Birthday Tribute to our chairman

On January 3, our Chairman, Mr. Alfred S. Dresel, will celebrate his 75th birthday. All members of the AJR are indebted to him for his guidance and his decisive contribution to the steady expansion of our work. Trained as a lawyer, he held a responsible position with the old-established banking house of Mendelssohn & Co. in Berlin before he came to this country in 1938. when the restitution and compensation laws were enacted, he became the trusted ‘egal adviser to many victims of the Nazi regime. At the same time, he has, throughout the years, devoted an exceedingly great amount of his time to the cause of the AJR. A Board member since the inception of the organisation, he joined the Executive after the war, became a Vice-Chairman m 1954 and was elected Chairman in 1964. Two traits stand out among his manifold qualifications: his skill as a negotiator and nis human kindness. The unreserved sincerity with which he represents the interests of the AJR has won him the respect and trust of all who have had dealings with him. Averse to any kind of diplomacy”, he succeeds by his straightforwardness, flexibility, perseverance and unshakable optimism. His grasp of the wider issues is coupled with an astounding sense of detail. Anxious to arrive at just decisions he never loses sight of the fact mat the fate of human beings is at stake. Under his guidance the AJR Executive If tv. a close team of fellow workers, the regular Executive Meetings at which the activities of the Executive Members in their particular spheres are co-ordinated. excel in a spirit of responsibility, mutual understanding and personal comradeship, it is due to the adroit way in which the Chairman conducts the deliberations. The work for the Homes has always been particularly close to his heart and, as a member of the Management Committee, he has been associated with this important task from the very beginning. He is constantly occupied with the day-to-day questions which comprise matters of general policy, of finances and admission, and of new building schemes. As a member of the London Executive of the Council of Jews from Germany, Mr. Dresel has, for many years, also been one of the Council’s leading spokesmen in questions of restitution and compensation. Whenever need arises—and there has been no lack of emergency situations—he is ready to travel to Germany, and the manner in which he puts our case has been effective in many instances. As Chairman of the Leo Baeck Charitable Trust, he takes a responsible part in the administration of the funds allocated to the Council for the implementation of constructive welfare schemes in various parts of the world. Those who know Mr. Dresel personally will agree that his appearance and his vigour belie his age. He still enjoys a swim and a brisk walk in his beloved Swiss Alps, and he bears the burden of his duties with imperturbable cheerfulness. His birthday gives us the welcome opportunity of thanking him for all he has done for us, wishing him many happy returns and looking forward to many more years of happy co-operation.