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fSBm Volume XXXII No. 3 March, 1977 INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE AssooATm OF mnsH lamBS BI OIUT OUTABI ing environment, and it is an achievement that, notwithstanding this "Funktionswandel", CONFroENCE AND SOLIDABITY the AJR has preserved its identity. The Director's report was followed by a AJR Board Meeting report of the General Secretary of the AJR, Mrs. S. R. Taussig. She stated that although This year's Board Meeting of the AJR, held ter, but in November last, the GDR unex­ there had been an actual increase of our in­ on January 30 in the Hall of Hannah Kar- pectedly offered a payment of one million come over the year, in view of the inflation minski House, excelled by its particularly large dollars to the Claims Conference as the repre­ it was not sufiicient to cover the expenditure. attendance and the lively discussion, which fol­ sentative Jewish body, with the proviso that The sharing of premises with Self Aid will lowed the reports and which reflected the the money should only be used for those Nazi certainly help to some extent but still be Board members' deep feelings of co-respon­ victims from the territory of the GDR who insufficient. On membership, in spite of the sibility for the numerous present activities of are now USA citizens. For reasons explained inevitable losses in the course of the year, the AJR and the tasks it might have to fulfil ia the January, 1977 issue of "AJR Informa­ 169 new members had been enrolled, leaving in the future. tion", this offer was rejected. the total membership at 4,000. The Meeting was opened by the Chairman, Turning to the position in the German Dealing with the various services of the Mr. C. T. Marx, who extended a special wel­ Federal Republic, Mr. Rosenstock stated that, AJR, Mrs. Taussig reported that the Meals- come to the considerable number of members so far, she had made payments of various on-Wheels Service, which was operating under from the Provinces. He paid tribute to the kinds totalling DM 50,000 million, to which a the direction of Mrs. R. Anderman, sent out members who had died during the year: Mr. further DM 30,000 million for future payments 950 meals in December. The extension of the W. M. Behr, the former Chairman of the AJR, (pensions, etc.) have to be added. There are service, made by the installation of a freezer Rabbi Dr. I. Maybaum, Mr. E. Speyer, Mrs. M. still gaps in the existing legislation but there in Eleanor Rathbone House, had proved very Schurmann, Prof. Albert Reimann and Dr. appears hardly any chance of further improve­ successful. The Meals-on-Wheels Service is an ments. extremely useful and highly popular one and L. G. T. King, and to Sir Henry d'Avigdor in spite of all the difficulties of inflation, the Goldsmid. The relationship with the Jews in the cost and charges have increased only slightly. Although the date of the Meeting marked German Federal Republic had been close dur­ It is subsidised by the AJR Charitable Trust. the 44th anniversary of a particularly inaus­ ing the first post-war years, but now there are The Social Services Department, of which picious day for German Jews, he hoped that hardly any problems which call for joint action. Mrs. M. Casson is in charge, faces a growing We would now be able to look forward to the On the other hand, there is a constant con­ demand for services and a considerable in­ future rather than dwell on the past. tact between the organisations built up by the crease in office consultations. People now Dr. W. Rosenstock (Director of the AJR) former Jews in their countries of resettlement. seeking work tend to be in a younger age first reported on some impressions he had They are united under the auspices of the group and are in the main sufficient to answer gained at recent visits to East and West Council of Jews from Germany, which holds most calls for help. Having Self Aid on the Berlin. The position of the Jews in the German its plenary sessions at certain intervals and premises has tumed out to be a valuable step Democratic Republic differs from that in whose leading honorary officers are in touch in co-ordinating the services. several other Eastem European countries in vvith each other throughout the time. One of so far as several Jews hold responsible the activities, which at present plays an im­ Accommodation Problems Govemment positions, whilst others play an portant part, is the research work on the active part in the cultural life of the country. history of immigration of the former German The accommodation problems are still However, of the total Jewish population of Jews. For the time being, the work is concen­ grave, particularly for the younger people East Berlin, only a minority are members of trated on four of the main countries of re­ who are not ready for the Old