All Israel today celebrated President Chaim Weizmann’s 75th birthday. This was the first time that the people of Israel officially marked Dr. Weizmann’s birthday.
Flags were raised over all official buildings and over many private residences, while children in the schools heard special programs devoted to reviewing the life of the most venerated Jewish leader in the world. A government delegation, headed by Premier David Ben Gurion, and a rabbinical delegation, headed by Chief Rabbis Ben Zion Usiel and Isaac Herzog, called on the President to present their congratulations.
A 21-gun salute was fired by an Army unit in this city at 10 A.M., marking the beginning of Dr. Weizmann’s official day at Hakirya. Among the visitors today was Soviet Ambassador Pavel Yershov who, acting as dean of the diplomatic corps, headed a group of diplomats conveying felicitations to Dr. Weizmann.
M. Yershov paid highest tribute to the President for his role in the formation of the Jewish state and acclaimed his contribution to science and his tireless efforts for world peace. In reply, Dr. Weizmann expressed the hope that he would rely on all the countries represented in Israel’s diplomatic corps for developing the best efforts to establish a stable world peace.
In Jerusalem a special parade in honor of the President was held by the Israel guards isolated on Mt. Scopus area. Messages from all over the world poured into the President’s office. Included among the messages were greetings from the Jewish Agency and 15,000 youths aided by the Youth Aliyah movement.
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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.
