Maj. Aharon Yariv, Israel’s chief negotiator with the Egyptians at Kilometer 101, former Chief of Military intelligence, and newly-elected member of Knesset, was the guest speaker at record-breaking United Jewish Appeal meetings in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. At the east and west coast meetings, Yariv shared honors with long-time friends William Rosenwald and Danny Kaye.
Rosenwald, UJA honorary general chairman, was one of the founders of the UJA. He is credited with personally raising $250 million for Jewish humanitarian causes in some 40 years of communal activity. The dinner meeting sponsored by the UJA of Greater New York and the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies cited Rosenwald on his 70th birthday.
Yariv stated that Rosenwald personified three superb qualities–confidence, realism and perseverance as exemplified by 40 years of public service. The General applied these same characteristics to the present situation in Israel. He stated that the Israelis are confident, despite the loss of life that the security and safety of their country will be preserved; that the road to peace will require a realistic understanding of the difficulties and possible pitfalls; and with confidence and realism, the Israelis will have the staying power to develop a strong, vibrant nation at peace with its neighbors.
In Los Angeles, Yariv greeted another friend, entertainer Danny Kaye, who returned to the U.S. from the Far East for the occasion. In what he described as a happy reunion, Yariv presented Kaye with an ancient artifact of the Bronze Age, dug from an archaeological site. The presentation was in recognition of Kaye’s morale building efforts during the Yom Kippur War. At the outbreak of the hostilities, Kaye cancelled his commitments in the U.S. to entertain front-line troops in Israel. He appeared before thousands of Israeli soldiers on the Golan Heights and in the Sinai.
More than 900 community and entertainment industry leaders attended the dinner meeting. About $300,000 in new and increased pledges were made that evening as an expression of tribute to Kaye and Yariv.
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