Vol. IV. No. 5 MAY 1949 INFORMATION ll ISSUED fir THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH REFUGEES IN GREAT BRITAIN 8, FAIRFAX MANSIONS. FINCHLEY ROAD ( f>„R=f/xToAD) LONDON, N.W.3 Offc* and Canemhing Hmirt: 10 a.ni.—I p.m.. i—t p.m., Sunday 10 a.ia.—I ^m. Tai^hena: MAIdt Vsle 90t( ACHIEVEMENTS AND TASKS W^alter JVi.. Lipptnan (JMelkourne): HIS year's General Meeting of the AJR was the T last one to be addressed by Dr. K. Alexander who will emigrate to the United States this month. Dr. H. Reichmann has been appointed General JEWRY IN AUSTRALIA Secretary of the " Council of Jews from Germany " " To Arthur Phillip, a naval officer of the best Council of Australian Jewry to which they are all and Joint Secretary of the " United Restitution type, Australia owes her very existence as a British affiliated and which is recognised by the .Australian Office," and Dr. W. Rosenstock, General Secretary community." This man of Jewish descent, to whom Federal Government as the official organisation of the " Australian Encyclopaedia " paid such tribute of the A.J.R. Australian Jewry. Through the Executive Council, was the deservedly beloved first Governor of an Australian Jewry is also maintaining its close The achievements of the AJR and its related Australian settlement which he reached in 1788. contact with Jewish communities in other parts of organisations are unthinkable without the labour of Jews have been among the first free settlers of the world. The Zionist Federation of Australia and New Zealand is the Unk with the World Zionist Dr. Alexander and are linked with his personality. Australia and numerous Jewish names occupy honoured places among those who have helped to Organisation and is the central organisation of the Work for the Jewish community has always taken build the Australian nation of today. Australia is numerous Zionist organisations which play a vital a dominant place in his life, from the early begin­ among the few nations which allowed Jews to and prominent part in the life of Australian Jewry. nings in the Jewish Youth and Student movement occupy even the very highest offices of State. Sir until he rose to become a leading figure in German Isaac Isaacs as Chief Judge and later Governor Important contributions Jewry as an Executive Member of the " Reichs­ General, son of a Polish-Jewish immigrants tailor, Among the Jewish organisations in .Australia, and General Sir John Monash, Commander-in-Chief three deserve a special mention in this survey by vertretung " and a Vice-Chairman of the " Central- of the Australian Forces in the 1914-18 war, Verein." He devoted more time and energy to the virtue of the important contributions which they are descendant of a Jewish family from Germany, are making. The Australian Jewish Welfare Society day by day work of Jewish organisations than the but the two most prominent Jews whose names are with offices in all States is in charge of Jewish immi­ average " Honorary Officer," and being, at the firmly inscribed in the annals of Austrahan history, gration into Australia and, working in close conjunc­ same time, a much trusted practising lawyer in his Jacob Montefiore, one of the founders of South tion with the American Joint Distribution Committee home town, he was a particularly valuable colla­ Australia, and numerous members of the various and H.I.A.S., has helped thousands of Jewish immi­ State Parliaments in the political fields; N. Levi, borator to those whose experience was more ex­ grants during the past decade to settle in Australia David Nathan, Sydney Myer, Harold Cohen, Sir and to ensure their smooth and harmonious absorp­ clusively based on Jewish organisational work. Samuel Cohen, in the field of commerce and E. tion, by finding accommodation and employraent for In this country, he was amongst the first to Phillips Fox, Linda Phillips, Herz Bergner, S. them and by assisting them financially or by advice. conceive the idea of a self-representation of the Herman, Myles Evergood, Dr. L. Nathan among the The settlement of 8,000 Jews in the 1938/39 period exponents,of Australia's young art, testify to the and 4.500 since the end of the last war, was by no Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria. He contribution which Jews have made to the develop­ means an easy task for a Jewish community which has been an Executive member of the .