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Claus Peymann

New Georges

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Baron de Hirsch Fund was a Jewish philanthropic organization that had a strong impact on Jewish populations of Eastern Europe and New York City in from the late 19th century and into the 20th century. It funded agricultural programs, technical training, and assisted immigrants.

History
The Baron de Hirsch Fund was established in New York City in 1891 by Clara and Maurice de Hirsch. Aimed to assist Jews fleeing Russia and Eastern Europe in the late 19th century, the Fund focused on trade training programs, agriculture, and other forms of immigrant assistance. Among its trustees were Oscar Straus, Meyer Isaacs, Mayer Sulzberger, and Jacob H. Schiff.

In 1891, the Fund established a Jewish agricultural colony in New Jersey called the Woodbine Settlement. The settlement struggled due to poor land quality and eventually closed by the 1940s.

Greater success was found in supporting the movement of Jews from crowded city centers to rural areas and supporting the establishment and maintenance of farms. In 1900, the Baron de Hirsch Fund joined with the Jewish Colonization Association to form the Jewish Agricultural and Industrial Aid Society, which in turn created the Industrial Removal Office to assist immigrants in moving to rural areas. By 1922, some 79,000 immigrants had moved from places like the Lower East Side of New York City to rural areas around the United States.