Flags flew at half-mast across the State of Israel today as crowds gathered at the Knesset here to pay their last respects to Joseph Sprinzak, Speaker of Parliament, who died yesterday at the age of 74. The funeral will be held tomorrow morning at 10 at the cemetery on Mt. Herzl where the leading figures of the Jewish community and state are buried.
Thousands upon thousands of Israelis began at noon today filing past the bier, in front of the rostrum of the House where Mr. Sprinzak conducted so many historic sessions of the ten-year-old Parliament. The public will continue to view the body until midnight tonight. All cinemas, theatres and other places of entertainment will be closed tonight.
The Israel Cabinet and the Jewish Agency held brief memorial services today. Premier Ben Gurion delivered the eulogy at the Cabinet meeting, while Zalman Shazar, acting chairman of the Jewish Agency executive in Jerusalem, memorialized Mr. Sprinzak at the Agency session.
Speculation was rife within Mapai Party circles today as to a successor to the late Mr. Sprinzak in the post of Speaker of the Knesset. Reportedly Moshe Sharett, former Premier and Foreign Minister, is favored by most party leaders. However, formal discussion on a successor to Mr. Sprinzak will not begin until the traditional seven-day mourning period has elapsed.
In a statement to the nation, President Itzhak Ben Zvi described Mr. Sprinzak’s death as “a grievous loss for the entire nation and the Jewish people throughout the world. He was a man of the people and symbolized the unity of the nation, uniting all sections in understanding, wisdom, tact and love of Israel.” the President declared.
Premier David Ben Gurion, in his message, said that the “entire nation regarded Mr. Sprinzak as the father of the sovereign legislature of the Third Commonwealth and a molder of the parliamentary life of the new Israel.”
Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog said of the late Speaker: “He was a most important integral part in our renewed national life. He was a symbol and example of the love of humanity, love of Israel and love of peace.” Chief Rabbi Itzhak Nissim asserted that Mr. Sprinzak had “raised the Knesset from sectarian smallness to the greatness of the needs of the entire nation. The edifice he erected will be the reward of his labors and the monument to his memory.”
Pinchas Lavon, secretary general of the Histadrut, said that “with Mr. Sprinzak’s death, the labor movement has lost one of its founders who for decades made a tremendous contribution to the consolidation and strengthening of the workers, and to the organization of the Jewish people.”
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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.
