Sen. Lehman Says Israel is Not the “homeland” of American Jews

Sen. Herbert H. Lehman in a letter addressed to Or. Israel Goldstein, as president of the American Jewish Congress, and made public by him this week-end, emphasized that he is “strongly dissenting from a view allegedly expressed at the Plenary Assembly of the World Jewish Congress that Americans of Jewish faith should regard Israel as their homeland and have an obligation to return there.”

Sen. Lehman referred to a speech made at the WJC by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the organization. Dr. Goldmann later issued a statement asserting that he never indicated that all Jews outside of Israel should regard themselves or should be regarded as Israelis or potential Israelis. Pointing out that he took note of Dr. Goldmann’s clarification, Sen. Lehman said:

“I was glad to note that Dr. Golmann took pains to amend some of the broader and, in my judgment, more dangerous implications, of his original statement which was, indeed, subject to misinterpretation. However, I feel it most important that the general public be clearly aware that most American Jews with whom I am in contact not only do not share but actively oppose any concept which presupposes any primary loyalty or obligation on the part of American Jews other than to the United States.”

Declaring that Dz. Goldmann, as an individual, has a right to his own opinion, and “has a right to express himself as he sees fit,” Sen. Lehman added that “it would be most unfortunate if his views are permitted to go unchallenged as seeming to be the views of any large and important organization or groups of American Jews,

“I think it would be similarly unfortunate if the impression were to be created that Dr. Goldmann was expressing the viewpoint of the leadership of Israel,” he continued. “Since he is the president of the Jewish Agency, some color might be lent to this impression unless it were controverted.”

Emphasizing that he is deeply interested in the welfare of Israel and glad to lend his efforts to its well-being, Sen. Lehman said: “I do not do so however out of divided loyalty or out of any concept that Israel is the homeland of American Jews to which they must go. My devotion to Israel is rather as an American who feels that the advancement of the ideals and purposes for which America stands requires the advancement of the cause of Israel.”