In England there was an establishment of Jews who had been there for many
years. As they saw what the Germans called the Ostjuden, the poor Jews from
the East, coming into the country they decided that numbers of this class
of Jew coming into England would lower them in the eyes of the English
gentiles. So they set up the refuge in order to care for the poor Jews and
get them out of the country as soon as possible. They were sent on to
America, South Africa, Australia, so as not to embarass themselves.
The Shelter was indeed a shelter and a tzedakah was performed but it was
done to hurry the embarassments out of the country.
Colin Plen
Jewish Genealogical Society Johannesburg