American Zionist Assembly Pledges Aid to Israel; Urges Education

The first American Zionist Assembly concluded its three-day session here today with the adoption of a resolution pledging continued and expanded moral and material support of the American Zionist movement to the State of Israel and to mobilize the entire American Jewry to that end.

The resolution greeted the government and people of Israel, and called upon them “to stand firm in the right and to be of good heart in their knowledge that their friends of all faiths in all lands remain vigilant in their defense and will not fail them in time of trial.”

The delegates also adopted resolutions pledging support to the United Jewish Appeal and the Israel Bond drive. They called upon Zionist councils throughout the country to set up liaison committees in cooperation with the United Israel Appeal “to spearhead the local UJA campaigns in terms of leadership, contributions and work” to assure that the maximum funds are raised for the UJA.

The Assembly decided to call in the near future a conference of all Zionist groups for the purpose of promoting Chaluziut from this country to Israel. It also emphasized that it considers Jewish education as the “primary Instrument for the development of cultural and spiritual bonds between Israel and Jews everywhere.”

The American Zionist Council was authorized by the Assembly to accept “the furtherance of Jewish education as a primary responsibility” and to take appropriate action to achieve the following purposes: 1. Fostering of Jewish culture and the Hebrew language in American Jewish life through classic and modern Jewish literature; 2. promotion of the traditional concept of the Yishuv Eretz Israel which should include personal identification with Israel throughwisits, scholarships and study programs.

A resolution urging every Zionist “to participate in the furtherance of Jewish education in his community and to provide his children with a basic Jewish education,” was also adopted by the Assembly.

Ambassador Abba Eban, addressing the session today, said that peace in the Middle East uniting its kindred peoples in a common effort on behalf of its material progress and spiritual development is a vision which the United States and Israel hold in common.

The joint ideals of political peace and economic progress in the policies of the United States and Israel for the Middle East, Mr. Eban said, are fortified by “a common dedication to the principles of democracy which Israel has made the foundation of its national development in a part of the world still subjected to every tyranny of absolution and military dictatorship.”