The Federation of Zionist Societies of Canada
[Special report.]
[Special Report.]The fourth annual convention of the Federation of Zionist Societies of Canada washeld at the Empire Hall, Montreal, on Sunday, February 1, 1903. It was the most representative gathering of Jews ever held inCanada, and included delegates from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Every Canadian province and city, and most of the larger towns,were represented by delegates, who in manycases had traveled long distances in order toattend. Mr. Clarence I. de Sola, presidentof the Federation, occupied the chair, and incalling the convention to order extendedwords of welcome to the visiting delegatesand announced the rules governing the convention and the orders of the day.
The recording secretary, Mr. Moses Albert, read the minutes of the previous convention, which were duly adopted.
Mr. J. S. Leo, the chairman of the Credentials Committee, submitted the report on credentials.
President of the Federation of Zionist Societies of Canada
The President then delivered his annual address.
THE PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL ADDRESS.
Mr. de Sola said: “ Delegates to the fourth annual convention of the Federation of Zion-
ist Societies of Canada: For the fourth. time we have gathered in convention from all parts of Canada to work for the restoration of Zion. Were it necessary for us at this late date to offer any defense of our movement, or to explain its. raison d’ötre, the answer would be found in my very opening words, by which I reminded you of the fact that for the fourth time in Canadian history -Jews, from every part” of the country, have gathered to work and to consult with one another in union, in harmony: and in amity. When, furthermore, I remind you of the fact that until the rise of Zionism there was no organization of any kind which brought our scattered Canadian Jewish communities together, that until-the rise of Zionism the .Jews of:our different Canadian cities scarcely ever came. in contact with one another in communal affairs, and certainly were never ofhcially joined together for any common aim, that until.the rise of Zionism in many instances the Jews of one town barely knew of the existence of those of other towns in British North America; but that now since the rise of Zionism we have established a strong bond of ünion, uniting the Jewish‘ communities of even as far apart places as Glace Bay ‘and Vancouver, from which cities we see delegates here to-night, that since the rise of Zionism we have been able to bring together, as we see here to-night, representative men—leaders among the Jewish people—from: Toronto, from Ottawa, from Winnipeg, from Kingston, from Hamil- torı, from. Vancouver.and from all the other cities whose delegates we rejoice to see here this evening. When we see that Zionism, and Zionism alone, has been able to do this, when we see all the little parochial ideas which may have in olden times separated community from community and congregation from congregation, melting away and disappearing under the warm sun of Zionism, I think.I may indeed claim that it would be superfluous to any longer ask us to explain our raison d’eire, or to offer any defense for Zionism. (Applause.) For I am sure that even those who may not have been with us at first, unless absolutely blinded by the narrowest of prejudice, must now admit that a movement which can promote such magnificent efforts toward the unification of our people, which can bring together such a repre-