Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion celebrated his 76th birth day yesterday at an undisclosed vacation retreat where members of his family and a group of friends gathered in his honor. Guests included Mapai party leaders, senior Army officials, Mayor Mordechai Namir of Tel Aviv and Mayor Mordechai Ish-Shalom of Jerusalem.
A feature of the celebration was the showing of films of the Premier’s recent visit to the five Scandinavian countries. The guests recalled Mr. Ben-Gurion’s early days as a young laborer in Sejera and other settlements in Palestine before his historic career as the leading statesman in the struggle for a Jewish homeland and as Israel’s first Premier.
Mr. Ben-Gurion utilized the occasion of his birthday celebration to issue an open letter to the Israeli public, calling for integration of all communities that have gathered in Israel. He urged Israelis to work toward closing the gap between them. He expressed opposition, however, to suggestions that a special Ministry for Integration be created, asserting that this task must be done by the nation itself.
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