The Zionist General Council, at its annual meeting here this week, heard a plea from President Yitzhak Navon for the nation’s political leaders to provide “vision” and a better “personal example.” It also learned from World Zionist Organization Treasured Akiva Levinsky that the WZO’s budget this year has been reduced some 15 percent by inflation although in dollar terms it is the same as last year.
Another sober note was sounded by Avrahom Sherker, a member of the WZO Executive and head of its community services section, who reported a decline in the WZO’s standing abroad despite its increased efforts to play an active role in Jewish a communities overseas.
Navon’s remarks, at the opening session of the Council meeting yesterday, stressed his faith in the Israeli nation and people generally which, he said, was “much better than it is portrayed in the media.” But he noted that unfortunately there were ministers and Knesset members whose conduct did not serve as a good personal example to the younger generation. He also said that the growth in numbers of the WZO in recent years, with the accretion to it of synagogual bodies, did not necessarily increase its strength. The expansion of the WZO based on non-controversial principles — such as support of the State of Israel — does not mean that Zionism has been strengthened, he said.
That comment seemed to some observers to offer oblique support to a draft resolution strongly promoted by the younger leadership which would oblige Zionist leaders abroad to immigrate to Israel after two terms in office — or step down. The draft has encountered vigorous resistance from veteran diaspora leaders and is therefore unlikely to be supported by the Israeli delegates who are linked by party bonds to the diaspora leaders.
WZO FAILING IN DIASPORA
Levinsky, in his financial report, noted that the budget for this year is frozen at $50.8 million, the same as last year, though with 15 percent less buying power because of inflation. He said the freeze was not the result of a lessening of WZO income from the United Jewish Appeal and Keren Hayesod fund-raising but rather, it reflected the serious economic situation in Israel. “Business is not as usual and the WZO cannot ignore the situation,” he said.
Levinsky noted that some $23 million is ear-marked for immigration and absorption this year from Western countries. The WZO deals only with voluntary immigration while the Jewish Agency is concerned with immigration from areas of Jewish hardship.
Shenker told the Council that the WZO has not been entirely successful in countering the effects of anti-Zionist resolutions at the United Nations among some Jews, particularly young Jews. He said the State of Israel radiated “confused and confusing rays” to the diaspora.
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