Zionist Actions Committee Votes Rules for Territorial Federations

The Zionist Actions Committee, at its concluding session last night, set up a series of regulations designed to implement the decision of the 24th World Zionist Congress to establish territorial federations as the basic structure of the movement.

Where a Zionist federation or other comprehensive, paramount Zionist body exists now, it shall serve as the base from which to extend the territorial structure. Existing Zionist executive boards should be enlarged to make room for representatives of new groups as they affiliate, the regulations state. Representation in the federation shall be based on the proportion of each group’s membership to the whole and each shall determine the form of election for itself.

The question of admission of non-Zionists to the federation shall be determined by each national structure, the regulations provide. The various Zionist parties within the federation shall remain independent in its own activities and party affiliation with a territorial federation shall not affect the party’s connection with its world movement.

The committee rejected a Herut move to debate the questions of relations between West Germany and Israel after it was stressed that this is a sphere of decision for the Parliament and Government of the Jewish State, not the Zionist movement.

WANTS JEWISH AGENCY – ISRAEL GOVERNMENT COVENANT IMPLEMENTED

The Actions Committee expressed regret over the fact that the covenant between the Israel Government and the Jewish Agency had not been implemented in all its provisions during the past year. It requested the Jewish Agency executive to put into operation the agreement regarding the coordinating Acted, on which members of the Israel Cabinet and of the Agency’s executive are represented. in order to make it “a permanently functioning institution.”

In another resolution, the Actions Committee expressed the desire that the distribution of the newcomers on the land and the efforts of housing new immigrants be coordinated through advanced planning. It called upon the Israel Government and Israeli industrialists to help in the development of industrialization areas with a view to consolidating and expanding the absorption of newcomers. At the same time, it welcomed the efforts to direct immigrants to agricultural settlements.

The resolution requested the maintenance of the present rate of immigration to Israel and urged that appropriate conditions be created to effect considerable immigration from countries in Western Europe, United States, South America and South Africa. It expressed gratification over the expansion of youth immigration and called for increased efforts for the absorption of the youth in workers settlements and youth villages.

EMPOWERS FINANCE COMMITTEE TO APPROVE JEWISH AGENCY BUDGET

The Actions Committee empowered its permanent budget and finance committee to approve the budgets of the Jewish Agency, Jewish National Fund and Keren Hayesod for the remainder of 1957 as well as for the fiscal year of 1958-59. It ordered Zionist federations and individual Zionist groups to cooperate fully with the national committee of the Jewish National Fund and reiterated the right of the JNF to use traditional methods of fund-raising. Other Zionist groups were urged not to use these methods.

Among resolutions which were adopted unanimously was one regarding the tenth anniversary of Israel as a “suitable opportunity for the expansion of educational and cultural activities and dissemination of its values among nations at large.” Zionist groups were urged to extend every possible assistance to carry out this program. A greater budget for the youth and hechalutz department was requested “in order to create deeper Zionist awareness among youth in the Diaspora and bring it closer to Zionist tasks in Israel.”

The Actions Committee associated itself with the action of the Parliament of Israel and the custom of many Jewish communities abroad in the observance of National Remembrance Day in memory of the six million Jews martyred by the Nazis. The committee urged Jews throughout the world to mark the 27th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan “in an appropriate manner.”

A letter calling on all settlements established on Jewish National Fund land to refrain from breeding swine was read and unanimously approved by the entire membership of the Actions Committee.

In the final minutes of the session, Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Zionist Organization, paid tribute to veteran Zionists Berl Locker and Baruch Zuckerman on the occasion of their 70th birthday.

American delegates to the Actions Committee meeting were beginning to return home today, although some will remain for several weeks touring the country. Among those who are returning is Rabbi Irving Miller, chairman of the American Zionist Council, who in a previous report was mistakenly identified as head of the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs.