With dignified ceremonies, the America-Israel Culture House, new headquarters of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation, was officially opened here today. The cultural center, located on a site near Rockefeller Center, and not far from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is in an old but newly-renovated mansion built at the turn of the century and designed by one of America’s foremost architects of that era, Stanford White.
Against a background of Israeli melodies sung by a choir of 30 costumed children from the Brandeis School, Lawrence, L.I., Israel’s Supreme Court Justice Moshe Landau marked the official opening of the Culture House by affixing a mezuzah at the front entrance. Justice Landau is chairman of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation’s advisory board in Israel. Presiding over the ceremonies was Isaac Stern, the noted violinist, who heads the Foundation; Other major participants included William Mazer, chairman of the Foundation’s board of directors; Raphael Recanati, chairman of the executive committee; Mrs. Isaac Stern, chairman of the membership committee; and Dr. Frederick R; Lachman, executive vice-president.
The Center contains displays of Israeli paintings and other Israeli arts and crafts which were declared by prominent critics present as outstanding works. The Cultural House was also decorated for the opening with traditional symbols related to Tu Bi’Shvat, the Jewish “Arbor Day, ” which was celebrated this week. The Center, according to Mr. Stern, will form a cultural bridge between Israel and the U.S. embracing all the arts.
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