\JR since ment of Australia in all w-alks of life. then numbered only approximately 25,000 souls. its inception in 1941 and became its General Infusion of new blood The second organisation is the Jewish Council to Secretary in 1943. From the outset, he concentra­ combat Fascism and anti-Semitism which has come ted his efforts on the first central task for whose It was therefore not surprising that in the dark days of 1938, the Australian Government should to be recognised as the main organ for the public accomplishment the AJR had been founded ; to have offered refuge to Jews seeking a new home relations of the Jewish community. Anti-Semitism secure the right of permanent residence in Great away from Hitler's persecution. At the Evian Con­ is not unknown in Australia, Under the influence Britain for all those who wished to stay here after ference, Australia declared her willingness to give of Hitler, Mosley and Fascism and as a result of the the war. By establishing and strengthening con­ sanctuary to 15,000 Jews fleeing from Nazi persecu­ strained social and political atmosphere throughout tion. Before the outbreak of the war, some 7,000 the world during the past decade, anti-Semitism has tacts with the authorities and with voluntary also greatly increased in .Australia. No longer is it organisations, with Members of Parliament and German and Austrian Jews reached Australia under this scheme, giving a welcome infusion of new blood confined to small sections of the population; in public other personalities of pubUc life, he incessantly to the Jewish community whose proportion in the life and in Parliament, anti-Semitism has shown its Worked towards this goal and, at the same time, Australian population has shown a decline despite ugly head during recent years, overshadowing in huilt up a goodwill from which the AJR has bene­ the steady influx of Jewish immigrants, mainly from importance the social anti-Semitism which has been in existence for many years in certain circles of fited ever since. After the war, he immediately Poland and Russia, in the first three decades of this -Australian society and which had resulted in the got in touch with the surviving German Jews in century. According to the Australian census of 1947, 32,000 Jews representing one-half per cent, refusal of membership to certain clubs, even to men France, HoUand and Belgium, and with German of the total population, were living in Australia. like General Monash and Sir Isaac Isaacs. The Jewish organisations overseas, especially in Israel (Approximately ten per cent, of the total Australian Jewish Council has developed efficient public and U.S..\. The formation of the "Council of population did not state their religion and pre­ relations machinery and its contacts with well- Jews from Germany " was the outcome, and Dr. sumably a proportion of these would also be Jews.) wishing leaders in the political parties. Trade The vast majority of these are living in the cities of Unions, professions and the press, have enabled it to Alexander became its General Secretary. When, play an important part in the life of the -Australian for the .\JR and the " Council," the restitution Melbourne and Sydney', respective capitals of the States of Victoria and New South Wales. Smaller Jewish community and beyond that, with its plat­ problem became increasingly urgent, he secured, communities are in Brisbane (Queensland), Perth form for the preservation of democratic rights of all after most complicated preparatory work, the (Western Australia) and Adelaide (South .Australia), citizens, in the general life of Australia. sponsorship of the great international Jewish relief while two of the oldest Congregations in Australia at The third organisation is the Jewish National Organisations for the establishment of the inter­ Ballarat (Victoria) and Hobart (Tasmania) are Fund and with it, I would like to couple the other national " United Restitution Office." struggling hard to avoid their total extinction. fund-raising organisations through which -Australian The occupational distribution of .Australian J ewry Jewry was enabled to contribute relatively large Looking back, this development seems to be a follows closely that of Jewish communities in other sums to the upbuilding and establishment of the Jewish State. During 1948, approximately ;£450,ooo logical sequence of events. Those, however, who countries of the diaspora, although the proportion of manufacturers may be larger than elsewhere. was raised for these purposes in AustraUa and for a have a deeper insight know that these achievements community which now numbers approximately sre mainly due to Dr. .Alexander's untiring energy Link with Jewish world 37,000 souls, this surely represents an impressive iind imagination, his efficiency and diplomacy, and— The Jewish community in Australia is organised amount. last not least—his youthful optimism and flexibility. in each State around a Board of Deputies, except in South Australia and Tasmania where the respective Anti-Senvitism " not yet frightening " To carrj- on with the work that he has initiated Hebrew congregations take the place of the repre­ Reference has already been made to the existence <tnd to tackle the many tasks that are lying ahead sentative organisation. The Boards of Deputies of anti-Semitic organisations and newspapers. Their will be the best way of thanking Dr.