Dr. Abba Hilldi Silver today declared that “the young state of Israel will not be strong and secure until there are three to four million Jews there, firmly rooted in a stable economy.” He added that “the state of Israel cannot by its own resources accomplish this any more than it could have achieved its political independence by its own efforts exclusively.”
Dr. Silver was the guest speaker at a banquet this evening which closed the two-day silver jubilee conference of the Seaboard Region of the Zionist Organization of America held here with more than 500 delegates in attendance. Isador S. Turover, of Washington, was unanimously elected for a second term as president of the region.
The parley adopted a resolution calling upon the United States Government “to assist Israel with a grant-in-aid commensurate to its needs and its role as democratic force in the Middle East.” Another resolution wholeheartedly endorsed the fourpoint program of aid to Israel at the National Planning Conference for Israel held in Washington last week-end.
Dr. Silver also called upon the United States Government to extend financial aid to Israel. He urged the United States and Great Britain to “earnestly and sincerely” bring the Arab states to the realization of the need to conclude peace with Israel.
Dwelling on the present economic difficulties confronting Israel, Sr. Silver said that “we have been disturbed by reports of the economic strains and stresses which have made themselves felt in Israel in consequence of the heroulean tasks which have been undertaken to ab(##)orb tens of thousands of immigrants annually, and perhaps also in consequence to too hasty plans at socialization. In the pride and exaltation of the political triumph,” he maintained, “we failed to prepare for the cold, stark realities of the morning after. We thought that our work was over when, in a real sense, it had only just begun.”
Dr. Silver also stressed the need of strengthening the Zionist movement and the necessity of a strong General Zionist Party in Israel “to serve as the great center party rising above the particular interest of class and faction and pointing a middle way between the extremes of right and left.” (See page 2 for earlier remarks at conference of Benjamin Browdy.)
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