Ceremonies here and in Israel today marked the issuance by the Israel government of a commemorative stamp honoring Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, the American Zionist leader who was the president of the Zionist Organization of America from 1945-47, headed the United Jewish Appeal and played a crucial role in getting the United Nations to adopt the Partition Plan in 1947 which led to the establishment of the State of Israel.
The 3.20 Shekel stamp bearing the portrait of Silver went on sale today in Israel and will go on sale tomorrow in the United States. In ceremonies held in New York at the Jacob and Libby Goodman ZOA House, Ivan Novick, ZOA president, said that Silver, who died in 1963, “personified the decisive political contribution of American Jewry to the State of Israel’s struggle for independence.”
The official ceremony in Israel took place at Kfar Silver, near Ashkelon, named after Silver and sponsored by the ZOA. Representing the ZOA was its executive vice chairman, Leon Ilutovich, and members of the Kfar Silver board.
In paying tribute to Silver, Novick recalled that as president of the Jewish Agency Executive New York Silver appeared before the United Nations on behalf of world Jewry. “He took upon himself the heavy burden of convincing members of both parties in the U.S. Congress, the Administration, and delegates to the United Nations of the justice of Zion restored,” Novick said.
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