20,000 Pay Tribute to David Ben Gurion at Madison Square Garden

More than 20,000 persons paid a memorial tribute last night to David Ben Gurion, founder and first Prime Minister of Israel, at a “Tribute to Israel’s Maccabees of 1973,” at Madison Square Garden, under the sponsorship of State of Israel Bonds. The capacity audience of a cross-section of the Jewish community of New York heard Ira Guilden, chairman of the board of the Israel Bond Organization, hail Ben Gurion as, “the greatest Maccabee of modern times, the leader who personified the courage and dedication of Judah Maccabee.” Guilden recalled that “Twenty-two years ago in Madison Square Garden David Ben Gurion, the father of Israel’s independence and the first Prime Minister of Israel in 2000 years, launched the Israel Bond drive.”

In mourning Ben Gurion’s passing, Guilden said, “We also give thanks for his life and his leadership as the architect of the Jewish State and the founder of Israel Bonds and for his daring and his vision which changed the course of Jewish history.” The “EI Mole Rachamim,” the chant for the dead, was chanted by Cantor David Kusevitsky. Sam Rothberg, general chairman of the Israel Bond Organization, and Michael Arnon, its president and chief executive officer, represented Israel Bonds at Ben Gurion’s funeral yesterday in Israel. Mayor-elect Abraham D. Beame and Jacob Barmore, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Israel’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, also eulogized Israel’s first Prime Minister.

Beame, noting that the Arabs “invaded Israel with more tanks than the Nazis used against the Soviet Union in 1941,” emphasized that “Now the Arabs are using what they call ‘the oil weapon’ and have cut down oil shipments to many industrialized nations of the world. What the world must understand is that this action is a threat not to Israel alone but to world freedom. It is the world that must deal with this embargo for its own sake, not alone for the sake of Israel.” Admission to the tribute was based on the purchase of a minimum of $250 in State of Israel Bonds. The event was a highlight of the present emergency campaign to raise $150 million through Israel Bonds in Greater New York as part of a nationwide program to provide the full amount of Israel’s $642 million Development Budget for the expansion of Israel’s economy.

Earlier in the day some 200 members of the Israel Consulate and Israel missions in New York gathered at the Consulate to pay tribute to Ben Gurion. Ambassador David Rivlin, Consul General said at the memorial service that the death of Ben Gurion “created a void in the Jewish world and in Israel’s national life.” He stated that Ben Gurion’s death is felt more keenly in view of the current unfolding events in the Middle East. Ambassador Jacob Doron said that Ben Gurion’s greatness was recognized by all, Jews and non-Jews alike. “From David to David there was none like David,” he said. Among those present at the memorial service were the former Prime Minister’s grandchildren, Galia Ben Gurion and Yariv Ben Eliezer. A condolence book is open in the Consulate until Thursday for those who want to sign their names.

Meanwhile, more messages continued to be issued today by Jewish leaders and political figures. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger sent a message to Israeli Premier Golda Meir stating,”In sadness, I convey the deepest sympathy of America. David Ben Gurion carried the hopes of his people into the hearts of ours. We shall not forget him.” Herman L. Weisman, president of the Zionist Organization of America, said that the former Prime Minister’s “courage to live by his convictions will remain an inspiration for Jews of the world in the coming generations to maintain the security and viability of the State of Israel.” William M. Landau, president of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, stated that Ben Gurion’s death is “a Ioss not only to Israel but to the Jewish people throughout the world. A man of creative and decisive approaches to the 2000-year-old dream of the Jewish people to once again achieve their homeland in Zion, David Ben Gurion tenaciously clung to, fought and accomplished this mission and transformed the dream into a vital and viable reality. His steadfast-ness and courage to dare Is an inspiration to all.”

Philip G. Givens, president of the Canadian Zionist Federation, stated that “Israel and world Jewry are orphaned by the loss of a great leader and man of vision who helped a dream come true–the dream of the birth and triumphant survival of a Jewish homeland.” Givens added that the CJF, the Israel Embassy and Israel Consulates throughout Canada will Hold community memorial services this week. Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg, president of the American Jewish Congress, said Ben Gurion “will live forever in Jewish history as the architect of the State of Israel. Prophet and patriot, historian and hero, he took the eternal dream of the Jewish people–the return to Zion–and devoted to it all the strength, energy and determination with which he was blessed.”