More than 18,000 persons filled Madison Square Garden here tonight to celebrate the annual Chanukah Festival sponsored by the Israel Bond Organization. The festival will be repeated at Madison Square Garden next Monday.
Addressing the audience tonight, Mr. Sharett, former Israel Premier and Foreign Minister, spoke of the victory won by Judah Maccabees and the people of Israel over their enemies more than 2,000 years ago–a victory commemorated every year by the observance of Chanukah. He drew a parallel between the Maccabees of old and the modern Maccabees of modern Israel.
The days in which we Jews could find solace and pride only in the glorious memories of antiquity are over,” Mr. Sharett said. “Our present is more exciting than our past if only because we are the eye witnesses to it, the direct participants in it. They are live, the Maccabees. They are not only to be glorified in age-old prayer and ancient lore–they are today a living and most inspiring reality.”
Participating in the concert part of the celebration were Joseph Yadin, prominent Israeli actor; Yehudi Menuhin and Zino Francescatti, noted violin virtuosi; 60 members of the New York Philharmonic; Jan Peerce, Metropolitan Opera tenor; Dorothy Sarnoff, opera soprano; and others.
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