Jewish organizations in New York City are preparing to give Mrs. Meir what the head of one of them predicted would be the “greatest welcome the city has ever accorded a foreign dignitary” when she comes here next Monday.
The Israeli leader, who will confer again with President Richard M. Nixon in Washington Thursday and Friday, has a heavy schedule in New York which included functions at City Hall and at the United Nations. Plans for greeting her are being coordinated by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Its chairman, Rabbi Herschel Schacter, urged the Jewish community to turn out in force to welcome the Israeli Premier. Jewish organizations are distributing blue-and-white lapel stickers and automobile bumper stickers with the legend, “Shalom Golda.” Rabbi Schacter said.
Mayor John V. Lindsay will greet Mrs. Meir at Kennedy Airport Monday morning where she will also be welcomed by contingents of Hebrew school children. At noon, the Mayor will preside at ceremonies on the steps of City Hall where Mrs. Meir will be officially welcomed. According to Rabbi Schacter, Jewish organizations in the city will close their offices between noon and 2 p.m. so that their employes can attend the City Hall ceremonies.
Mrs. Meir will be the luncheon guest of Secretary General U Thant at United Nations headquarters. At the same time a prayer service for peace will be conducted by Rabbi Gilbert Klaperman, president of the New York Board of Rabbis, at the Isaiah wall near the UN building.
Later in the afternoon, Gov. Nelson A. Rockefeller will call on Mrs. Meir at her Waldorf Astoria Hotel suite. Afterwards she will attend a reception given by Israel’s Foreign Minister, Abba Eban, for the heads of delegations to the UN General Assembly. On Monday evening, Mrs. Meir will be the guest of honor at a banquet given by 55 national and local Jewish organizations. Edward Ginsberg, general chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, and Samuel Rothberg, national campaign chairman of the Israel Bond Organization, will serve as co-chairmen of the event.
Rabbi Schacter said that Mrs. Meir will conduct a 90-minute off-the-record briefing for the Presidents Conference on Tuesday afternoon. Afterwards, Dr. Yaacob Herzog, director general of the Prime Minister’s office, will meet with the press. At 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, Mrs. Meir will address a rally at Madison Square Garden sponsored by the North American Jewish Youth Council, the American Zionist Youth Council and the American Zionist Youth Foundation. On Tuesday evening, Mrs. Meir will attend a dinner in her honor at the Brooklyn Museum, hosted by Mayor Lindsay. On Wednesday afternoon she will fly to Los Angeles.
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