Dulzin’s Rosh Hashanah Message

Leon Dulzin, chairman of the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency Executives, warned world Jewry to gird against a “concerted assault on Jerusalem” by Israel’s foes which could escalate in the coming year into “an all-out attack on Israel’s right to exist and, by implication, an attack on the Jewish people.”

In a Rosh Hashanah message to Jewish communities throughout the world, Dulzin called for unity within Jewish ranks “to beat back these devious assaults.” The attack on Israel and Jewry, he said, “denies our elementary right to our capital.” He attributed it in part to the “continued blackmail of the free world” by “oil interests and oil money,” the latest example of which was the United Nations Security Council’s vote on Jerusalem, “as unwarranted as it is outrageous.”

Dulzin warned: “In the coming year we may see an increase in the ominous trend of turning the attack on Jerusalem into an all-out attack on Israel’s right to exist and, by implication, an attack on the Jewish people characterized by anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, attempting to delegitimize us and rob us of our inalienable historic right.”

CITES PLIGHT OF SOVIET JEWS

Another area of concern cited by Dulzin was the Soviet Union where Jewish emigration “was reduced to a trickle as the year neared its end. We are seriously concerned that the gates may close even tighter,” he said, noting that “refusniks were — and are — still waiting. Prisoners of Zion are still languishing in prison. Jews are still deprived of their cultural and religious rights.”

Dulzin stressed that “In the year to come, vigorous action is called for to alleviate the plight of those Jews in distress, to further strengthen the Jewish consciousness of those who live in freedom. Let us make the new year a better year for aliya,” he said. “All of us must work harder to motivate Jews to come home, for as long as there will not live in Ereiz Israel double the number of Jews that live here now, we cannot rest assured that Israel will be strong and viable. Numbers mean not only quantity. They mean quality, a stronger economy and a strong society.” he said.

Dulzin also referred to conditions in Israel. “Let us work together on Project Renewal which we have started jointly to redress social inequities created over the years as a result of our tremendous defense expenditure.” he said. He closed his message with the wish that the incoming year bring true peace, safety and security for Jews everywhere. Let it be a year of national and personal fulfillment of our hopes and dreams.”