Zionist Congress Elects Goldmann As World Leader; Names New Executive

The 24th World Zionist Congress closed today with the election of Dr. Nahum Goldmann as president of the World Zionist Organization, the naming of a 17-member world executive and the election of a 100-member Zionist Actions Committee. Dr. Goldmann, who was elected by a vote of 272 to 42, with only the Revisionists in opposition, was also authorized by the Congress to appoint an acting chairman of the Jewish Agency executive during his absences from either New York or Jerusalem.

The new executive includes representatives of every Zionist party except the extreme right-wing Herut, which advocates a "defensive war" by Israel. After the composition of the new executive was made known, Harry Levi, Herut leader, declared that his organization "will use all constitutional means to break the executive." The executive is composed of six members of the General Zionist Confederation, six Mapai members, three Mizrachi and Mizrachi Laborites, one Achdut Avodah member and one Mapam member.

The Congress adopted a resolution to invite non-Zionists to share responsibility in the Jewish Agency. The new executive was instructed to submit proposals to the Zionist Actions Committee on how to implement this resolution "as soon as possible."

The delegates authorized the Actions Committee to deal with and decide upon all matters pertaining to the structure and composition of the Congress, including the question of whether the "double shekel" should be abolished, elections of Congress delegates and the right to vote at congresses. The Actions Committee was instructed to meet at least once a year and to elect from among its members a "Small General Council," consisting of 33 persons, including all members of the Actions Committee presidium.

DECIDES TO FORM OVERALL ZIONIST FEDERATIONS IN EVERY COUNTRY

The delegates adopted a resolution ordering the establishment of overall Zionist federations in every country and providing that such bodies would include all Zionist groups in each country. In addition, it provided that any group which adheres to the Zionist program, but is not affiliated with a Zionist party may be admitted to the federation upon receiving a favorable vote from at least two-thirds of the members of the federation’s executive body. If rejected, such groups may appeal to the World Zionist executive. Each federation will be empowered to establish its own rules for the admission of individuals who do not wish to affiliate with any subordinate group.

In the United States, the American Zionist Council will become the base of the Zionist federation. The Actions Committee was empowered to set up rules for electing the governing bodies of the territorial federations and for otherwise implementing the resolution.

The Actions Committee was further instructed to deal with the question of a Zionist Organization in Germany and how Zionist activities would be conducted in that country. A resolution submitted by the Herut calling for the Israel Government not to establish diplomatic relations with Germany was tabled.

The delegates instructed the Zionist executive and the movement’s institutions outside Israel to make special efforts to attract middle class elements as immigrants to Israel, and hailed a decision by the Israel Government, Bank of Israel and the Jewish Agency to set up a loan fund aimed at assisting middle class families to establish themselves in Israel.

The executive was instructed to try to arrange with the government to give such immigrants favorable treatment and assistance in converting goods and other property they may transfer from abroad to Israel. It was also instructed to draft a plan for an organization to assist in the liquidation of property abroad of immigrants to Israel.

CONGRESS HAILS UNITED JEWISH APPEAL; J. N. F. TO REMAIN INDEPENDENT

In another resolution the delegates hailed the work of the United Jewish Appeal, Jewish National Fund and the Keren Hayesod–Israel Foundation Fund–in the building and development of Israel. Noting a steady increase in the income of the JNF and UJA, the delegates commended the joint efforts of the Zionist movement and world Jewry to consolidate the State of Israel and to bring in immigrants and settle them in the Jewish State.

The Congress decided that the JNF would remain independent and also called on Zionist groups to refrain from independent fund-raising activities that would interfere with the Keren Hayesod. It instructed the Zionist executive to set up a commission to eliminate duplication of such activities. Other resolutions hailed the Jewish Agency’s "ship to village" plan for speedy settlement of the immigrants, the Joint Distribution Committee’s scholarship program for secondary school education in Israel, the Malben’s social welfare program and the work of women’s organizations in the immigrant villages.

CONGRESS ADOPTS RESOLUTIONS ON YOUTH IMMIGRATION, EDUCATION

In a resolution devoted to agriculture in Israel, the Congress stressed the importance it attaches to the establishment of a chain of settlements in the central and southern Negev. It reaffirmed the view that each Jew and each settlement of new immigrants or veteran settlers has the right to affiliate with whatever "trend" he or it chooses.

On the question of Youth Aliyah, the delegates called for increased appropriations to make possible the movement’s expansion and permit it to care for 25,000 to 40,000 additional children in the next three to four years. The resolution appealed to the Soviet Union and the Communist countries to allow the emigration to Israel of Jewish war orphans. It called on parents in countries outside Israel to send their children to Israel to assure the future of the children and to avert the dangers of assimilation.

In still another resolution, the Congress stressed the importance of the education of youth outside Israel in Jewish and Zionist ideals. Both the appropriate Jewish Agency departments and Zionist organizations throughout the world were asked to "invest maximum effort in work among youth."

It further called on the Zionist executive and all Zionist organizations to raise the standard of education and cultural activities in all communities. The standards of Hebrew schools should be raised by drafting new curricula, by training educational personnel and by writing new texts. Special effort should be expended in the training of rabbis and in bringing rabbis closer to the Israeli community, the delegates urged.

DR. GOLDMANN, IN ACCEPTANCE SPEECH, CALLS FOR COOPERATION

Dr. Goldmann, in a moving acceptance speech, thanked the Congress for electing him president of the World Zionist movement, and emphasized that the success or failure of his leadership will depend largely on the sincere cooperation of all groups represented at the Congress as well as on the cooperation of the State of Israel. He told the delegates that he had wanted a broad "wall-to-wall" coalition, but he had realized that no one can get everything he wants. Nevertheless, he called for the full cooperation of the Revisionists, who are not part of the new coalition executive.

Evaluating the achievements of the Congress, Dr. Goldmann said that they marked the beginning of constitutional changes which would lead to a "glorious renovation" of the Zionist movement. "With a bit of skepticism but with faith in the future, with self-criticism but with hope, we will march to strengthen the movement and fulfill the great tasks ahead in these fateful days," he concluded.

Mrs. Rose Halprin, who reported to the Congress that the steering committee had decided to nominate Dr. Goldmann as president of the World Zionist Organization, noted that the Zionist movement had elected no president since Dr. Chaim Weizmann last held the post. The steering committee, she declared, considered it an honor to ask Dr. Goldmann to assume leadership of the movement because of his services to the Jewish people and to Israel. "Dr. Goldmann," she stated, "is a giant among us and we do not see anybody else who is able to lead us." Her words were greeted with tremendous applause.

The Congress was officially closed by Joseph Sprinzak, chairman of the Zionist Actions Committee, in the early hours of this morning and concluded with the singing of Hatikvah by all delegates. The 17 persons elected to the new executive are: Yehuda Braginsky, David Bet-Arieh, Eliahu Dobkin, Leon Dulczin, Dr. Israel Goldstein, Dr. Giora Josephtal, Levi Eshkol, Rabbi Mordecai Kirshblum, Moshe Kol, Zvi Lurie, Dr. Emanuel Neumann, Louis Segal, S. Z. Shragi, Zalman Shazar, Abraham Harman, Meir Grossman and Rose Halprin.