Formation of Labor Zionist Alliance Seen As ‘transfer of Leadership from Generation of Founders to T

The formation this weekend of the Labor Zionist Alliance was hailed today by its first president, Dr. Judah Shapiro, as representing “the transfer of leadership from the generation of the founders to their sons.” The Alliance was formed yesterday when three independent American Labor Zionist groups united in one organization. The groups are Farband–Labor Zionist Order; Poale Zion, the United Labor Zionist Organization of America; and the American Habonim Association.

Dr. Shapiro, professor of Contemporary Jewish Thought at the Hebrew Union College School of Jewish Communal Service and professor of sociology in the graduate division of the Herzliah Jewish Teachers Seminary, told the closing session of a four-day convention of about 1,000 Labor Zionist delegates at the Americana Hotel that “the new Alliance of Labor Zionist forces would increase the movement’s strength in carrying out its three-fold aims. It would support the State of Israel,” he said, “with special emphasis on its labor movement, humanitarian objectives and Jewish cultural renaissance.”

He continued: “It would address itself to American Jewry and its needs for cultural and educational programs to assure its continuity. The Labor Zionists would relate themselves to the many complex social problems of our society and our times, to improve the fate and future of mankind.”

UNITY WILL STRENGTHEN LABOR ZIONISTS

Jacob Katzman, national secretary of Farband, who was named executive vice-president and national secretary of the Alliance, said yesterday that the unification facilitates improved Labor Zionist programming, avoids duplication of membership, consolidates human resources as well as lay and professional leadership and streamlines the efforts of the Labor Zionist program.

Katzman said “the Labor Zionist program deepens the ties between the pioneering society of Israel and American and Canadian Jewish youth, supports to those elements centered in the Histadrut, the kibbutz and cooperative movements which are striving to create a society based on social justice for all people.” He added that in the US and Canada, the Labor Zionist movement “provides intensive Jewish cultural and educational activities as well as supports Jewish day schools.”

Premier Golda Meir of Israel, in a message to the convention, declared that the union of the three Labor Zionist groups “should make the contribution of the American Labor Zionist Movement toward the realization of our joint goals even greater than before.” Prof. Leo Diesendruck, president of Poale Zion, stated that the new united Labor Zionist organization. “strengthened by new leadership and new organizational power, must attain a leadership role” in meeting the challenges confronting the American Jewish community: “Its commitment to Israel. Its responsibility to its youth, its concern for its inner city poor and its participation in the solution to America’s grave economic and social problems.”