Age Homes and the Jewish community. The 35-year-old Chair- settlement, Israel, U.S.A., Britain and France, who have great difficulty in finding reasonable nian of the Community Dr. Peter Kirchner, has and it is expected that the manuscripts of accommodation since this has virtually dis­ succeeded in strengthening the contacts be­ those in charge of the work will be available appeared from the market. The total of 13 soon. rooms available to us in Hannah Karminski tween members by literary and musical func­ House and Marie Baneth House (both owned tions, which are well attended. He has twice Dealing with "AJR Information", Mr. Rosen­ by the AJR Charitable Trust) are occupied visited London, and on one of these occasions, stock reported that for some time he has had for the most part by people who were very he was shown our Homes and also attended the benefit of the editorial co-operation of much in need of such accommodation but the ? meeting of the AJR Executive, informing Mrs. Margot Pottlitzer. Financially, the journal Committee has decided to seek a further Its members on the Jewish position in the is the largest single expenditure of the AJR. property to increase this type of accommoda­ GDR. The cemetery in Weissensee is in a However, if the production of AJR Informa­ tion. fairly good condition. The paved walks have tion were discontinued the loss of income heen cleared. On the other hand, the graves from contributions would certainly exceed the On the Old Age Homes, Mrs. Taussig re­ ^ the rows behind the paved walks are hardly savings thus achieved. In its contents the ported that Occupational Therapy was accessible. At the expense of the Berlin muni­ editors always aim at keeping an equilibrium attempted again towards the end of 1976 but cipality and with the help of "Aktion between news and feature articles. has still not been successful and will not be ^uehnezeichen" and other voluntary young until the right therapist has been found. At '-hristian helpers, the clearing up work goes In conclusion, Mr. Rosenstock paid tribute the expense of the AJR Charitable Trust com­ ?n, but it will take a very long time to finish to the work of his successor as General Secre­ munal television aerial systems are now being tary, Mrs. S. R. Taussig. With regard to the installed in the three Homes in The Bishop's wider issues involved in the present and future Avenue, and this will be greatly welcomed by With regard to restitution for emigrated position of the AJR he quoted from a letter the residents. ^ctims of Nazi persecution, the attitude of by Professor Otto Kahn-Freund, received after With regard to the admissions procedure, the GDR has, until two years ago, been en­ the AJR had congratulated him on the con­ Mrs. Taussig expressed the view that the pro­ tirely negative. However, when the United ferment of a Knighthood. In this letter. cedure could be simplified. She also referred 5,tates opened diplomatic relations with the Professor Kahn-Freund described the AJR as to the restrictions on the admission of frail ^DR, they made it a condition that, like the a good example for what used to be called people to Osmond House and suggested that German Federal Republic, the GDR should "Funktionswandel". The purposes of the AJR, more money should be spent if necessary on ^tso atone for the crimes committed against the letter says, have undergone tremendous the Jews. There was no progress in this mat­ changes under the impact of a rapidly chang­ Continaed on page 2, colamn 1 Page 2 AJR INFORMATION March, 1977 to hold an Open Day for ordinary members AJR BOARD MEETING thus giving them an opportunity of acquaint­ ing themselves with the atmosphere and Continaed from page 1 granted. The Department of Environment was facilities provided for in the Homes. Several asked by the Camden Borough for a ruling in Board members who are also members of one additional staff, in order to be able to accom­ this matter, but it has shown little under­ of the House Committees reported that for modate those who are in need of a great deal standing for the problem. Energetic efforts in various reasons they often felt frustrated in of care and attention. She also suggested that this direction are continuing. bringing their efforts to fruition. One House the functions of the House Committees should Committee member stated that sometimes be looked into and discussed with the view Mrs. M. Jacoby (Chairman of the AJR Club) residents who, rightly or wrongly, felt to have to defining more clearly their terms of refer­ gave her always welcome report on the AJR reasons for complaints were reluctant to come ence, and she appealed for younger members Club's activities which had been very con­ forward and suggested that one or two repre­ to join in the work of the House Committees.

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