The 1956 campaign of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York set a record mark of more than $10,000,000 tonight when the drive was formally launched at its Inaugural Dinner in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Plaza Seven hundred business and community leaders attended.
Governor Averell Harriman, the principal speaker, called for positive action by the United States in the current Middle East crisis to bring Israel’s neighbors to “understand and accept the fact that Israel is going to continue to exist and that if it is attacked, it will be defended by outside forces, including forces of the United States.”
The Governor said this is our obligation under the Tripartite Declaration of 1950 by the United States, Great Britain and France, guaranteeing the status quo in the Middle East. Stating that the United States should, of course, support UN action in the situation to the full, Mr. Harriman also declared that this country cannot use the United Nations “as an excuse for weakening our own determination to live by our own obligations” toward Israel.
The U.S. Government should have honored Israel’s request for defensive arms at once, Governor Harriman maintained in his address. Its failure to do so, he claimed, “has served to encourage further Communist adventuring,” while it has “increased the sense of isolation in Israel.” The Governor went on to say that he did not hold with those who say that providing defensive arms to Israel is futile because the people of Israel are outnumbered by the Arabs. “There are other qualities than numbers that make for defensive strength,” he said. “Anyone who has been to Israel knows that every man and every woman is ready to give his life in the defense of home and country.”
WARBURG URGES U.S. JEWS TO RETURN TO “CRISIS STANDARD” OF GIVING
Edward M. M. Warburg, president of the national United Jewish Appeal, emphasized the vast scope of the needs which must be met through the 1956 campaign. After describing the plight of the 500,000 Jews in 20 countries who must be helped through the UJA this year, he underscored the peril of the 45,000 North African Jews who are striving to escape to Israel this year. “I feel that we must return as individuals and as communities to the crisis standard of giving which we reached when Israel was fighting for its existence eight short years ago,” he said.
Referring to the arms which are being provided Egypt by the Communists, Mr. Warburg stated: “The Egyptians have received a gift that begets death. We are not asked to give a gift in kind. We are asked by the people of Israel only to make a gift of life.” He pointed out that this year’s nationwide United Jewish Appeal campaign is really two separate campaigns. The organization seeks to meet Jewish needs throughout the world, and it also seeks a Special Survival Fund for resettlement and rehabilitation of North African immigrants to Israel.
The dinner was a testimonial to Samuel Hausman, who is now serving as a general chairman of the New York UJA campaign for the tenth successive year. He received the highest honor bestowed by the UJA of Greater New York, the Annual Chairmen’s Award for distinguished service. The presentation of the gold plaque was made by J. W. Schwab, who was chairman of the dinner committee.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
