A drive to raise $6 million in the United States and Canada to aid the health, education and welfare services of Histadrut. Israel’s Labor Federation, was launched by the National Committee for Labor Israel at the opening of its 44th annual convention here today. The convention received messages from President Johnson, President Shazar and Prime Minister Levi Eshkol, of Israel, and Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York.
President Johnson, In a telegram to the convention, likening Histadrut to America’s free trade union movement, noted that it “has long been dedicated to helping working people build better lives for their families In a democratic society” and also, through its Afro-Asian Institute in Tel Aviv “introduces the leaders of emerging nations to the advantages of a free and open society.”
In his message. President Shazar praised the National Committee for Labor Israel for the “loyalty and devotion” of its members to Israel, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol expressed the hope that the Jews everywhere would “ascend to the land of Israel and partake In its upbuilding,”
Dr. Sol Stein, executive director of the National Committee, reported that during the fiscal year 1966-67, the committee raised $4,727,000 for the Histadrut campaign, including $1 million raised by the Pioneer Women for Moledet Hapoalot, its sister organization in Israel.
Dr. Stein said that the 24 percent Increase In funds was due to an extra effort by American trade unions during and after last June’s emergency. He said that the American Histadrut Development Fund had reached the $1 million mark in the form of wills and bequests during the past year. The Histadrut campaign benefitted 72 new projects in Israel and allocated $360,000 for the Histadrut scholarship fund, which granted nearly 3,000 scholarships for secondary vocational training, higher education and research. During the past year, Histadrut arranged for 1,658 adults and youths to visit Israel, 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.
