Fishman Says Special Congress of American Zionists Needed to Discuss Serious Problems

That a special convention of the Zionist Organization of America is needed as soon as possible to discuss the serious problems facing Zionism in this country at this moment, is the contention of Jacob Fishman, made in an article in the “Jewish Morning Journal” of January 23.

Says Mr. Fishman: “Something must be done immediately to put the organization on a more firm basis, not only financially, but also spiritually. It is true that the Zionist organization during the last few years occupied itself too much with money-raising campaigns for Palestine purposes. This cannot, of course, be regarded as one of its sins, for were it not for the continual propaganda of the Zionist Organization, the Keren Hayesod would not have had the success which it did have here in the first few years. One cannot deny that indirectly, too, the Zionist idea won much from the propaganda for the funds. The best way to interest a person in a movement is to make him give money. Many Jews in America first gave money for Palestine, then became Zionists. For this the Zionist Organizatio deserves credit.

“But conditions have changed. The main work of raising money for Palestine is now no more exclusively a matter for the Zionist Organization, but of the Jewish Agency, in which the Zionist Organization is an equal partner. On the one hand, this is an advantage, since the Zionist Organization is now more free to spread the Zionist idea, especially among the Jewish youth, where our entire hope for the future lies. On the other hand, a readjustment, a reorganization of the machinery, as well as of the program, is necessary.

“I believe that a special convention of American Zionists should be called as soon as possible. The first duty of that convention should be to create a united front in American Zionism. Besides, a thorough program for the Zionist Organization should be worked out and machinery should be created to carry out that program.”