The Maccabaean

THE ZIONIST HOUSE-WARMING

THE ZIONIST HOUSE-WARMING The completion of the new offices for the various departments of the Provisional Zionist Committee, at 44 East 23rd Street, was made the occasion of a Chanukath Habaith, on Tuesday evening, March 6th. The extension of the office facilities now gives the Zionists possession of the entire fourth floor of the Mercantile Building, covering an area of fifteen thousand square feet of floor space. In these quarters, there are housed the Provisional Committee, the Transfer Department, the Federation of American Zionists, Hadassah, Young Judaea and the Zionist publications— The Maccabaean, Dos Yiddishe Folk and The Young Judaean. The festivities, which were participated in by about six hundred visitors, were taken charge of by the “Staff of Zion.” In addition to a number of musical selections rendered by Miss Karina Post, Mr. Jacob Boemel and Philip Marke, addresses were delivered by Dr. Stephen S. Wise, Mr. Jacob DeHaas, Mr. Louis Pipsky, Dr. Schmarya Levin, the Rev. Harris Masliansky and Miss Ethel Levin, president of the “Staff of Zion.”

CELEBRATION OF THE ORDER SONS OF ZION

A meeting of members and friends of the Order Sons of Zion was held in the auditorium of the Hebrew Technica! School for Girls, Second Avenue and Fifteenth Street, on Sunday evening, March 25th. The speakers of the evening were Mr. J. Sprayregen, Sgan Sheni of the Order, who presided; and the Nasi, Mr. Joseph Barondess; Dr. J. L. Magnes, Dr. J. I. Bluestone, Mr. A. Goldberg, Rev. Z. H. Masliansky. In honor of the occasion, the Nasi initiated forty new members into the Order, the major number belonging to the newly organized Joseph Shatz Camp.

THE PALESTINE BUREAU

The Palestine Bureau has formulated the plan for a union of Achoozas on the following basis: (1) The selection of a Board of Trustees representing the various Achoozas, who shall have authority to approve and conduct the purchase of land in Palestine for the various Achoozas. (2) Each Achooza will be required to deposit 10% of its capital and income, from time to time, with a Board of Trustees as an evidence of good faith that land purchase in Palestine will be conducted through the trustees. (3) It shall be the duty of the trustees to work out a plan for a “credit basis” for securing loans upon land purchased for the Achooza—such loans to be utilized in development of land. (4) It shall be the further duties of the Board of Trustees to furnish information in regard to Palestine to the various Achoozas and encourage the development of other Achoozas. It is hoped that the plan will meet with the approval of all the Achoozas within the next few months.

THE TRANSFER DEPARTMENT

The Provisional Committee reports that the transfer of moneys, both to Palestine and the Occupied Territories, has been going forward steadily, and that except for a group of reports forwarded between January 18th and February 3rd, there has been no irregularity, other than such delays as may have taken place in the mail service. Over a thousand dollars a day was sent to individuals and institutions in Palestine and the Occupied Territories in Europe during the month of February. The total sum transmitted through this

channel was $33,132.62, of which $18,653.41 went to Palestine, $7,300.95 to Poland, $2,- 342.00 to Turkey, $1,878.56 to Egypt and $1,878.56 to Russia. From the end of October, 1914, to December, 1916, the Transfer Department transmitted $867,350.58, of which 62% went to Palestine and 29% to Poland. The remainder went to Egypt, Turkey, Germany, Rumania, Russia, Greece and Austria.

The campaign Young Judaea is conducting through the juvenile Zionists for the Palestine School Fund has yielded thus far almost $500, with promises of more money. The campaign is being conducted in Hebrew Schools throughout the country, and will be continued, if necessary, until Shebuoth. Fifteen thousand collection envelopes have been distributed, and orders have been received with requests far an additional 10.000.

The Central Committee of Hadassah has taken an office at the Zionist headquarters. Mrs. Ida S. Danziger has been installed as Executive Secretary. All members of Hadassah and other Zionist women interested in the work of the organization are cordially invited to visit the office.

