American Zionist Labor Order Dedicates New $500,000 Headquarters

Simcha Pratt, Consul-General of Israel, today called upon the world to help Israel build peace in the Middle East on the basis of democracy. He was one of the principal speakers at a ceremony dedicating the new $500,000 headquarters of the Farband Labor Zionist Order, a 46-year-old fraternal organization with 30,000 members in the United States and Canada.

“Israel,” Mr. Pratt said, “knows that it can be at peace with all peoples. Israel knows that all peoples would benefit from such peace, Peace in our region would lead, certainly, inevitably, toward peace in the world. Peace in our region would lead toward the happiness of many, many millions of individuals who want the good things of life because the good things are here and obtainable. Israel appeals to the world Help us build that peace.”

Meyer L. Brown, national president of the Farband, said that the $500,000 building brings all of the organization’s staff facilities under one roof. “It is a mistake,” he declared, “to consider the Farband as purely a Zionist and fraternal order. We have brought to bear on social issues the pressure of an organization dedicated not only to the welfare of the American Jewish community and Israel but also in behalf of urgently needed social and welfare legislation. We intend to continue to do so.”

Louis Segal, general secretary of the Farband, said he was astonished at the apathy of American Jews in relation to Israel’s emergency situation. Pointing out that Israel is beset by problems of absorbing and integrating immigrants and by the threat to her security, he assured that Farband would “do its utmost to prod American Jewry.” He said “the one shock treatment which must be averted is the shock of a disaster to Israel, stemming directly from American Jewish indifference, which would re-awaken American Jewry when it was too late.” Another speaker was Samuel Bonchek, national vice-president of Farband