Volume XXXI No. 3 March, 1976 INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE ASSOOAimH (ff XWISH RfflKEES HI GOAT BRITAHI In its relationship with other quarters, the AJR has retained and even strengthened its CHANGES AND PROGRESS standing. The various successes in the field of taxation, which we owe in the first place to Board Meeting of the AJR the expert co-operation of our friend. Dr. F. E. Falk, were last but not least due to More than 70 delegates from London and provide the services of a nursing home or a the fact that the AJR has established for the Provinces attended the AJR Board Meet­ hospital. itself the reputation of a reliable organisation, ing, held on January 25 at Hannah Karminski When the Homes were erected, many of which only puts forward demands if they House. In opening the meeting, the chair- our people were still very badly off, because can be based on sound arguments. Equally, "Ban. Ur. W. M. Behr, O.B.E. first paid tribute restitution and compensation payments had we are in close contact with all major Anglo- to the memory of those friends whom we not yet materialised, and in their majority Jewish organisations as well as with welfare had lost during the past year: Mr. F. W. Ury, they had to live in fumished rooms or other authorities, hospitals and non-denominational whose active co-operation and wise counsel as modest premises. At that time, 20 years ago, organisations. inember of the AJR Executive and the people were happy when the amenities of a ^tanagement Committee for the Homes and Home could be made available to them, and Conversely, other organisations and institu­ 3s chairman of the House Committee of Leo they even took their chance if it meant shar­ tions of various kinds built up by former Saeck House as well as, for several years, ing a room with another resident. All this has refugees regard the AJR as the representative ^Iso of Osmond House, will be sadly missed. changed meanwhile and it is only natural that, body of our community. Therefore, quite a Equally, we moum the death of our revered under the circun^tances, the number of appli­ few of their leading members are also mem­ friend. Rabbi Dr. G. Salzberger, a member cants had receded. This is also in keeping with bers of the AJR Board, which thus provides ^^ the AJR Board since its inception, who had the general trends of the recent years, accord­ the widest platform of the community. Rendered signal services to the AJR by visit- ing to which elderly people want to retain their Turning to questions of finances and ^•ig the Homes on Friday evenings and independence as long as possible. Taking all organisation, the speaker stated that, as far as addressing the AJR Club on Jewish festivals. these circumstances into account, the closure can be seen before the accounts of the past The chairman also gratefully remembered Mr. of Otto Hirsch House in Kew, which, partly year have been audited, it appears that, as ^- Adler-Rudel, who died recently in Jerusa- also due to its location, had been under- compared with 1974, there has been an in­ '^m, and who, prior to his re-emigration was occupied for a considerable time, was a step crease of income by 15 per cent, but an * niember of the AJR Executive. in the right direction. The period between increase of expenditure (mainly due to rises the announcement of the closure to the resi­ of postage and printing costs over which we Mr. Behr extended a special welcome to dents and their transfer to one of the other have no control) of about 30 per cent. He ^cw Board members, Mr. A. Lieberman, Dr. Homes was kept as short as possible in order expressed the hope that, as in previous years, L- Nelken and Mrs. Ruth Schneider. to spare them undue worries. Meanwhile all members would voluntarily adjust their pay­ The chairman's introductory remarks were of them have settled down well in the Homes ments to the risen costs. As far as the mem­ 'ollowed by a statement of the Vice-Chair­ to which they have been transferred. bership movement is concerned, there were man, Mr. C. T. Marx, in which he made the about 200 losses during the past year, which hoard members acquainted with the new Need for Homes Continues represent five per cent of the total member­ administrative arrangements concerning the ship. Whilst this is mainly due to the age Senior officials of the AJR and the future The need for the remaining three ordinary structure of our community, it was particularly •"^lationship with Self Aid, whose offices were Homes (Otto Schilf House, Leo Baeck House encouraging that these losses could be made Soing to be transferred to Fairfax Mansions. and Heinrich Stahl House) as well as for up by 200 new enrolments, an indication of 'The details of the arrangements were Osmond House for those who need a higher the appreciation of our welfare activities and ^iihounced in the previous issue of "AJR degree of care and attention, will persist for of our monthly "AJR Information". information".