Miss Henrietta Szold, chairman of the Central Committee, has just completed a propaganda tour in the Middle West. Miss Szold visited Reading, where $100 was collected for the Medical Unit; Philadelphia, which has already sent in $1,200; Syracuse and Rochester. From there Miss Szold went to Toronto, where several large meetings were held. The women of that city have organized a Hadassah Chapter which is working out some basis of co-operation with the United States. They are planning to form similar societies throughout Canada. It seems that a group of women in Montreal has already been interested in the work of Hadassah. Recently the Toronto society contributed $560 for the work in Alexandria. From Toronto Miss Szold went to Detroit, where she addressed a number of meetings. The Chapter gained over fifty members during’ Miss Szold’s stay. On March 25th Miss Szold spoke before a meeting of the Ohio State Zionist Convention in Youngstown.

Miss Eva Leon recently visited San Antonio, Texas, where she raised over $1,200 for the Medical Unit, and. organized a group which will probably become a Chapter in the near future. Miss Leon 1s now in Los Angeles and will spend the holidays in San Francisco. 0

Hadassah now has thirty-seven Chapters, Brownsville, Minneapolis, and New Orleans having joined the organization within the last month. The last-named of these Chapters has over a hundred members. /

Packages of nasturtium seeds for Flower Day may be ordered from the Hadassah Office. The price is 10 cents for two packages. No orders will be filled unless accompanied by check or money order.

The Central Committee has published its financial report for 1916. The receipts for the year amounted to $19,535.34 and the disbursements to $16,385.80, thus leaving a balance of $3,149.54. On March 17, 1917, the collections for the Medical Unit had reached $19,759.08.

On sunday evening, March lith, Hadassah celebrated its fifth anniversary with a banquet at the Central Hebrew Institute, New York.

What The States Are Doing

CONNECTICUT

The “Maccabaeans” organized last month a school for the study of Zionism and Jewish History. About 300 children are already attending. The school is maintained by the Maccabaeans. The committee in charge is as follows: Samuel Hoffenberg, chairman; Elizabeth Kemler, and Eva Goldstein. The teachers are: Bessie Scharr, Minnie Scharr, Jennie Klein, Celia Bassevitch, Elizabeth Bordon, Elizabeth Katz, Hassie Hoffenberg, Esther Sherry, Rachel Hurewitz, Jennte Cantor, Rose Schoolnick and Fva Goldectein.

Hartford—On Sunday evening, March 1160, The Maccabaeans gave a social and literary evening, this being the tenth Purim celebration of the society. The speakers of the evening were Mr. Charles Cohen, of New Haven, Miss Eva Goldstein and Mr. Samuel Hoffenbere. who acted as chairman.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Washington—Through the efforts of Mr. Max Rhoade, of the George Washington University, a new branch of the Intercollegiate Zionist Association was organized here last month. The first meeting of the society was addressed by Mr. Jonas A. Friedenwald, President of the Intercollegiate Zionist Association. The officers of the organization are: S. M. Feinberg, Chairman, and Max Rhoade, Secretary.

KENTUCKY

Louisville—Under the auspices of the Louisville Zionist Society, Louis Lipsky delivered an address on Monday evening, March 26th, in the Y. M. H. A. building. The object was to stimulate the shekel work of Louisville Zionists. Moses Ades presided at the meeting, which was attended by about 200 visitors, including the Zionist workers. Quite a number of shekels were sold, and assurances were given of an active shekel campaign.

Newport—The Zionists of Newport have already sold over 200 shekels in this community, where there are not more than 300. Jewish families.

MARYLAND

Baltimore—The Central Zionist Committee met on March 3d. In the absence of the President, Dr. Edgar Friedenwald, Vice-President Mrs. Emil Crockin presided. Mr. S. Zar, Chairman of the Jewish National Fund Committee, reported that the Committee had organized the National Fund work of all the organizations, and the secretary of the Committee, Miss Mina Cohen, is in charge of the Jewish National Fund headquarters, in the Talmud Torah Building, where all business pertaining to the fund will be transacted. The National Fund is arranging for a mass meeting on April 18th, at the Talmud Torah Hall. Mr. I. Gomborov, of the Shekolim Committee, also reported the organization of his committee. The committee decided to set aside March 18th as “shekel” day for the city of Baltimore. The Chairman expressed the hope that this year more shekolim will be sold in the city of Baltimore than ever attempted here before.