Impressive Funeral for Grossman Held in Tel Aviv; Mourned by Eshkol

Hundreds of prominent Israelis, including leaders of the Jewish Agency, the Herut Party and the World Zionist-Revisionist movement, and in many of the country’s leading journalists, paid final tribute here today to the late Meir Grossman, noted Zionist leader and writer, who died suddenly last weekend at the age of 76. Mr. Gross-man was a co-founder of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

During the funeral services, held near the Jewish Agency building here, eulogies were delivered by Yaacov Tzur, world chairman of the Jewish National Fund; Haim Levanon, director of information for the Jewish Agency, who was formerly mayor of Tel Aviv; Dr. Herzl Rosenblum, editor of the evening newspaper. “Yediot Ahronot”; Arieh Sieff, an Israeli journalist representing Israel’s Journalists’ Association; and Joseph Klarman, representing the world Zionist-Revisionist movement.

From Paris, where he is now visiting the highest officials of the French Government, Prime Minister Levi Eshkol sent a cable, stating: “The Government and I lower our heads in grief over the passing of Meir Grossman, and exemplary Zionist fighter and public figure. The passing of such a man from the list of the ‘firsts’ and from the leadership of the Zionist movement leaves a vacuum that will exist for generations. Our sympathies are extended to his family and to the Zionist movement.” Mrs. Golda Meir, Israel’s Foreign Minister, telegraphed a message, stating: “We have all lost a friend and partner in the struggle.”

President Zalman Shazar was represented at the rites by his military aide. The remains of the late Mr. Grossman were interred in the old cemetery here, near the graves of other noted Israeli journalists.