The Rabbinical Assembly of America, whose 49th annual convention is currently being held here, today heard an appeal that it take the lead in the formation of a new branch of the Zionist movement which would represent the 500,000 Conservative Jews of the United States. The proposal was advanced by Rabbi David Aronson, president of the Assembly.
The 200 rabbis attending the parley heard Rabbi Aronson outline a plan for a religiously oriented body to foster American Jewry’s spiritual ties with Israel and to “strengthen our religious way of life.” Asserting that from here on the basis of the Zionist movement’s activities will not be political, Rabbi Aronson stressed that the liaison between American Jews and Israel must be based on a common faith and culture. He suggested that the projected new Zionist body would join a federation of Zionist bodies in this country and would also be affiliated with the World Zionist Organization.
To strengthen the spiritual ties between the Jews of Israel and the U.S., the rabbinical leader disclosed that a four-member mission will be sent to Israel following the closing of the current conference. It will undertake to study the religious resources of the new state which could also be applied toward strengthening Jewish life in America. In addition, the mission, which will be led by Rabbi Ben Zion Bokser of New York, will seek to learn how American can contribute to the development of religious life and institutions in Israel.
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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.
