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Vol. XI No. 4 APRIL. 1956 INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH REFUGEES IN GREAT BRITAIN 8 FAIRFAX MANSIONS. Office and Consulting Hours: FINCHLEY ROAD (Corner Fairfax Road), Monday to Thursday 10 a.m.— I p.m, 3—6 p.m LONDON. N.WJ friday 10 a.m.— I p.m. Tefcffhone: Maida V^le 9096/7 (General Office) MAIda Vale 4449 (Employment Agency and Social Services Dept.) DENIISTS ACl PASSED AN UNANSWERABLE CASE-DISMISSED The new Dentists Act was passed recently and has obtained Royal Assent. It provides for a new On February 27, 1956, the Jewish Trust that the funds of the successor organizations, procedure for the registration of dentists with foreign Corporation for Germany (J.T.C.) to which the though deriving from the property of Jews in qualifications. A dentist will be entitled to regis­ heirless, unclaimed and communal property in Germany, should not solely be used for Jews tration if he holds a foreign diploma and satisfies the former British Zone of Germany and the residing in or iiailing from Germany. Even the Dental Council that he has the requisite know­ British Sector of Berlin is restituted held its though I have upiield this opinion against ledge and skill. For proof of this the Council may Council Meeting in London to decide upon the deviating views, I have never thought that the if it so wishes, require him to sit for an examination. further distribution of their forthcoming assets. Jews from Germany, who might l^ called the Several debates on the Bill in both Houses referred The Jews from Germany have a right to know proper heirs to the funds, should be treated to the difficulties experienced by naturalised refugee how the proceeds of the property of their perished Dentists who so far have tried in vain to be permitted as a ' quantite negligeable.' I have always to practice in this country. Some speakers implied next-of-kin and of their ancestors are being used. thought that as a matter of course the organiza­ that there has been a certain resistance to their We therefore feel obliged to inform our members tions and relief institutions which in the first entering the profession. of the most disappointing decision taken by the instance were created by former German Jews Throughout the past months the AJR in co­ Council of the J.T.C. at this Meeting. The now living in the U.S!A., England and Israel operation with the Continental Dental Society has application of the " Council of Jews from should be provided with adequate funds; and been constantly in touch with parliamentarians and Germany " to increase their quota by a mere that the applications by this Council, which other personalities in public life in order to inform 2J% was refused. can claim its share in the achievements of them on the position of the unregistered Dentists these organizations, would find due con­ and to plead for their admission under the new Act Heirless Property and Jews from Germany under the best possible terms. Governmental spokes­ sideration. men repeatedly stressed the anxiety of the quarters It has to be recalled that the body representing concerned to utilise the services of these qualified the rights and interests of former German Jews, I am well aware that the Jewish Trust dental surgeons, and it is hoped that, as soon as the " The Council of Jews from Germany," has Corporation has shown better understanding Dental Council to be set up under the new Act has always subordinated its legitimate claims to the for the needs of our Council than some other been established, this matter on which the AJR has requirements of the Jewish Community at large. major Jewish organizations. However, re­ been working for many years will be settled al last. At the time when preparations for restitution in viewing recent years, it seems to me that there Ciermany were started the obvious course to is still a debt to be honoured. BOARD OF DEPUTIES PLEADS FOR ISRAEL follow for the Jews from Germany and those We feel committed to make the necessary In a resolution pa.ssed at its March Meeting the left in Germany would have been to lay claim provisions not only for the immediate future Board of Deputies renewed " its urgent plea" to on the assets of the deceased and on the com­ the British Government " to provide Israel with but also for the years to come. ... I think defensive arms to withstand the threatened aggression munal property they and their ancestors had that an allocation of 12J% to our Council built up. However, the " Council of Jews from from its Arab neighbours, believing that this step is should be possible and acceptable and would essential to the peace and stability of the Middle Germany " abstained from lodging such claim be recognized