The Theodore R. McKeldin prize of the America-Israel Society for helping to forge better cultural relations between the United States and Israel was awarded tonight to Bernard Katzen, special consultant to the Department of State, at a dinner of the Society, Addresses were delivered by Abba Eban, Israel Ambassador to the United States; Thomas K. Finletter, former Secretary of the United States Air Force; Governor McKeldin go Maryland and Maxwell M. Raab, Secretary to President Eisenhower’s Cabinet.
The McKeldin prize is named in honor of Governor McKeldin who is national president of the America-Israel Society, and who founded the non-sectarian, non-political organization five years ago at Government House in Annapolis, Md. The Society is dedicated to promoting better cultural relations between the United States and Israel through study tours in Israel, interchange of visitors, education, science and the arts. Mr. Katzen was selected to be the first recipient of the prize because of his plan to unfreeze $3,500,000 in blocked American funds accumulated in Israel under the informational media guaranty program for the use in Israel for cultural purposes. The money is now being distributed by the U.S. Embassy in Israel.
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