Mrs. Halprin Reports on Plans of Zionist Congress; Changes Projected

Steps toward the broadening of the Jewish Agency for Israel, and the strengthening of the commitment to Judaism and Israel of Jews in the Diaspora, will be foremost items on the agenda of the 26th World Zionist Congress, to convene in Jerusalem on December 30, according to Mrs. Rose L. Halprin, chairman of the Jewish Agency-American Section.

Mrs. Halprin, who has just returned from Israel, where she attended meetings of the plenary session of the Jewish Agency executive that made plans for the forthcoming Zionist Congress, made these statements in a report to about 40 American members of the Actions Committee of the World Zionist Organization at a meeting today at the Jewish Agency. She said there are at least four programmatic and structural changes being projected: These are:

“1. Problems of the Jewish community outside of Israel will be a major concern of the Zionist Congress, the first time in history that it has been so orientated. The adoption of a comprehensive program of combating the trend toward assimilation through more intensive education and a deeper commitment to Jewish survival and Israel will be the goal of a program designed to deepen the dedication to Judaism of millions of Jews throughout the world.

“2. The structure of world Zionist organizations–the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency and the Actions Committee–will be broadened so as to include interested Jewish leaders who accept the Zionist program but who are not affiliated with any particular Zionist group. This, it is felt, will strengthen the Zionist movement by enlarging its influence.

“3. The greater participation of youth, both through affiliated Zionist groups and through general Jewish youth groups, will be sought. A first step will be the participation of at least 70 young people as full-fledged participants in the Zionist Congress.

“4. Organized national Jewish groups, Kehillot, etc., will be officially represented at the 26th Zionist Congress, in addition to representatives of the Zionist groupings. This also will be another step toward broadening the base of Congress.”

In all, Mrs. Halprin said, 650 delegates will attend the 26th Zionist Congress, of whom 29 percent will be from the United States, 38 percent from Israel, and the remaining 33 percent from other countries of the Diaspora. A budget of 340, ,000 Israeli pounds, a little over $113,000,000, will be submitted to the Congress. The budget has already been approved by the Jewish Agency executive for the 1965-66 year.