Zionist Congress Elections Scheduled in Latin American Countries

The Zionist organizations in Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico have agreed to conduct elections by ballot to elect delegates to the next Zionist Congress which will be held in Jerusalem in January 1972, according to Itzhak Korn, member of Israel’s Knesset and Secretary General of the World Labor Zionist Movement. Arriving in New York yesterday on his way to Israel, he told a press conference that Israeli and world Jewry must “pay great attention” to the problems of South American Jewry. The political and social aspects in most of these countries evoke “deep concern” for the future of the Jewish communities there. Korn said the Zionist movement and the State of Israel have recently enlarged their interest and concern for these communities. He cited the success of the Tauat Aliyah movement which had in many places doubled and tripled its membership of persons committed to immigrate to Israel. At the same time, “it must be admitted, that the majority of the younger generation of Latin-born youth and intellectuals are far from actively participating in our Jewish national life,” Korn added. The Jewish educational systems in Latin America are in “a crisis stage” and require “immediate and substantial” assistance in both finances and professionalism in order to recover their former leading roles in Jewish life, Korn reported. He said that while in Chile he was an official guest of the Chilean Parliament where a reception was given to him by all the parties.