Israeli Labor Minister Yosef Almogi yesterday expressed Israel’s “special respect” and friendship for the American labor movement which through the years has bought $15-million worth of Israel Bonds. Speaking at an Israel Bond reception at the Regency Hotel here, Almogi told some 100 trade union representatives that even during politically critical times “all doors of American labor were open to us (Israel) and they opened the doors of the Administration.”
Referring to the influx of Soviet Jews, Almogi said Israel expects “the Russians to open the gates for our Jews. And if it comes true, it will be the realization of our greatest dream after the creation of the Jewish state.” Israel, he said, therefore needed capital to help absorb the “quantity” of expected immigrants — for the building of homes and schools, and to restructure its economy because of the “quality” of the immigrants, 40 percent of whom are academics –professors, scientists, engineers.
Ben Feldman, president of the Luggage Workers International, presented a $50,000 check on behalf of the Pocketbook Workers Union Local 1. Among the reception’s hosts were, Bernard Adelstein, president, Teamster Lodge of B’nai B’rith and chairman of the Trade Union Division of Israel Bonds; Louis L. Levine, New York State Industrial Commissioner; and Thomas Gleason, International Longshoremen’s Association president.
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.
