over.
But We have not yet reached
the point where we can regard
crisis and emergency as things of
the past" he declared.
He cautioned Washington Jewry
against Understanding the needs
and minimizing the critical as
poets OF the situation in Israel.
Another speaker was Judge
Michael A. Musmanno of Pitts
burgh, who was presiding jurist
OF the international war crimes
tribunal at the Nuremberg trials.
He said it had been charged that
the trials Of Nazi war criminals
were blot on the American
record"
Il don't think So" the jurist
said. II regard Nuremberg as one
OF the few shining pages in the
sad history of the last so years. "
Rabbi Norman Gerstenfeld called
for support of the campaign to
match the physical sacrifices of
the people of Israel, who are deny
ing themselves luxuries and neces-
sites to provide for immigrants
coming to that new democracy's
shores"
Cherner Explains Needs.
Joseph Cherner, president of
the UJA Corp. here. outlined the
need for money to help displaced
persons.
Funds are needed now in this
country to help the United Serv-
ice for New Americans carry on a
direct welfare and Americaniza-
ton program for newcomers to
this country" he said.
Mr.. Cherner emphasized that
some $4,000 DPS are expected to
arrive here from Germany, Italy
and Austria before the end OF
July, if funds for their immigra-
ton are available through the
UJA.
And there are about 5000 i'm
migrants living in dismal tent
camps in Israel, Rabbi Isadore
Breslau, general chairman of the
Washington campaign. pointed
out.
Should the UJA fail them, 1t
would mean that these people
have exchanged a DIP camp in
Europe for one in Israel" he
said.
Leopold v. Freudberg, chair
man of the Advance Gifts dinner
presided. The invocation was de-
livered by Rabbi Solomon Metz.