16 National Zionist Groups Urge Support of United Jewish Appeal

Sixteen national Zionist organizations in the United States, in a joint proclamation made public today, urged that primacy be given to the United Jewish Appeal “as the main channel for American philanthropic support of Israel in 1952 and as the keystone of Israel’s economic planning.” The proclamation was made public by Louis Broido, president of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York.

The Zionist organizations called upon their members, who number more than 1,000,000 throughout the U.S., to spearhead the U.J.A. effort throughout the country. The declaration indicates that in Israel’s battle for economic survival it is the “unique and irreplaceable responsibility” of the U.J.A. to expand Israel’s food production and agriculture so that it may eventually feed its own population; to meet the needs of 120,000 refugees expected to arrive in Israel this year; and to provide food, clothing, shelter, training and education for those among the 700,000 immigrants who have not yet been absorbed. The proclamation further stated that the challenge presented by the needs of Israel’s immigrants was one which only gift dollars could meet–gift dollars which represented “an investment in human lives.”

Signatories of the proclamation cover all shades of political opinion and religious belief among the country’s Zionists. They include: Charles Bick, president of the Hapoel Hamizrachi of America; Benjamin G. Browdy, president of the Zionist Organization of America and of the Palestine Foundation Fund; Meyer L. Brown, president of the Farband-Labor Zionist Order; Dr. Pinkhos Churgin, president of the Mizrachi Organization of America; Dr. Sarah Feder, president of the Pioneer Women of America; Paul L. Goldman, general secretary of the United Labor Zionist Party; Dr. Harris J. Levine, president of the Jewish National Fund; Mrs. Joshua Lewis, president of the Mizrachi Women’s Organization of America; Mrs. Samuel J. Rosensohn, president of the Hadassah; Avraham Schenker, president of the Progressive Zionist League (Hashomer Hatzair).

Also, Avraham Schlossberg, national chairman of the National Committee for Labor Israel, which includes Zionists as well as non-Zionists; Rudolf G. Sonneborn, national chairman of the United Israel Appeal; Dr. Jacob I. Steinberg, national president of B’nai Zion; Leo Wolfson, chairman of the national council of the United Zionists-Revisionists of America; and Baruch Zuckerman, president of the Labor Zionist Organization of America.