$200,000 Raised for America-israel Cultural Foundation at Concert

More than $200,000 was raised for America-Israel Cultural Foundation at a concert here today, and a dinner which followed in the evening, honoring Artur Rubinstein, the distinguished pianist. Leonard Bernstein and Isaac Stern joined with a group of young Israeli artists, the Marlboro Festival Orchestra and the Camerata Singers in the concert, which took place at Carnegie Hall before a capacity audience of cultural, diplomatic, social, civic and business leaders.

The America-Israel Cultural Foundation sponsored the concert and the dinner which followed at the New York Hilton as part of its annual campaign for new members to support the Foundation’s cultural projects in Israel. Memberships are from $5,000 to $100, Artur Rubinstein received the Foundation’s annual award for his contributions to the advancement of Israel’s cultural life, at concert intermission ceremonies.

Isaac Stern, president of the Foundation, who made the presentation, said that it was given in behalf of "the people of Israel, its music lovers, musicians and young artists, all of whom were enriched by the artistry of Artur Rubinstein and had benefitted from his warm regard for Israel." Over the years, Mr. Rubinstein has turned back his performing fees for solo appearance with the Israel Philharmonic and for recitals so that they could be used to aid Israel’s musicians and musical life. The award is an inscribed gold medallion, mounted on a piece of Jerusalem stone imported for the occasion.

Featured in the concert program were Leonard Bernstein and Isaac Stern who performed the Mozart Piano and Violin Sonata in A Major; a performing of the Vivaldi B Minor Concerto for four violins for which Stern joined three young Israeli violinists, Miriam Fried, Sergiu Luca and Pinchas Zukerman; and the J. S. Bach Concerto in C Major for three pianos performed by Meira Farkas, Shulamit Ran and Ilan Rogoff. The violin and piano soloists are all studying in the United States on scholarships granted by the America-Israel Cultural Foundation. Alexander Schneider conducted the Marlboro Festival Orchestra. The second half of the concert was devoted to a performance of Leonard Bernstein’s" Chichester Psalms," by the Camerata Singers with John Bogart under the direction of Abraham Kaplan.

Following the concert, buses transported guests to the New York Hilton Hotel for a dinner and dance in the Grand Ballroom. Sol Hurok, the impresario, was chairman of the dinner. Zero Mostel was the guest performer, and Meyer Davis conducted the dance orchestra. The Foundation just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Its president is Isaac Stern, the violinist. William Mazer is the chairman of the board, and Raphael Recanati the chairman of the executive committee. The Foundation supports a variety of cultural projects in Israel, grants arts scholarships to gifted young Israelis, fosters cultural exchanges between Israel and the U.S. and helps build Israel’s cultural institutions.