Z.O.A. Opposition Group Criticizes Leadership; Decides to Raise $250,000 Fund

A resolution criticizing the present leadership of the Zionist Organization of America for “its attack on the Jewish Agency executive” was adopted here today at a conference arranged by the Committee for Progressive Zionism, an opposition group within the Z.O.A. Principal speakers at the meeting were Dr. Stephen S. Wise, Louis Lipsky and Judge Louis E. Levlnthal.

The resolution expressed “confidence” in the Jerusalem members of the Agency executive, who are scheduled to arrive in this country this week and assured the executive members of “our loyal support in all their endeavors to achieve effective cooperation in American Zionism,” Judge Levinthal, Michael A. Stavitsky, of Newark, and Carl Sherman, of New York, served on the committee which drafted the resolution.

Adopted in reply to a statement issued earlier by the Z.O.A. which characterized as “intervention” the proposal by the Agency executive to come to this country, the resolution said:

“The present administration of the Z.O.A. bristles with antagonism, resents and suppresses Justifiable criticism and constructive suggestions, has closed its ranks to representative and progressive leadership, has lost contact with the Government of the United States to the detriment of Israel and is even at war with the highest authority of the World Zionist Organization, the executive of the Jewish Agency. The best interests of the Zionist movement in America would be served by changing the present regime of the Z.O.A. at its next annual convention,” the resolution said.

The conference voted to raise $250,000 in a nationwide drive “to acquaint the American Jewish community with the issues at stake and with the urgent necessity of reforming the present leadership of the Z.O.A.”