Confidence that American Jewry will not fail Israel in its efforts to achieve economic stability was expressed last night by Premier David Ben Gurion at a dinner at King David Hotel marking the first anniversary of Israel’s $500,000,000 Independence Bond Issue. More than 80 prominent leaders of the drive, including a number of Americans, attended the dinner, which was also addressed by Eliezer Kaplan, Israel’s Finance Minister.
Harold Goldenberg, American Jewish leader who settled in Israel and is now the director of Israel’s Investment Center, presided at the gathering. He pointed out that among the guests there is “a cross section of American Jewry represented by able and active persons.” He urged the American guests to report to their communities in the United States the achievements they have seen here and to ask them for increased financial aid for the Jewish State.
Premier Ben Gurion thanked the American guests for accepting the invitation to attend the dinner. He said he wanted to reciprocate for the hearty reception which was extended to him during his visit to the United States. Reviewing Israel’s achievements during the four years of the existence of the Jewish State, he said that no speeches are eloquent enough to describe these achievements.
“We are now starting to mine copper and other things,” he stated. “But we do not rely on mining We rely on the pioneering. determination, strong will, self-sacrifice and self-respect of our people. We have seen what they have done, and we have absolute trust that they will not fail us as we have trust that American Jewry will not fail us.”
Mr. Kaplan told the audience that the Israel Bond Issue had become the main source of foreign currency so badly needed by the Jewish State. He revealed that during the first four months of 1952 Israel spent $60,000,000. He indicated that a further reduction in the standard of living in Israel is to be expected “in order to overcome economic difficulties and to become self-supporting.
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.
