Problems facing the forthcoming World Zionist Congress, which is scheduled to be held in April in Jerusalem, were discussed here yesterday at a meeting of the national executive committee of the Zionist Organization of America. Jacques Torczyner, who led the discussion, claimed that calling the World Zionist Congress under extraordinary circumstances and at an earlier date than originally planned crease many problems.
“While it is a wonderful opportunity to express the solidarity of world Jewry with the State of Israel, the congress will be overshadowed by Israel’s political and security problems, “Mr. Torczyner stated. “The 24th Zionist Congress meets five years after the preceding one and many things have happened since then which have neither strengthened the movement nor increased its influence.”
“What is really needed,” he continued, “is a congress that could devote itself less to organizational and structural questions and more to the framing of a program of action and activity the world over; and increase of cultural and educational activity in the communities of the Diaspora, the creation of instruments to integrate Jews all over the world into a Movement that believes in Jewish survival as a people, We wonder if there will be time for such discussions and if the congress will not be used, instead, only as a propaganda platform, dominated by Israel’s external and internal problems.”
Rabbi I, Usher of Kirshblum, national ZOA membership chairman, reported an up swing in membership since September. He announced that as of January 1 the organization was ahead by some 6,000 members as compared with the same date of the previous year. For the past three months over 50,000 members were enrolled including 5,602 or and new members.
Dr. Sidney Marks, ZOA executive director, presented an organizational report indicating marked progress in the activities and achievements of all departments of the organization. He reported that the newly established ZOA committee to study the fundamental problems confronting American Zionism under the chairmanship of Rabbi Joseph P. Sternstein of Dayton, Ohio, will shortly present a basic statement to the full committee meeting in New York on February 22.
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