and appreciated as an act of East." and agreed to the establishment of Successor good-will." Organi7alions in which the international Jewish TERCENTENARY MESSAGES OF CHURCH Welfare Organisations would have the lead. Dr. Baeck's Appeal Unheeded LEADERS It did not seek arithmetical protection by In the Meeting of February 27, 1956, Pro- In January-February issue of " Common Ground," insisting on a majority on the executive bodies the Monthly of the " Council of Christians and of the J.T.C. It relied alone on its moral right, les.sor Norman Bentwich, the staunch sponsor of every Refugee cause since 1933, appealed to the Jews," the Archbishop of Canterbury states that feeling sure that the high-minded and devoted " the as.sociation of Jew and English has brought leadership of British Jewry would never allow Council of the J.T.C. to grant this request which great and evident benefit to both, and friendship is considerations of arithmetic and organisational he considered even too modest. The " Council deeply established." Tributes are al.so paid by the interests to prevail over a just and fair cause. of Jews from Germany," Professor Bentwich ' Moderator of the Church of Scotland, the Rt. Rev. said, had an unanswerable case. The fact that , G. D. Henderson, and the Moderator of the Free Similarly, the " A.ssociation of Jewish Dr. Baeck personally had identified himself with Church Federal Council, the Rt. Rev. Copland Refugees" as the British constituent of the the claim should be regarded as added reason Simmons. " Council of Jews from Germany " has proved to comply with this request. The percentage that its co-operative spirit on more than one occasion. each of the three major relief organizations NATURALISATION FIGURES Although it is the only organised group of would have to forego in favour of the " Council In a written answer dated March 12 to Mr. Peylon Jewish Refugees from Germany in this country of Jews from Germany " would be negligible, I the Home Secretary, Major Lloyd George, stated with an uninterrupted record of 15 years' work namely less than 1 % for each organization. | that from January I, 1946, to December 31, 1955, and would therefore have been entitled to the 75,010 cerlilicates of naturalisation were granted in major part of the proceeds of the heirless property When another representative referred to the the United Kingdom to aliens. As far as these as far as it is allocated to this country, the AJR paramount needs in Israel during these days of naturalised subjects came from countries behind the agreed to the formation of an Allocations anxiety, the " Council of Jews from Germany " Iron Curtain the list is headed by Poles (17,933), Committee. This Committee works under the undertook to allocate any increase of the present Czechoslovakians (5,571) and Hungarians (2,143). auspices of the Central British Fund, the AJR quota to its constituent Organization in Israel. holding oniy three seats of twelve. Neither Professor Bentwich's moving appeal While the Council of Jews from Germany voted in favour of the Council's application. nor the pleading of the representatives of the They were outvoted by the representatives of the originally received only 8J% of the proceeds of " Council of Jews from Germany " prevented the J.T.C. which quota was later increased to Joint, the Jewish Agency, the other representa­ the majority of the Council of the J.T.C. from tives of the Central British Fund and the Presi­ 10%, it had now applied for a participation to refusing the application. The representatives of the extent of \2t,%, leaving as before tiie lion's dents of the Anglo-Jewish Association and the the " Council of Jews from Germany " were Board of Deputies. The two latter apparently share to the Jewish Agency, the American Joint so to speak forced into the miserable role of Distribution Committee and the Central British people who had to beg for a morsel of their own did not realize that the Refugees from Germany Fund. property. Needless to say that this morsel was constituted about one eighth of the Jewish Dr. Leo Baeck, President of the " Council for to serve welfare purposes of Jewish Refugees population in Great Britain and had a right to Jews from Germany " had endorsed this appli­ from Germany all over the world. expect the spokesmen of Anglo-Jewry to stand cation in a personal letter to the Chairman of up for the interests of their group. the J.T.C., Sir Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, Bart., Apart from the delegate of the Council, only We record with deep regret and disappoint­ D.S.O., M.C.. M.A., M.P., saying: Professor Bentwich as one of the members of ment this sad result which, we venture to say, "..

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