World Zionist Congress Closes; Votes $207,200,000 Budget; Elects New Executive

The 23rd World Zionist Congress closed at four o’clock this morning after voting a 74,000,000 pound ($207,200,000) budget for the coming year and electing the new executive of which Dr. Nahum Goldmann, of New York, and Berl Locker, of Jerusalem, will be joint chairmen.

The Congress did not, as had been expected, proclaim a new “Jerusalem Program” of the ultimate aims of Zionism to replace the Basle Program of 1897, but it adopted a statement defining the tasks of Zionism and a resolution calling upon the State of Israel to confer special status in Israel on the World Zionist Organization within defined spheres. (See text of statement on Page 3.)

The Congress adjourned with the traditional singing of Hatikvah by the delegates and guests at the session, following closing speeches by Dr. Goldmann and Mr. Locker reviewing the work and accomplishments of the 16-day assembly. Dr. Goldmann, who said he had been worried before the Congress opened “because of the material and intellectual problems that had to be faced,” told the delegates that he was happy to see that his fears had been unfounded.

The accomplishments of the Congress, Dr. Goldmann said, had been many, and it had, in particular, solved two problems. There could no longer be any question of the necessity for a continued, strong Zionist movement, he pointed out. The Congress had also, he declared, settled the question of the relations of the Zionist movement with the State of Israel. The success of the Congress, he concluded, would depend on whether the Zionist movement will continue to grow between now and the next Congress. Mr. Locker expressed pride in the achievements of the Congress and reviewed the basic questions it had had to consider.

In adopting a 74,000,000 pound budget for the Jewish Agency executive and the Jewish National Fund, the Congress directed the newly-erected Actions Committee to work out the details, since the actual amounts to be allocated for various activities will depend on the arrangements to be worked out between the Jewish Agency and the Government of Israel for participation in those fields.

Beside Dr. Goldmann and Mr. Locker, the following were elected to the World Zionist Executive: Jerusalem members – Levi Eshkol, Mapai; Yehuda Braginsky, Mapam, Rabbi Wolf Gold, Mizrachi; Eliahu Dobkin, Mapai; Zvi Herman, Progressive; George Josephthal, Mapai; Moshe Kol, Progressive; Itzhak Raphael, Hapoel Hamizrachi; Zalman Shazar, Mapai. Melech Noy, Mapai, and Nahum Nir, Mapam, were named deputies.

The members of the American branch of the executive include: Benjamin Browdy, Dr. Israel Goldstein, General Zionists; Hayim Greenberd, Baruch Zuckerman, Zionist Laborites; Rose Halprin, Hadassah; Zvi Lourie, Mapam. (At the time the Bulletin went to press the newly elected Zionist Actions Committee was meeting to name a praesidium.)