Jacques Torczyner of the World Zionist Organization Executive past president of the Zionist Organization of America, was elected chairman of the American Section of the World Jewish Congress here last night. He succeeded Rabbi Joseph Karasick. In an acceptance statement, Torczyner urged “unity of purpose and action” within the WJCongress’ traditional framework of diversity.
His opponents, in what insiders described as a hotly contested election characterized by bitter behind-the-scenes maneuvering, were Rabbi Wolfe Kelman, executive vice-president of the Rabbinical Assembly, and Jacob Katzman, executive vice-president of the Labor Zionist Alliance. Rabbi Kelman dropped out of the race before the balloting.
Torczyner said after his election, “At a time when Jewish leadership throughout the world is challenged by so many issues of great magnitude, the fact that the World Jewish Congress presents a free international Jewish forum is more important than ever.” He noted, too, that “This is a time when Jewish leaders from all parts of the Jewish spectrum have to sit down together, take counsel together, and find within their diversity the unity of purpose and of action that are indispensable if we are to produce the response that the challenge before us demands. Without insisting on uniformity, without trying to discredit or silence those whose views differ from ours, we must strive to preserve the unity of the community.”
CORRECTION
The Israeli basketball team, reported in Wednesday’s Daily News Bulletin as having been beaten by the Rochester University team, in fact belted that team. The sentence to the effect that the Israelis were clobbered should have read the Israelis then went on to clobber the local team by a score of 102-60. This error was a grave injustice to a splendid team and apologies are offered. Also for the record, the game Sunday night was held at the Maple leaf Gardens not the Maplewood Gardens.
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