With the Zionist Organization of America reunited, the newly-elected executive held its first meeting today to take decisions to implement the resolutions adopted at the 52nd annual convention of the organization which concluded last ‘night.
As his first official act as Z.O.A. president, Daniel Frisch sent a message of thanks to President Truman for his “singular contribution to the establishment of the state of Israel.” The message emphasized that “American Jews and the Jews all ever the world will never forget the noble part” played by Truman in the rebirth of Israel.
The dissolution of the Committee for Progressive Zionism, an opposition group within the Z.O.A., was announced last night at the convention. Rudolph G. Sonneborn, newly-elected chairman of the National Administrative Council and a leader of the C.P.Z., who made the announcement, declared that the settlement of differences between the two factions was a “happy augury for the entire Zionist movement in the United States,” He added that the new unity would, bring “new blood and new strength into the tanks of the Z.O.A. and enable us to move forward resolutely to the aid of Israel.”
DR. GOLDMANN STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF ZIONIST UNITY
In a speech delivered at the convention, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, chairman of the American section of the Jewish Agency executive, stressed the importance of the unity within the ranks of the Z.O.A., which was brought about at this conference.
Without going into the recent controversy with regard to the U.J.A., Dr. Goldman stated that the issues and principles involved can only be settled definitely by the next Zionist Congress whose decision everybody agrees to accept. Whatever one may think about the course of action of the overwhelming majority of the Jewish Agency executive, the only motives of their action were the concern for the success of the U.J.A. and for the necessity of mobilizing all the resources of American Jewry to enable it to cope with the tremendous task of mass immigration into Israel, he pointed out. “However we may disagree, the ideas which hold us together are more important than our disagreement on methods,” he emphasized.
Expressing the hope that the new administration of the Z.O.A. would initiate an era of harmony and cooperation between all parts of the movement and the elected authorities of the World Zionist Organization, Dr. Goldmann said: “As far as the executive is concerned, it is dominated by the best will for working together, for closing the ran B, to forget past differences of opinion and to unite in an unparalleled effort to fulfill the historic tasks of this great hour in Jewish history.
ARAB-JEWISH PEACE EFFORT MOVING SLOWLY, EBAN IMPARTS; URGES PATIENCE
At the testimonial banquet for Dr. Emanuel Neumann last night, Aubrey S. Eban, Israeli representative to the United Nations, said that Israel was attempting to play her fullest role in the economic as well as political life of the Middle East. “Israel is seedling membership in the specialized agencies of the United Nations, including the international Labor Office, the World Health Organization and other economic bodies which offer the best available channels for planning the rehabilitation of the Hear East on a regional scale.
“The center of Israel’s struggle now turns to the economic scene within the country itself. It is a hard and critical struggle. To ach eve success, Israel will need the sane qualities of solidarity and self-confidence which shone radiantly throughout our military and political struggle; and we shall need the, support and assistance of American Jewry to degree never approached before, “Mr. can said.
The Arab-Jewish peace effort is “moving slowly,” he reported, adding that “if there is patience there will be success. It is significant that where as but one year ago we were entirely cut off from our immediate world, Arab-Jewish contacts now proceed all the time on a level of authority and intimacy of which the world is only partially aware.”
FRITSCH PAYS TRIBUTE TO LEADERSHIP OF SILVER AND NEUMANN
In paying tribute to Dr. Neumann, his predecessor in office, Mr. Frisch called him and Dr. Abba Hillel Silver, “the Supreme engineers and arbiters during an heroic period of our movement.” Referring to Dr. Neumann’s Jordan Valley Authority plan as “a monumental work,” Mr. Frisch expressed the wish that the outgoing president “will contribute his wise counsel to the incoming administration and give me his aid in no less a degree than I gave him as I stood by his side during the last few years.”
Dr. Neumann, replying to the addresses of tribute, said that “the convention has demonstrated afresh the vitality of our organization. Occasional differences and controversies are not only unavoidable but entirely normal in a great virile democratic movement like ours. But we have demonstrated once again our ability to surmount division and dissension and unite our forces in the interest of the cause we serve.”
Both Meir Hartman, special assistant to Dr. Israel Goldstein, treasurer of the Jewish , agency, and Albert Schiff, president of the Israel Corporation of America, spoke of the need of investment in Israel by American Jews. Mr. Hartman asserted that the Jews of America who do not at present intend to migrate to Israel must be educated to invest in Israel through existing corporations. Mr. Schiff reported that the Israeli Government has undertaken to grant special concessions to all legitimate investment undertakings.
ZOA COMMISSION TO LEAVE FOR ISRAEL; WILL NEGOTIATE WITH GOVT. FOR “CHARTER”
At the first meeting of the newly-elected Z.O.A. national executive committee today Mr. Frisch reiterated the resolve of his administration to preserve the unity which has been attained at the convention with the formation of a coalition administration. He announced his impending departure for Israel on June 15, together with a sevens-man commission, for the purpose of implementing the convention resolution for the establishment of an American General Zionist House in Tel Aviv for which the initial amount of $292,000 was raised at the convention.
While in Israel, Mr. Frisch will negotiate with the Israeli Government for a “charter” for American Zionist projects in that country. The Commission will pay special attention to implementing a unanimous resolution of the convention to give aid to private industry in Israel. The resolution called for a study of the present needs of private industry in Israel with a view toward aiding Israelis in such industry. It also urged full support of the U.J.A. campaign. The meeting authorized the opening of a Z.C.A. office in Israel pending the actual building of the American Zionist House which is to serve as a center of information for American Zionists visiting Israel. Dr. Sidney Marks was unanimously reelected national secretary of the organization for the ensuing year.
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.
