The American Jewish League for Israel made clear today its stand on an appeal from the Zionist Organization of America to those who have left the ZOA urging them to return to ZOA ranks. The reply was made in a statement by Ezra Z. Shapiro, League president.
The appeal was issued last week by Abraham A. Redelheim, president of the ZOA, at the annual ZOA convention. In his address, Mr. Redelheim denied that the ZOA was identified with any political party in Israel.
“The protestations made by Mr. Redelheim are no different than we have been hearing for many years,” Mr. Shapiro said in his statement. “The unmistakable fact is that the ZOA has clearly been identified with the General Zionist party in Israel in internal Israeli matters.
“If the ZOA genuinely desires to make a departure from its past performance, then let it follow the suggestion made in Jerusalem by one of its own outstanding leaders and officers, Abraham Goodman, that the ZOA leave the General Zionist Confederating in which the General Zionist party in Israel is the central factor, and join the recently re-organized World Confederation of General Zionists–completely Diaspora-based–and thus sever, clearly and fully, its involvements and ties with the General Zionist party in Israel. On this basis there would be room for the discussion proposed by Mr. Redelheim.”
Mr. Shapiro announced that the League has convoked a meeting of its board of directors, to take place September 27 in New York. On that occasion, an address will be delivered by Louis Lipsky, honorary president of the League. Judge Louis E. Levinthal, honorary president of the League, member of the executive of the World Confederation and member of the 19-man Constitution Committee of the World Zionist Organization will analyze the constitutional revisions now under consideration.
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.
