Field Marshall Montgomery Endorses British-israeli Exchange Program

A total of 100 young scholars are now studying each year on an exchange basis in Britain and Israel through scholarships provided by the “Bridge” organization, the annual dinner of the social service and youth guidance agency was told last night.

The figures were given by Col, Henriques, president of the organization, to a large and representative dinner audience of Jewish and non-Jewish leaders. Col, Henriques, a frequent visitor to Israel, added that those going from Britain to Israel on “Bridge” scholarships would find that “there is complete equality of people in Israel” a fundamental principle of Israeli Society. He said the British visitors would find that the kibbutzim “are totally classless and that the Israelis have an answer to some of the problems baffling us all.”

Field Marshall Montgomery, one of the guests, was given a standing ovation when he endorsed the organization’s exchange program and said he would sponsor one Bridge scholarship for a British boy. Asserting that he knew Israel very well, the Field Marshall recalled that he had “fought there with the Jews against the Arabs and with the Arabs against the Jews in an attempt to preserve peace in the country.” He added that he took “great pride” in the fact that “the Jewish Brigade fought in World War II under my command.”

Arthur Lourie, the Israel Ambassador to Britain, said that under the exchange program, young people went annually from Britain to Israel to give service and see the country and acquire new experiences while young Israelis were coming to Britain for the same objectives. He pointed out that the experiences were of “immense importance” to the young people involved and to Britain and Israel. He expressed “delight” that Montgomery was one of the supporters of the program.