Benefit for Jewish Refugee Orphans Entered from advertisement in 4/17/1948 program and review. According to the review, George Enescu and Richard Tucker, originally scheduled to perform on this concert, canceled their appearances to protest what they felt were political implications of the concert. The concert was a benefit for the American Birobidjan Committee, and celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the autonomous Jewish region of Birobidjan in Russia's Far East. Soviet Ambassador to the United States Alexander S. Panyushkin delivered his address in Russian, which was then read in translation by Max Levin, chairman of the board of directors of the American Birobidjan Committee. "Enesco Boycotts Benefit Concert." New York Times Apr 17 1948: 13. Print.