Rabin Tells Jewish Leaders He Was Encouraged by His Washington Talks

Premier Yitzhak Rabin declared here last night that he had achieved “practical results” and was satisfied with his talks with President Ford and other U.S. officials and lawmakers in Washington last week.

Addressing 1500 local Jewish community leaders attending a United Jewish Appeal-Federation of Jewish Philanthropies Joint Campaign dinner at the Statler Hilton Hotel, Rabin said, “I came encouraged from my meetings in Washington. I found there understanding and readiness” on the part of Congress and the Ford Administration to continue to support Israel and the cause of peace in the Middle East and to provide Israel with financial aid to meet its military needs in face of the influx of Soviet arms into the Arab countries.

Rabin said that he found no differences between the Israeli and U.S. governments’ views as to what must be achieved in the Middle East and how to achieve it. He reiterated that Israel would do “all that can be done in the pursuit of peace” and would take risks for peace. But he warned at the same time, that Israel cannot afford illusions. “Those who speak of the secular state should not forget Lebanon,” he said.

LESSONS OF LEBANESE CONFLICT

The Premier, who spoke for only 15 minutes, await at length on the “lessons” of the Lebanese conflict and their implications for Israel. He said the Lebanese civil war demonstrated that the Arab world does not tolerate autonomy for any minority

Rabin noted that no one asked the UN Security Council to convene to discuss’ the Lebanese crisis and to try to stop the bloodshed. He said the events in Lebanon made him “proud to be a Jew” because wherever and whenever a Jew is victimized his brothers elsewhere come to his help.

PLEDGE OF STRENGTH, SUPPORT

Gustave L. Levy, chairman of this year’s UJA-Federation drive, told Rabin that “We pledge our strength to you. We will keep our home community strong so that you can rely on our strength.” New Yorkers have already committed $36 million to the 1976 UJA-FJP campaign after raising $100 million in 1975, Levy said. “As a result of your visit,” he told Rabin, “in Just the last three weeks we have raised $6 million.”

Frank Lautenberg, general chairman of the national UJA, declared that “We recognize that in 1976 awesome tasks confront the Jewish people wherever they live.” He asserted that “new words, new phrases, the transference of old words to new objects–these are the code words of anti-Semitism, the erosion of decency, the concern for economic gain over human value, the decline of liberalism, the corrupting of a civilization looking for scapegoats.”

Continuing, Lautenberg said: “Jews, Zionism, Israel–the words are interchangeable. The language of events is clear: today, who threatens Israel, threatens every Jew.”

Edgar M. Bronfman, co-chairman of the UJA-FJP campaign, who presided at the dinner, told Rabin that “as Jews, Americans and New Yorkers, we hope you will transmit directly to our fellow Jews in Israel a message of love and brotherhood, of encouragement and support.” William Rosenwald, president of the UJA-FJP Joint Campaign, also spoke.

Before the meeting, the Premier was welcomed to the city by Mayor and Mrs. Abraham Beame, met with U.S. Ambassador Daniel P. Moynihan and was given a private reception by Governor Hugh Carey. On Friday night Rabin was a guest of honor at a reception given by Chaim Herzog, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, attended by Israeli officials and Israeli representatives to the United States.

PRIME MINISTER’S CLUB RECEPTION

This evening, more than 350 prominent figures in New York Jewish communal life bought approximately $5 million in State of Israel Bonds at a reception honoring Rabin at the Waldorf-Astoria. The event was sponsored by the Greater New York Prime Minister’s Club, an honor society of those who invest a minimum of $25,000 in Israel Bonds in a given year. Uri Ben-Ari, Consul General of Israel in New York, served as host at the special reception. Among the principal speakers were Sam Rothberg, general chairman of the Israel Bond Organization.

Earlier today, Rabin met with the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, appeared on NBC-TV “Meet the Press,’ and conferred with leaders of Black organizations and trade unions. Leaving New York tomorrow he will address the Detroit Economic Club and hold a press conference. Later tomorrow, he will also go to Chicago where he will be received by Mayor Richard Daley and meet with the city’s Jewish community leaders.