President Johnson was requested “urgently” here tonight, at a comprehensive Zionist celebration of Israel’s 16th anniversary, to implement “a commitment” made by the late President Kennedy “to use all the authority of the White House to call into conference the leaders of Israel and Arab states to consider privately their common problems.”
Dr. Max Nussbaum, chairman of the American Zionist Council, coordinating body of all Zionist organizations in the United States, voiced that request to President Johnson at a rally in Town Hall, observing Israels 16th birthday. He noted that the late President Kennedy had made that “commitment” at a meeting of the Zionist Organization of America, during the 1960 Presidential campaign, and called upon the present Chief Executive to “redeem” that pledge. Prior to Dr. Nussbaum’s address, the rally heard a message from President Johnson, warmly greeting the meeting and Israel’s anniversary.
Other addresses were delivered by Ambassador Michael S. Comay, Israel’s permanent representative at the United Nations; and by Mrs. Rose L. Halprin, chairman of the American section of the Jewish Agency for Israel. Cabled messages were received from Israel’s Prime Minister Levi Eshkol; and Moshe Sharett, chairman of the Jewish Agency. Dr. Nussbaum, who is also president of the Zionist Organization of America, presented the Council’s Louis Dr. Brandeis Award to Rabbi Irving Miller, honorary chairman of the Council “in recognition of his outstanding services to Zionism and the Jewish people.” Dr. Miller recently retired as chairman of the Council after serving in the post for 10 years.
PEACE, SECURITY, GROWTH EMPHASIZED; COMAY, MRS. HALPRIN STRESS THEMES
Emphasizing the need and urgency for peace in the Middle East, Rabbi Nussbaum declared in his address: “One would indeed enhance the miracle of Israel’s survival if history would record that, in the 16th year of the existence of the Jewish State, a great President of the United States responded to the challenge of history and brought peace to the war-torn Middle East. In a generation when dialogues have become fashionable and are taking place even between East and West, between synagogue and church, between the white and Negro races–a
The twin themes of Israel’s desire for peace with its neighbors, while concentrating on growth, development and security, were emphasized also by Ambassador Comay and by Mrs. Halprin. Summarizing Israel’s recent social and economic advances, Mr. Halprin said: “These are signs of real growth; of great encouragement. But Israel still needs help. The continuing immigration results in heavy capital outlays for housing and new industrial plants; the threat of Arab war over water makes enormous defense expenditures mandatory. But the people of Israel are happy; the government and the economy is sound; and the Jews of the world rejoice at the miracle of Statehood.”
“We hope and pray,” she told the rally, “that the United Nations, and the Great Powers of the world, will insure peace in the Middle East so that Israel can prosper as an outpost of democracy, as an example of what modern western civilization can do for a hitherto backward area. As American Jews, and as Zionists, we can take pride over past accomplishments, even as we plan for new and greater achievements in the near future.”
The need for American Jewish interest in Israel’s development, on the eve of its 17th year, was also emphasized here today in a statement by Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, vice-president of the Israel Bond Organization. He noted that, by achieving the organization’s goal of the sale of $85, 000, 000 of Israel bonds this year, Americans can help advance the large-scale Israeli developments already launched, seeing those projects as “vital to Israel’s future.”
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.
