The transfer of some of the Jewish Agency’s activities in the United States to the American Zionist Council, the coordinating body of all the national Zionist organizations in this country, was announced here last night by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, chairman of the Jewish Agency. The transferred activities deal with education, youth work and the Herzl Institute.
Dr. Goldmann made the announcement in the course of a major address which he delivered at the opening session of the two-day annual meeting of the American Zionist Council. In strong language, he hit back at “some irresponsible journalists and certain groups” for their continuing attacks on Zionism and the Jewish Agency. He said that these attacks were made “partly by writers whose ignorance is equal to their malice, and partly by others who should know better and who have their own motives for it.”
Dr. Goldmann also replied vigorously to criticism of the Zionist movement as a “political organization.” He said that such a characterization is completely unjustified. Because of its past activities and its many accomplishments, Dr. Goldmann asserted the movement is the best instrument for linking Israel with Jewries throughout the world.
The phrase “political organization” which has been used in criticism of the Zionist movement, said Dr. Goldmann, is purely a “mythological term, a remnant of a past period.” Prior to the establishment of the State of Israel, 12 years ago, he said, the characterization was probably Justified. “But since the State was established, it has taken over the exclusive conduct of its foreign policy,” he declared. “While, in critical moments, Zionist bodies adopt resolutions to support Israel’s demands, other Jewish groups do likewise in a democratic effort to clarify public opinion,” the world Zionist leader pointed out.
DR. GOLDMANN CITES “TWO SETS OF TERMS” FOR ZIONISTS AND NON-ZIONISTS
“What is ‘political’ about the World Zionist Organization as it is today?” he asked. “There are two sets of terms,” he went on, “to characterize Zionist activities as different from those of non-Zionists. The Zionists, some people say, are political; the others non-political. Have not the so-called non-political organizations, including purely philanthropic groups, clear policies on many problems, as the Zionists have? Why is it ‘political’ when a Zionist group takes a position, and ‘non-political’ when a so-called non-Zionist group pursues its policy?”
The Zionist leader declared that this “mythological terminology is creating havoc.” Continuing, he said: “If Zionists want to influence Jewish life, they are accused of the will to dominate. If others with the same desire do it, they only want to serve.” While everyone, he stated, has the right to criticize the Zionist movement and its structure, he asked that it be done “with fairness and decency.”
“The Zionist movement and the Jewish Agency,” said Dr. Goldmann, “is an indispensable instrument to mobilize, coordinate and channel the efforts of the Jewish communities throughout the world, in helping Israel to receive, absorb and settle immigrants and to develop the country. Without this help Israel could not have achieved even a part of what was accomplished in the first 11 years; nor would Israel, in the future, be able to overcome the great political and economic difficulties which lie ahead, before it will be finally consolidated and the country will live at peace with its neighbors.
“It is plainly nonsensical to suggest, as some do, that the Agency is an unnecessary intermediary and that the money raised by the Jewish communities should be given directly to the Israel Government. In some countries like the United States, which raises more than 70 percent of the money, this would be impossible because of tax exemption and, apart from it, in the long run the Jewish communities would not be eager to supply funds to Israel’s budget, not knowing how vital a task is being performed with their funds.”
ANSWERS CRITICS ON ALLOCATIONS TO POLITICAL GROUPS IN ISRAEL
He then answered those critics who have taken the Agency to task for alleged “inefficiency and waste.” Admitting that there are weaknesses in every organization, and that improvements are always necessary, Dr. Goldmann added: “But seeing it from a historical point of view, to have brought in over 1,000,000 immigrants, to have absorbed and established the large majority of them–certainly with the substantial help of the
“The Jewish Agency will always welcome constructive criticism, but not the unfair and malicious nagging of people who either do not know the facts or are motivated by extraneous reasons,” he continued. Referring to protests against the granting of funds to Israel’s political parties, he argued that the small amounts granted eliminated the necessity for their conducting any financial campaigns. This money, he said, was used only for constructive purposes, such as schools, immigrant housing, children’s villages, loan funds, etc.
“One may take the position,” he asserted, that “it is inadvisable to give money from the campaigns, and the Jewish Agency has agreed lately not to continue these grants. But to regard these allocations as an interference in the political life of Israel, or as a diversion of constructive funds for political party purposes, is a criticism again based either on ignorance or on malice. Certainly, no so-called Zionist parties outside of Israel are receiving allocations from the campaign funds.”
SAYS AMERICAN ZIONIST COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO RAISE ITS OWN FUNDS
In announcing the transfer of many of the American activities of the Jewish Agency to the American Zionist Council, including education, youth work and the Herzl Institute, Dr. Goldmann said that these additions to the Council’s program, “impose grave responsibilities. Beginning next year,” he continued, “the AZC will have to raise its own funds which will be a blessing for the Zionist movement in this country, as it will be able to go before the Jewish communities and mobilize its friends to obtain the necessary funds.”
The Zionist program, as formulated in Jerusalem in 1951, is acceptable to the vast majority of Jews, Dr. Goldmann maintained. “There is ideologically and programmatically no reason why many Jewish organizations all over the world cannot join the World Zionist Organization,” he said. “The historical task of the Zionist movement is to become much more representative of the majority of the Jewish people than it is now, despite the fact that it is numerically the largest Jewish organization in the world. It can be done by a joint effort of all Zionist groups, by a spirit of unity and by a cessation in insistence on their small group interests.”
A resolution emphasizing the need for a “strong and virile Zionist movement in the United States to provide leadership for American Jewry in preserving Jewish identity within the framework of American democracy,” was adopted at the AZC conference. The resolution, which also emphasized the need to strengthen the links between American Jewry and the State of Israel, called upon the constituent organizations of the American Zionist Council:
1. “To increase their efforts in the field of education and information to strengthen cultural ties with the people of Israel so that Jewish life in the United States and in Israel may be mutually enriched.
2. “To counteract hostile and misleading propaganda that misrepresents the aims of the Zionist movement.
3. “To involve American Jewry in the development of Israel through tourism, periods of study and Aliyah.
4. “To develop a comprehensive Youth program so that our children may become increasingly aware of the centrality of Israel in Jewish life.
5. “To stimulate the study and use of the Hebrew language as an essential instrument of Jewish unity and a spiritual and intellectual bond between the Jews of America and of Israel.”
Other resolutions adopted expressed gratification with the “unparalleled generosity” of the United States Government in providing aid of all kinds to underdeveloped countries and urged the U.S. “to continue its generous programs of aid to Israel and other countries in the Middle East, who have the will and capacity to apply such aid for the raising of the living standards of its people.”
The U. S. Government was also urged in resolutions “to take positive steps to halt the United Arab Republic’s illegal blockade of the Suez Canal, to induce the Arab leaders to cease their boycott of Israel and to elaborate long-range development plans for the common good of both peoples and in the interests of world peace.” Washington was also asked “to use its best efforts to induce the Arab Governments to cope seriously with the Arab refugee problem in the framework of direct negotiations with the State of Israel, as part of a general peace settlement.”
The AZC conference also adopted resolutions pledging its maximum support to the United Jewish Appeal, Israel Bonds, the Jewish National Fund and other agencies which make possible the absorption into the economic life of Israel of all its inhabitants. It called upon the Zionist movement in this country to develop active programs for the celebration of the centennial of the birth of Dr. Theodor Herzl.
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.
