Letter from the Emergency Committee for the Rescue of Jewish Lay Leaders, Rabbis and Taludic Scholars Seeking Funds from the Cincinnati Jewish community for 50 Jews to be Rescued from Japan

February 26 1941

caption:
National Officers: Rabbis B. L. Levinthal, I. Rosenberg, Honorary Chairmen. Rabbi Eliezer Silver, Chairman Rabbi Joseph Kanovitz, Co-Chairman Rabbi Jacob Levenson, Co-Chairman Rabbi Chaim I. Bloch and Hirsh Manischewitz, Treasurers Cincinnati Officers: Sam Zussman, Chairman Al Levine and Benj. Schwartz, Co-Chairmen Oscar Berman, Treasurer Jack Kuresman, Assistant Treasurer and Auditor William Mallin and William Kraus, Secretaries
 
EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
for the Rescue of
JEWISH LAY LEADERS, RABBIS AND TALMUDIC SCHOLARS
820 HUTCHINS AVENUE Phone AVon 2120 CINCINNATI, 0.
 
February 26, 1941
 
Ke ne se th Israel Congregation
% Mr. A. Friedman
3202 Harvey Ave.,
Cincinnati, Ohio
 
Dear Friends:
 
The Vaad Hatzalah has secured from the State Department over 4,000 visas to be used for some of the Jewish lay leaders, talmudic scholars and great rabbis who are trapped in certain parts of Nazi and Soviet occupied territories. These people constitute the flower of traditional Judaism. They are the remnant of the bearers of our traditional culture and must be saved. Details of the rescue plan have been worked out. All that is now necessary to effect their rescue is money.
 
CINCINNATI JEWRY' IS ASKED TO SAVE PIFTY LIVES, IN OTHER WORDS, WE MUST RAISE $15,000--THE MINIMUM TRANSPORTATION COST VIA JAPAN IS $300.00 PER PERSON.
 
This emergency situation was presented to the Jewish Community Council and that body consented to the launching of a special campaign for this rescue work.
 
In order to complete the rescue work the Vaad Hatzalah must raise a minimum of $600,000.00. Total cost of the rescue will probably be in the neighborhood of $1,250,000.00. It is hoped to obtain the addi-tional funds from the various national Jewish organizations. The Joint Distribution Committee has already made available over $75,000.00. The Blnai Writh has contributed $7,500.00 thus far. The HIAS and the Young Israel Organization have also made their contributions. The American Jewish Committee as well as the American Jewish Congress are actively cooperating in these efforts.
The Cincinnati quota of $15,000.00 must be raised in the next ten days or at the utmost two weeks. We dare not lose any time, every day that passes makes the rescue work more difficult. A committee will call upon you.
 
WE KNOW THAT YOU WILL DO YOUR SHARE IN SAVING A LIFE. BY SAVING THE LIFE OF ANOTHER PERSON, YOU PROLONG YOUR OWN LIFE.
 
Very sincerely yours,
SAM ZUSSMAN, Chairman
OSCAR BERMAN, Treasurer