Zionists to Intensify Participation in Affairs of Local Communities

Intensification of Zionist participation in the affairs of the various Jewish communities around the world was urged here today in one of the resolutions adopted at the closing session of the 26th World Zionist Congress.

All Zionists were urged in this resolution to act vigorously in their own communities toward strengthening those Jewish communities while, at the same time, emphasizing particularly the centrality of Israel in Jewish life. The resolution requested the Zionist bodies in the United States to support every move aimed at unification of American Jewry “in accordance with the reality of American Jewish life.”

One of the resolutions approved the report of the World Zionist Organization’s finance committee, adopting a budget for 1965-66 totaling 339,000,000 Israeli pounds ($113,000,000). Other resolutions called for:

1. The appointment of a Commission to examine the problems of the World Zionist Organization, including the shekel, territorial organizations, elections, and the structure of the governing bodies. This Commission was instructed to submit its recommendations within two weeks.

2. Authorization to the Actions Committee to co-opt representatives of Zionist youth organizations and chairmen of large, territorial Zionist organizations to act in an advisory capacity. This measure also authorized the participation of youth organizations in future Congresses.

3. Doubling by Jews out side Israel of their contributions to the various appeals and drives for Israel, stressing the roles of the Keren Hayesod, the fund-raising arm of the W Z O, and the United Israel Appeal as “a main instrument,” A special role was emphasized for the Jewish National Fund’s performance of its “vital development tasks” and the JNF’s educational role.

Another set of resolutions dealt with educational and cultural activities. This measure recommended, among other things, the grant of scholarships and the training for high-level educational tasks in lands out side Israel. It recommended also the enhancement and improvement of conditions for Hebrew teachers in countries outside Israel.

A resolution approving the report of the Immigration and Absorption Committee urged that Jewish immigration to Israel be increased in the next few years. Other measures dealt with settlement and land development, stressed the decisive importance of the youth and other pioneer movements, and urged “every possible” support of those movements by all Zionist federations.

One resolution called for cooperation between the W Z O and other world Jewish organizations. This measure also recommended that the next executive committee enter an agreement with the World Jewish Congress “without affecting the full autonomy which each will retain in its own sphere.”