Major troubles make one forget minor troubles, but the minor ones, however, do not thereby cease to exist.

The misfortunes of the large part of the Jewish People in the war-torn countries necessitate unprecedented efforts to secure help for these victims, but at the same time not forget the Jews who are stricken by poverty here at home, in Chicago--the Jews who are looking forward in despair to a Passover without Matzoth and sacramental wine.

The adage, charity begins at home, probably does not hold good at the present time, when not only the chronically indigent but the people of an entire nation are begging for help, including hundreds of thousands who have themselves contributed to charity in the past. Under such circumstances there must be exceptions to the above rule. But even if our Jews in Chicago do not come first this year, it would be wrong to ignore them entirely.

Moes Chitim [providing the poor with food for Passover] is a beautiful and well-established tradition among us Jews, and the duty to see that every Jew has Matzoth and wine on Passover has been regarded, since time immemorial, as so sacred that it would be a crime to forego this obligation for one year, even though the Jews must contribute funds to be used elsewhere.

In such cases, we have always been our "brother's keeper," and we must also play this role this year, not withstanding the many difficulties. Those who can give will discover next year that they have not thereby become any poorer.

Let none of us offer any excuses to the Moes Chitim Committee. Let us not say that we have already contributed to help the Jewish victims of the war. This is no excuse for failure to help the needy Jews in Chicago, who must also observe the holiday.

Does your neighbor have any Matzoth? If not, it is your duty to see that he gets some.