I am pleased to provide you with some details about the status of the Association in general and the status of Mr. Ezra Aharon in particular. With the help of Mrs. and Mr. Auster, we were able to recruit thirteen members for the Association, as stated in the list below. Mr. Ezra does not want to benefit from these funds, he wants them to be used for the publication of a book of songs [zemirot] in order to spread the Oriental Hebrew song among all strands of society. Therefore, I deposited the funds in Bank "Qedem"[1], in the hope that the members of the committee will try their best to increase the number of members and obtain substantial [lit. “special”] funds so that we can carry out this idea and soon publish the first book, which undoubtedly will become an important national asset.
I thanked Mr. Ezra for his suggestion, but I, who am close to him and know his difficult financial situation well, find it necessary to alert the members of the committee to this [matter] and share my concern with you: Mr. Ezra's monthly income is 7 Eretz-Israeli pounds, which he receives from the radio for his appearances twice a month, that's all, and there is no need to detail more...
The concerts are not profitable, for the lion’s share [of the income] goes to [cover] hall expenses and advertising, and nothing remains for the artists, almost nothing. From the last concert in Jerusalem, Ezra didn't receive a single penny and there is almost no other income. Can't the artist be left in such a difficult situation? Shouldn't we be concerned that his material condition will affect his work and cut off the wings of his singing and his blessed violin, God forbid, will stop playing? The friends who have heard his blessed works and appraised the richness of his compositions and melodies, [whose number] have already reached over fifty, will not be able to relate to this situation with equanimity and must find together counsel and good judgment [Proverbs 8: 14].
My opinion is that the members of the committee should make every effort to have Mr. Ezra appear on the radio at least once a week.[2] This tiny share [of programming] reaches the tens of thousands of lovers of Oriental music, Sephardim and non-Sephardim, Jews and non-Jews, who listen with pleasure to the singing of Ezra Aharon. Once a week would be somewhat satisfactory and it would have solve the issue.
It seems to me that the radio management should be required to pay special attention to Mr. Ezra because he is the only artist who performs original works and he tries to enrich his performances a bit by being accompanied by an ensemble and sometimes by a choir. And really, should not the radio management have given Ezra recognition for the anthem he composed in honor of the King's coronation on the text "The king rejoices in your strength, Lord"? [Psalms 21, 2] Who will be his advocate and who will plead for him?
We should also talk to the Culture Department of the National Council and demand that just as it supports "the Shem Choir,"[3] it should also support "the Ezra Choir," which made a good start on the day of the King's ceremony at the Yeshurun Synagogue.
Therefore, I ask our chairman, Rabbi David Yellin, to call a meeting of all the members of the committee to make consultations and find solace for Ezra, so that he can fortify his strength and magnify the wings of his song that entails great promises.
Respectfully yours,
David Avisar
[1] Bank Qedem le-Credit was a financial institution founded by the World Sephardic Federation that functioned between 1927 and 1941.
[2]Stress in the original.
[3]The “Shem” Choir was sponsored by the National Council of the Yishuv. It was active in Jerusalem during the British Mandate under the baton of Max Lampel (1900-1987).
