“I am returning home with renewed admiration for the spirit of dedication which large numbers of American Jews are showing for Israel exemplified by their activities for and contributions to the United Jewish Appeal,” Moshe Sharett, former Israel Prime Minister and chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, declared here today prior to his departure for Jerusalem.
Mr. Sharett, who spent five weeks in this country stimulating increased contributions to the United Jewish Appeal, addressed numerous gatherings of Jewish leaders in major cities in the United States and Canada, and was the principal speaker at the launching of the national UJA drive and at regional UJA conferences.
Emphasizing that he considers the UJA as the ” primary duty of American Jewry,” Mr. Sharett said prior to his return today to Israel that the scale of American Jewish giving has no parallel in Jewish history. “But,” he added, “there are vast amounts of Jewish capital that have not been tapped as yet.”
The Jewish Agency chairman was especially impressed with the young leadership program of the UJA. He said that when he addressed young leaders at the UJA regional conferences, he was greatly impressed with the keen interest which the second and third generations of American-born young Jews have displayed in seeking to know more about Zionism, Judaism and current problems of Jewish life. “These young people represent the most wonderful human material, ” he declared. He was also impressed with the all-day Jewish schools which he visited in the U.S. and Canada.
With regard to the American Zionist movement, Mr. Sharett said that during his visit here, he conferred with the leaders of the various Zionist groups. The movement, he said, is now undergoing a process of reappraisal that will lead to definite and practical results. “The American Zionist movement,” he added, “has passed its low and is ascending.”
Leaders of the United Jewish Appeal expressed their warm appreciation for the “inspiring and fruitful contributions” made to the current $95, 000, 000 UJA campaign by Mr. Sharett. Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman, executive vice-chairman of the UJA, in making public the expression of thanks, noted that he was joined by Joseph Meyerhoff, UJA general chairman, and all UJA leaders, in the vote of thanks to Mr. Sharett.
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.
