Echoes of the last Zionist convention at Atlantic City, where a reorganization of the adminstration took place, resounded at a farewell dinner given by a group of Zionists to A braham Goldberg, former vice-president of the Zionist Organization of America, prior to his departure for the Fifteenth Zionist Congress in Basie. Isaac Carmel was the toastmaster. The dinner was arranged by a committee consisting of Dr. S. M. Melamed, David Freiberger. Isaac Carmel, Dr. Leo. B. Schwartz and I. Rosenzweig.
Disappointment was expressed by most of the speakers that Mr. Goldberg was no longer a member of the Administration Committee. Joseph Barondess gave expression to his feeling of resentment that so many of the ablest men who were active in the Zionist movement for the past twenty years have been ousted.
Maurice Samuel took exception to the complaint of Mr. Barondess that the long record of service of the men who are now outside of the administration was disregarded. He stated that record of service is no argument in political life. Devotion and service in a movement like Zionism is taken for granted. No claim for gratitude is justified.
Dr. Melamed urged Mr. Goldberg to take advantage of his present status, wherein he is not tied to the policies of the administration, to take an independent stand in the question of reshaping the policies of the Zionist Executive. He laid emphasis on presenting the view of American Zionists concerning the predominant position of the labor groups in the Palestine work. A merican Zionists are supplying 70 per cent, of the funds collected for Palestine and they are entitled to seventy per cent, say in the administration, he stated.
Morris Rothenberg, who also expressed regret at the ousting of Mr. Goldberg, declared that his council in the committee was very valuable. He also voiced his conviction that Mr. Goldberg will not listen to the ill advice of adopting a revengefull policy at the Congress, but will serve the best interests of the movement in the discussion of the problems and the solutions offered. Mr. Goldberg’s service at the Zionist Congress is of particular value to American Zionism. Mr. Rothenberg declared, in view of the fact that the majority of the American delegates attending the Congress have so little familiarity with the language and procedure prevalent at these gatherings. Mr. Goldberg is the American delegate who is best versed in all the ntricacies of the procedure and in all the shades of the divergent opinions which constitute the play of factions and parties at the Congress.
Mr. Goldberg declared that he is going to the Congress in order to render whatever service that lies within his power and that he has no intention of injecting a personal issue into the Congress atmosphere. He expressed the hope that the results of the Fifteenth Congrees will tend to strengthen the prestige of the movenment and to pave the way for next year’s Zionist activities in the United States.
Toucjmg pm tje qiestopm pf jos “ousting” Mr. Goldberg developed the thought that in Zionism, which is popular movement, precedence must be given to those men who are steeped in Jewish life, Jewish affairs and Jewish culture. “We need the cooperation of those who have acqired high positions and who by their influence can help us in the realization of our aims. But they cannot be the only leaders. It was a sing of the real greatness of men like Herzl and Nordau that when they became Zionists they admired whatever Jewishness they could find in nusic and literature and sought to return to their people. They did not have the attitude of contemptuous indifference which characterizes some of the new Zionist leaders in the United States,” Mr. Goldberg declared.
Among the speakers were also Emanuel Neumann, Judge Bernard A. Rosenblatt. Meyer Goldberg, Ephraim Caplan, I. Rosenzweig and David Freiberger. About forty persons were present at the dinner.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
