More than 1,000 Orthodox Jewish leaders tonight honored Moshe Shapira, Israel’s Minister of Social Welfare and Religious Affairs, at a dinner that raised $350,000 in Israel bond investment funds.
The dinner, held at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, was sponsored by six Jewish religious organizations representing more than 1,000,000 Orthodox Jews throughout the country, including the Rabbinical Council of America, the New York Board of Rabbis, the Mizrachi Organization of America, Hapoel Hamizrachi of America, the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations and the National Council of Young Israel.
Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, vice president of the Israel Bond Organization, presented Mr. Shapira with a parchment scroll pledging support of the Israel bond effort by the six Jewish organizations which promised the Cabinet member “the utmost cooperation in speeding Israel’s attainment of a full measure of economic independence.”
Expressing his thanks for the assistance extended to Israel by the Jewish people of the United States, Mr. Shapira declared that “Israel’s economic problems take on special importance at this time, and these problems must be solved. Israel expects between 70,000 and 80,000 new immigrants during the next year, with 12,000 new settlers having entered Israel in October and November of 1956.
“These immigrants must have new homes. New settlements must be established and farms, factories and electric power must be expanded. Israel bonds are of great importance in Israel’s economic development program to accomplish this. Israel looks to American Jewry for economic support in this effort, for all those who invest in Israel Bonds become partners in the up-building in the Jewish State.”
Dr. Schwartz, who directs the Israel bond campaign, told the dinner that the Jewish people of the free world are determined that the days of Hitler will never again threaten the security of their brethren. “Today, when Jews are being forced to flee Egypt or, as so many others are doing, escape from Hungary, they have a State of Israel which is eager to welcome them and help them find new homes and a future,” he said.
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.
