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...There
have often been discussions among the members concerning our
working methods. At one discussion the question under review
was: what are our aims at this time? What should our task be
in this war? Two answers were given.
There
were members who were of the opinion that at the present time
we should occupy ourselves only with economic problems,
helping the large numbers of members who are in difficulties,
looking for means to help them, and very often to see to it
that there should be a piece of bread and a bowl of soup for
those in need. [In their view] all our efforts should be aimed
in this direction and we should not occupy ourselves with any
other activities.
Another
group of members considered that it was by no means the
purpose of our movement to turn itself into a charitable
organization and to provide aid for individuals. According to
them, such tasks were never our responsibility nor that of
movements similar to ours, and we should not occupy ourselves
with them, even though conditions have changed. We should turn
to cultural activities, build up organizational cells, hold
frequent discussions among the members to broaden our
educational activities and to make use of this time for deeper
thought.
And
if this debate was in place a few months ago, then today,
owing to the realities of the situation and the experience of
more than a year, it is no longer the time for it now. All the
members were right, those who said one thing and those who
said the other: we are working in both directions at once, and
the two views have merged into one....
Yad
Vashem Archives, JM/219/3.
*
From the underground newspaper of the Poalei Zion ZS in
Warsaw, Befrayung ("Liberation"), December
1940. |
