Prime Minister John G. Diefenbaker lauded Israel today as the “industrial pacemaker for its region” and as “a spiritual center for new and varied forms of Jewish life and for the highest Western values.” The Canadian Premier spoke at an Israel Ambassador’s Ball at which he was the recipient of the 1960 “Canada-Israel Friendship Award.”
Leading figures in the diplomatic, civic and cultural life of Canada attended the ball at which Israel’s Ambassador to Canada Yaacov Herzog was host. The ball was sponsored by the Israel Bond Organization of Toronto.
Noting that Israel’s progress was “heartening,” Mr. Diefenbaker declared: “It has grown beyond the stage of gallant experiment. Soon it may be able to stand on its own feet economically. But there are still refugees to be admitted and cared for. Today, in rebuilding the land of their forefathers, the people of Israel also bear witness to these moral and religious truths that find supreme and imperishable expression in the Bible. It is only as a representative democracy with a high sense of social purpose that Israel can be true to its heritage.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
