As the 24th World Zionist Congress approached its closing hours, unanimous agreement was reached today by all parties to elect Dr. Nahum Goldmann as president of the World Zionist Organization and as head of its executive.
Deliberations were still going on tonight on the naming of an acting chairman of the executive for Jerusalem as well as for the New York branches of the executive. These acting chairmen will direct the work of the respective headquarters during the absence of Dr. Goldmann from either New York or Jerusalem.
The Mapai delegates at the Congress suggested today that Dr. Abba Hillel Silver be elected chairman of the Zionist Actions Committee, which is the supreme Zionist body between world congresses. Joseph Sprinzak, the present chairman, has indicated his readiness to resign in favor of Dr. Silver. Other parties, too, are supporting the Mapai proposal, subject to Dr. Silver’s acceptance.
Negotiations were also continuing on the possible inclusion in the World Zionist executive of the right-wing Herut party. The left-wing groups are opposed to admitting the Herut, and the Mapam has threatened to quit the executive if the Herut is admitted.
The legal committee of the Congress decided to accept in principle the suggestion by Dr. Goldmann that the world Zionist movement be reorganized on a territorial basis. The colonization committee accepted the demand of the religious groups that religious education be conducted in religious settlements.
CONGRESS TO BE CONVENED EVERY THREE YEARS; LIMITED TO 500-DELEGATES
The organization committee decided that the World Zionist Congress must convene every three years and that the number of delegates should not exceed 500. The decisions of all committees are expected to be approved at the closing session of the Congress, which is scheduled for tonight. The closing session will also elect a new executive of the world Zionist movement and of the Jewish Agency.
Dr. Goldmann, winding up the general debate today, dwelt on the relations between Israel and world Jewry, especially between “Israel’s man in the street” and the Zionist movement. Dr. Goldmann emphasized that the Jews outside of Israel are still the main sources of Israel’s strength, whether financially or politically. He predicted that Israel will continue to need this assistance for many years to come.
Dr. Goldmann urged that Zionists should be educated to strengthen Zionist influence among Jews. He stressed that the Zionist movement in the United States had not assumed the proper place which it should and could have assumed in the ranks of American Jewry. He attributed it to the lack of a central Zionist authority capable of guiding and directing the Zionists in every town in which they reside. A united Zionist organization would be able to provide such advice, he stated.
Returning to the subject of relations between Israel and the Zionist movement, Dr. Goldmann asserted that he did not underestimate the importance of Israel’s sovereignty, but he did not think that partnership with the Zionist organization would detract in any way from Israel’s sovereignty.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
