Dr. Nahum Goldmann, chairman of the Jewish Agency, tonight told an audience of leaders of all the Zionist groups in this country that the “major and crucial objectives facing the Zionist movement today are the establishment of sound reciprocal relations between the Jews of Israel and Jewish communities throughout the world as well as the integration of Israel in the Near East setting.”
The Jewish leader addressed more than 400 persons at a reception at the Hotel Delmonico, given by the American Zionist Council in honor of his 60th birthday. Birthday tributes were paid Dr. Goldmann by Rabbi Irving Miller, chairman of the Zionist Council, as well as by the presidents or representatives of the eight Zionist organizations affiliated with the Council. Other speakers included Mrs. Rose Halprin, vice-chairman of the Jewish Agency; Avraham Harman, Israel Consul in New York; and Louis Lipsky, chairman of the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs.
Laudatory messages came from many other Zionist and non-Zionist leaders. The speakers and messages recalled that Dr. Goldmann had played a key-role in enlisting the support of the “Big Powers” for the Palestine Partition Plan which facilitated the establishment of Israel, and that he was the prime mover of the German-Israel negotiations which resulted in the $822,000, 000 reparations agreement.
Dr. Goldmann told the audience that “the relationship between Israel and world Jewry implies more than financial and moral support; it implies creative partnership in a renascence of Hebrew culture centered in Israel, manifold spiritual involvement, reciprocity, mutual respect and readiness, on the part of Zionists, to participate personally and directly in the model society which we seek to establish in Israel.”
CITES ISRAEL’S WILL FOR “COMPLETE INTEGRATION” IN THE NEAR EAST
Speaking about the need of bringing about the integration of Israel in the Near East setting, Dr. Goldmann said: “Our roots began there. Israel’s latest peace offers accompanied by such practical measures as the unfreezing of Arab refugees funds in Israel banks are further evidence of her determination to obtain complete integration. She will not be discouraged or deterred by tensions, provocations and psychological difficulties, none of them of Israel’s creation.
“In this determination to achieve acceptance, integration and good neighborly relations Israel will have the loyal cooperation of Zionists everywhere,” Dr. Goldmann continued. “Once we will have achieved this dual aim of establishing manifold creative reciprocity between Jewries everywhere and Israel society and integrating Israel in the Near East we will have consummated the true purposes of Zionism, we will have assured Jewish physical and spiritual survival and again significantly contributed to mankind at large and to the Near East’s welfare in particular. “
The Zionist leader told the Zionists, however, that to be truly effective and achieve “these formidable historic aims” they must place Zionism above inter-party politics. “I have increasingly come to regard myself as a non-party Zionist,” he said. “Hitherto parties played the major role in Zionism. I do not advocate their abolition. They can continue as voluntary associations of like-minded. However, their role must be lessened and emphasis must increasingly be placed on non-partisan Zionism, on common aims and unity of action.
“Contrary to carping critics, Zionism can anticipate impressive longevity. The movement is not in crisis, its ideology has lost none of its vigor. But the individual Zionists have not yet accustomed themselves to the new and different responsibilities, and their thinking, language, structure and procedures require some readjustment to the new circumstances and the new needs,” Dr. Goldmann declared.
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.