—The Ed.) a considerable time to come. The majority of our people came to this country in 1939, In his general report. Dr. W. Rosenstock and those among them who were older than Tax Concessions Achieved stated that the AJR had now been in exis- 25 to 30 years of age and who are now in After the General Report, Dr. F. E. Falk, '^Hce for 35 years, a period which is usually their sixties will still require accommodation dealing with the AJR's activities in the field ^^nsidered as the span of one generation, among people of their own background when of taxation, referred to the substantial the timing of the personal changes was, they can no longer look after themselves. Treasury Concession—mentioned in his report therefore, symbolical. Parallel to the care for the residents of the last year and also in "AJR Information"— Turning to the work for the Homes, the Old Age Homes and the Flatlet Home in exempting from U.K. tax, by amendment peaker mentioned several recent incidents, (Eleanor Rathbone House) runs the responsi­ of the Finance Act 1974, one half of German J^ which applicants, who had asked to be bility for those who live on their own. In this and Austrian Social Insurance Pensions and P'^t on the waiting list many years ago, had respect, the Meals-on-Wheels Service has of German Public Servants' Pensions, paid Postponed the request for their admission gained increasing importance. On behalf of to Nazi victims under special provisions of pi" such a long time that, due to the deteriora- Mrs. R. Anderman, who is in charge of the German or Austrian law. As a result of further jon of their physical and mental condition, scheme but who, due to absence abroad, representation made and an interview with H^y were no longer eligible. He stressed was unable to attend the meeting, the Mr. Joel Barnett, M.P., Chief Secretary to nat it would be in the interest of the candi- speaker reported that the Service now pro­ the Treasury—arranged by the always helpful ates themselves to ask for the consideration vided 700-800 meals per month. A short while M.P.s Geoffrey Finsberg and Greville Janner t their admission as long as they were still ago, a branch was opened at Eleanor Rath­ —Mr. Bamett, a sympathetic and understand­ n a fairly good state of health and could be bone House, where at the expense of the ing Minister, announced in Parliament last properly looked after by the staff and also AJR Charitable Trust a deep freeze had been July that foreign invalidity social insurance jr|^blish bonds of friendship with their installed in which, at weekly intervals, meals pensions, which corresponded to tax-exempt ellow residents. Once residents were admit- for the residents are stored. This scheme has British payments of the same kind, would by eti they would be kept under the care of proved a very great success. There are also "Extra Statutory Concession" be similarly th °^ *^^ Homes, with the exception of close personal contacts between the voluntary tax-exempt from the year 1974/5 onwards. ose, whose condition deteriorated to such helpers who deliver the meals and the recipi­ (The details were announced in the September ^« extent that, for no fault of their own, they ents, and a recent party between those at the 1975 issue of "AJR Information"—The Ed.) ecame a disturbance to the other residents. delivering and those at the receiving end n the other hand, none of the Homes could proved a great success. Continued on page 2, column 1 Page 2 AJR INFORMATION JWarch 1976 Trent and Dr. A. Horwell. Some of the CHANGES AND PROGRESS speakers called for a thorough investigation of the requirements in the field of housing Continued from page 1 and, among other things, pleaded for the pro­ vision of sheltered accommodation in districts The concession has recently been published doing secretarial work with Members of more easily accessible than Eleanor Rathbone in the official list of 1975 concessions under Parliament. House in Highgate. The question was also No. 1.A31. Extra-Statutory Concessions do not Mrs. Margaret Jacoby (Chairman of the raised whether, subject to necessary legal have the force of law, but the Inland Revenue AJR Club) first recalled the history of the arrangements with the authorities concerned, feel Iwund by them. Club which now celebrates its 20th birthday.