Israeli Minister of Tourism Moshe Kol urged Jewish organizational and Zionist leaders to undertake “serious sour searching” and to replace “statements and declarations with real efforts and actions.” Kol, who addressed a state-wide dinner given by the Israel Bond Organization honoring Michigan Governor William G. Milliken, declared: “We cannot allow ourselves to accept an aliya figure of 20,000 from all over the world in 1975. It is one of the Zionist movement’s and the State of Israel’s greatest tragedies. In addition, we must double pilgrimage and tourism, for this is a necessary first step to aliya.”
Kol, who is also the leader of the Independent Liberal Party, called on Jewish organizations to make 1975 the last year they promote travel to countries other than Israel. “You must concentrate your efforts on Israel’s behalf.” he said. He also stated that the government of Israel “must reconsider its air traffic policy and make it possible for the Jews of the world to visit Israel at more reasonable financial conditions.”
In a warning to the more than 700 leaders in the state’s industrial, banking and Jewish communal life who attended the dinner at Adat Shalom Synagogue where more than $1.5 million in Israel Bonds were purchased in honor of Milliken, Kol declared:
“We must all change. For if we do not, we will lose the opportunity offered by the shameful UN (anti-Zionist) resolution. We Jews have always made outstanding efforts under outside pressure. We must do it again. We must improve the quality of life in Israel so that we may serve as an example. And the Jewish leaders of the world must change their habits and react with action, not just statements.”
ISRAEL AS THE FULFILLMENT
George Romney, chairman of the steering committee of the new Joint Business Council established by the U.S. and Israel governments, paid tribute to the role that Israel Bonds plays in building Israel’s infra-structure and in helping to attract private investments into the country.
In his remarks, Romney, a former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former Governor of Michigan, reported that when he was called by U.S. Secretary of the Treasury William Simon and asked to accept his responsibility in the Joint Business Council, he did so “not just because I am an American, and an American greatly interested in my country and in Israel, but also as one who believes that the reestablishment of Israel is the fulfillment of both ancient and modern prophecy…I consider it a privilege to have this opportunity to join in supporting freedom.”
The highlight of the dinner was the presentation by Kol of the Israel Prime Minister’s Medal, his country’s highest public service award, to Milliken for his “statesmanship, humanitarianism and championship of Israel.” Among the Israel Bond subscriptions announced were a $300,000 Bond purchase by the Manufacturers National Bank of Detroit and a $250,000 Bond purchase by the National Bank of Detroit. Officers of both banks participated in a recent Bankers Delegation to Israel under the auspices of the Israel Bond Organization.
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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.
