A warning to Jews not to “live in a fool’s paradise” as far as judging Israel’s position in the Middle East, was sounded here today at the 28th national convention of the Jewish National Fund of Britain by Berl Locker, co-chairman of the Jewish Agency, who declared that “Israel’s enemies are not yet her friends,” although they may eventually become friendly.
Mr. Locker said that one of the great achievements of Israel was that its people had conquered prejudices and misconceptions concerning immigrants from the Oriental countries, “of whom we knew so little and who lived in isolated areas.”
The delegates adopted a resolution expressing their support of the Huleh reclamation project in Israel, the second phase of which will be started soon. The delegates also praised 70 British pioneers who recently left for permanent settlement in Israel. A financial report to the convention revealed that 620,000 pounds were collected by the organization during the year ending September 30, as compared to 685,000 pounds raised the previous year.
Dr. Walter C. Lowdermilk, American soil conservation expert, told the meeting that in Israel he had found three conditions which would lead to good soil usage. These, he said, are: the absolute necessity for Israel to make maximum use of its land to survive; the intelligence of its people which permits them to understand this fact; and, their willingness to work to bring about maximum use of the land.
Dr. Lowdermilk, however, criticized some of the current agricultural methods in effect in Israel and stated that contour farming must be introduced in the Jewish State. Speaking of such projects as the Huleh reclamation program. Dr. Lowdermilk said that cooperation of the Arab states in such projects would be of aid to the entire Middle East. He said that Israel will become a pilot area in soil usage for its own region and for the rest of the world, which must soon face the same problems that Israel faces now because of increasing population throughout the world.
Israel Ambassador Eliahu Elath, who also addressed the meeting, warned that the establishment of the Jewish State had not solved all the problems facing the Jewish community of Israel. He pointed out that many immigrants are having trouble integrating themselves within the new state, and underlined the fact that integration is more than an economic problem–that it is also a social, political and cultural problem.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
