Statements by President John F. Kennedy and Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion of Israel lauding the aims and achievements of the United Jewish Appeal over the past quarter of a century as being “in the finest humanitarian traditions of America,” and as “one of the greatest miracles in Jewish history” were released today by the United Jewish Appeal.
The statements were contained in messages to Governor Herbert H. Lehman, who is serving as honorary chairman of the United Jewish Appeal’s 25th Anniversary Committee. The anniversary and its year-long observances will be ushered in at the UJA’s 25th Annual National Conference opening here this Friday. The conference, which will be attended by 2,000 Jewish communal leaders from all parts of the United States, will have former President Harry S. Truman, former Israel Prime Minister Moshe Sharett, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Mrs. Golda Meir, Mr. Lehman, UJA General Chairman Joseph Meyer-hoff and JDC Chairman Edward M. M. Warburg among the speakers.
In his message of greetings, President Kennedy said: “In the continuing effort to fulfill its primary aims of rescue, relief, and rehabilitation, the UJA is adhering to the finest humanitarian traditions of our country. This warm spirit of compassion to assist the less fortunate has inspired the people of UJA from its very beginnings. I understand that during the UJA’s quarter century of operations its funds have been utilized to rescue more than one and a half million persons and to provide direct relief and rehabilitation for more than twice that number. This is an impressive record.”
Prime Minister Ben-Gurion said in his message: “You who created and supported the United Jewish Appeal have been unmatched by any other generation. You have not given charity. You have given life. And now there are still two tasks before us. One, never to forget what happened to our European brethren 25 years ago. And, second, to continue with your historic task even for another 25 years.”
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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.
