Mr. Redelheim urged efforts to re-create the American Jewish Conference, which was dissolved in 1951. He said this would serve public notice that “American Jewry speaks with one voice on vital matters affecting the destiny of our people.” He said it was urgent that Jewish groups refrain from “unilateral attempts to intercede with the Soviet Union and urged Jewish groups to Join with the Presidents’ Conference in any united action in connection with the Soviet Premier’s visit.
He affirmed the mission of Zionism as a movement aimed at Jewish cultural survival and renaissance of Judaism outside of Israel, and rebuked those who had abandoned the movement on the assumption that Zionism’s mission was terminated by the establishment of Israel.
Mr. Redelheim rejected the charge that the ZOA was identified with an Israeli political party and called on those who had left the ZOA to return. He proposed a commission to study the problem. He also recommended that the 1961 ZOA convention be held in Jerusalem.
Sen. Kenneth B. Keating, New York Republican, told the convention “the greatest need of the Arabs today is Jewish partners–not Jewish enemies. ” He said he would like to see the Arabs “more concerned with economic well-being” and less concerned with their determination to annihilate Israel.
Governor G Mennen Williams of Michigan told the convention that Soviet anti-Semitism must be exposed to the world. He said “world opinion considers Communism the enemy of Christianity. It is largely unaware of Russia’s persecution of the Jews.”
Nathaniel S. Rothenberg, national convention program chairman, formally opened the convention with an address in which he voiced hope President Eisenhower would pursue with Mr. Khrushchev the problem of the Jews in Russia desiring freedom to emigrate to Israel. Israel Charge d’Affaires Yaacov Herzog conveyed greetings of the Israel Government. Rabbi living Miller delivered an address on the life and works of Theodor Herzl in connection with the centenary year, stressing the concept of “one people.”
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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.
