Some of the brightest stars in the entertainment galaxy, leading members of the Carter Administration and Congress and other distinguished guests joined more than 1000 members of Washington’s Jewish community at a gala Independence Ball at the Washington-Hilton Hotel this week to celebrate Israel’s 31st anniversary. The affair Sunday night, sponsored by the Israel Bond Organization was highlighted by the presentation of separate awards by the Israel government to actors Joel Grey and Herschel Bernardi and songsmith Sammy Cohn.
The presentations were made by the Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ephraim Evron. Grey, who won an Oscar for his performance in “Cabaret,” was given Israel’s Humanitarian Award in recognition of his artistry which has ” captured the hearts and minds of men and women in every corner of the earth. Cohn, a five-time Oscar winner, was recipient of Israel’s Cultural Award and Bernardi, star of “Zorba the Greek ” and an essayer of the role of Tevye the milkman in “Fiddler on the Roof” was given Israel’s Friendship Award.
Vice President Walter Mondale was chairman of the honorary committee for the affair which included House Speaker Thomas O’Neill, seven members of President Carter’s Cabinet, leaders of both major parties in Congress and Mayor Marion Barry of Washington. More than a dozen diplomats, nearly all of them ambassadors, attended the celebration. Alexandra Orfila, executive head of the Organization of American States, and Mrs. Orfila were among the guests. The chairmen of the ball were Melvyn and Suelle Estrin. Herbert Haft and his wife Gloria were chairmen of the ball’s potions.
A souvenir program, created by Washington artist Phillip Ralner, consisted of paintings of Biblical themes. The theme of peace dominated the affair. Each table was decorated with a centerpiece of doves on live branches and a huge mobile of flying doves was suspended from the ceiling.
In his brief remarks, Evron referred to the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. “The road ahead is still bumpy,” he said, adding, “Your support is as badly or goodly needed in the future as in the past.”
NEW YORK CELEBRATION
At an independence Ball held at the Walaorf-Astoria Hotel in New York just a week earlier, the coveted American-Israel Arts, Sciences and Humanities Award for distinguished service to Israel was presented to five show business personalities and one architect. They were Metropolitan Opera star Robert Merrill; entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.; playwright Arthur Miller, choreographer Jerome Robbins; actress Elizabeth Taylor; and R. Buckminster Fuller. All were cited for their outstanding contributions to the cultural and material development of Israel.
The keynote speaker of the evening, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Yehuda Blum who was patron of the ball, spoke of the “great steps initiated towards peace” and expressed hope for a long-lasting cessation of hostilities. Maxwell M. Rabb, a prominent attorney who served as Presidential assistant and Cabinet secretary in the Eisenhower Administration was chairman of the ball. Howard Samuels, general campaign chairman of the Israel Bond Organization in New York, presented Israel Peace Citations to eight prominent New Yorkers. (By Joseph Polakoff)
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.
