A blueprint for the relationship between the American Zionist movement and Israel as well as between Zionists and non-Zionists in the United States was submitted to the 52nd annual convention of the Zionist Organization of America which opened here today at the Statler Hotel. The blueprint prepared by a special commission headed by Federal Judge Simon H. Rifkind also contains important recommendations with regard to the functions of the Zionist movement in America and elsewhere.
The Rifkind report points out that “Israel is a sovereign state” and that only the citizens of Israel owe it allegiance. “The establishment of Israel has in no way affected the citizenship of Jews of. other lands,” the report says. It recommends that consideration be given to the progressive conversion of the World Zionist Organization into a federation of territorial organizations. “Through the World Zionist Congress and the World Zionist executive the required measures of coordination among the territorial bodies and with Israel would be achieved,” the report asserts.
The document urges that within individual countries, the various wings of the Zionist movement be united into a single organization or federated, by agreements freely made among them, into territorial organizations whose internal ruling bodies and whose delegations to the Zionist Congress should be proportionate to the relative strength of the various wings of the Zionist movement in the country.
“The reasons which justify conferring upon the Jews of Palestine representation at twice the ratio for Jews elsewhere have become invalid as a result of the growth of the population within Israel and the reduction of the number of Jews in other countries,” the report declares. “Representation at the Zionist Congress should therefore be on a uniform basis throughout the world.”
COOPERATION BETWEEN ZIONISTS AND NON-ZIONISTS OUTLINED
Emphasizing that the Zionists of America welcome the cooperation of non-Zionists in promoting the welfare of the people of Israel, the report suggests that American Zionists promote the formation of a consultative body representing all Jewish groups interested in the welfare of Israel. At the same time, it questions the coordination of Zionist and non-Zionist efforts on an international level and suggests that the two groups should cooperate on a territorial level.
Pointing out that the establishment of the state of Israel did not mark the fulfillment of the aims of Zionism, the report declares the present aims of the movement to be the safeguarding of the integrity and independence of Israel “by means consistent with the laws of the several countries whereof Zionists are nationals or inhabitants.” this end, the report continued, “the Zionist movement will render moral and material assistance to the people of Israel, will promote the speedy migration to Israel of Jews desirous of settling therein, will further their adequate preparation, economic absorption and cultural integration and will cooperate in lifting the standard of life in Israel.”
Such a relationship does not preclude, but on the contrary invites, cordial consolation, friendly cooperation and intelligent coordination with the authorities of Israel, the report emphasized.
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.
