Israel President Leads Prayers for Eisenhower’s Recovery

Led by President Itzhak Ben Zvi and members of the Israel Government, the people of Israel prayed for the full and speedy recovery of President Eisenhower during Yom Kippur services yesterday. Throughout the day, Mr. Ben Zvi received bulletins on Mr. Eisenhower’s condition.

In the Rehavia Synagogue here, President Ben Zvi led a special prayer for the health and safety of Mr. Eisenhower. Since the name of President Eisenhower’s father was needed for the prayer and none of those present knew the name, the problem was discussed by President Ben Zvi, several Cabinet members and Chief Rabbi Isaac Halevi Herzog.

The difficulty was resolved with the acceptance of a suggestion by Berl Coralnik, member of the congregation and correspondent of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, who suggested that Mr. Eisenhower be referred to in the prayers as “Dwight David Nessi Artzot Habrith Shel America”–President of the United States.

Some 20,000 persons visited Mr. Zion during the 24-hour period of the holiday to pray at the Tomb of King David. Since the Jordan denial of the Wailing Wall to the Jews, the height–from which the wall can be seen–has become a site for religious pilgrims. The crowds were so dense that a number of persons fainted and one was hospitalized.

Synagogues throughout the country were filled to capacity as the state enjoyed a quiet holiday All public means of transportation was at a standstill.

In Haifa, the members of 25 families held a Reform service with men and women sitting together on the benches, a practice which is not permitted in Orthodox synagogues This is the second Reform service to take place in Israel. The other one was held in the same building previously, but fewer persons attended them. Most of the worshippers were immigrants from English-speaking countries.