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Delegates of Non-zionist Groups Address World Zionist Congress

January 5, 1961
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Spokesmen for millions of Jews throughout the world addressed the session here last night of the 25th World Zionist Congress, making it, in the words of Dr. Nahum Goldmann, “the most representative Congress ever,” The speakers represented some 20 organizations now associated or affiliated with the World Zionist Organization in accordance with recent amendments for such association by non-Zionist groups.

Samuel Bronfman of Montreal, speaking for the 64 countries represented by the World Jewish Congress, said that Israel depended largely on the dispersion which in turn received spiritual inspiration from the Jewish State.

Rabbi Edward T. Sandrow, president of the Rabbinical Assembly of America, the association of Conservative rabbis, said the World Zionist Organization was best fitted to become the “world community” of the Jewish people because it was most truly representative of the aspirations of Jews everywhere,” The Rabbinical Assembly was the only rabbinical group in the United States to accept an invitation to take part in the Congress.

Sir Barnett Janner, British MP, said that the British Board of Deputies had persistently worked for close relations between the people and the land of the Bible, Dr. Tuvia Kamensheim, president of the Federation of the Communities Israelite of Argentina, stressed the achievements of Argentine Jewry in the field of Jewish education. His appearance before the Congress coincided with the arrival of 150 Argentine Jewish youths to study in Israel.

Gaston Kahn of the Conseil Representatif des Juis de France, said his organization, born during the underground period of the Nazis, united all French Jewry. Dr. S. Piperno, of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, said that his organization’s decision to join the Zionist movement “symbolizes the desire of Italian Jewry to participate in the work of building the State of Israel.”

Dr. G. Guggenheim, of Switzerland, reported that 4, 300 of the 20, 000 Jews in his country belong to organizations affiliated with the Swiss Union of Jewish Communities. He reported about his organization’s efforts to inculcate Jewish education among the youth. These efforts include Jewish day schools, he said.

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