American Jewish Leaders to Proceed to Israel for Economic Parley

More than 350 Jewish leaders from the United States, Latin America and Canada will go to Israel within the next ten days to participate in the first international conference for economic mobilization to be held in Jerusalem, it was announced today by Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, vice president of the State of Israel Bond Organization.

The conference will be held in Jerusalem during the period from August 25th through September 3rd under the auspices of the Israel bond drive, which has raised approximately $340,000,000 for Israel’s economic development during the past seven and a half years. Emphasizing that recent events in the area have increased the dangers to Israel, Dr. Schwartz stressed the urgent importance of the forthcoming Jerusalem conference.

“In the light of recent developments in the Middle East, the mobilization of economic support for Israel is vital not only to its own survival but to the preservation of democracy and the free world. For this reason our conference must devise a dynamic program of immediate and all-out economic aid to Israel through the instrumentality of State of Israel Bonds,” Dr. Schwartz declared.

Israel’s economic needs and plans will be presented to the delegates by Prime Minister Ben Gurion, President Ben Zvi, Finance Minister Levi Eshkol and other government leaders. Foreign Minister Golda Meir will deliver a major address at the opening session. The International Economic Mobilization Conference will combine a survey of economic projects with detailed discussions of future plans. A survey tour of key areas of the country will enable the delegates to examine on the spot developments in industry and agriculture financed with the aid of Israel bond investments.