U.S. Zionist Group Seeks to Form New National Membership Organization

A decision to appoint a provisional committee on organization “to consider the problem of forming a national membership organization based on the principle of non-affiliation with Israel political parties,” was adopted at a meeting held here under the auspices of the Independent Zionist Group of America under the chairmanship of Judge Louis E. Levinthal of Philadelphia.

Judge Levinthal reported to the meeting, held at Waldorf Astoria Hotel, on the proceedings of the last World Zionist Congress and emphasized the decisions adopted by the Congress with regard to the establishment of territorial unions. He then submitted a resolution which, following discussion, was adopted unanimously. The resolution reads.

“Whereas it is our firm conviction that Zionist groups in the Diaspora should refrain from affiliation or identification with any Israeli political party in order to avoid interfering in the democratic processes of government in Israel and that Israeli party differences and controversies should not crowd the agenda of Zionist groups in the Diaspora; and whereas these views are shared by countless Jews in the United States and there is a need for a national Zionist group that shall be based on the above principles.

“Therefore we, independent Zionists of America, recognized as a group by the 24th Zionist Congress, agree to appoint a provisional committee on organization to consider the problem of forming a national membership organization based on the principle of non-affiliation with Israeli political parties and subject to the general policies of the World Zionist Congress of which it shall be a part.

“It is understood that such a provisional committee named at this meeting may be enlarged. It is further agreed that the provisional committee shall draft a plan of organization and a program of action for the new organization, which shall be circulated among its members as well as among other interested parties in order to establish a consensus on which its final report shall be based.

“It is further agreed that when the committee completes its preliminary draft of plan and program it shall call a special meeting of its members to consider the completed report; and should a majority of the members present or voting by mail at said meeting accept the same, the Provisional Committee shall be authorized to invite all Zionists sympathetic to the new organization to join its ranks; and call a constituent assembly of delegates at a time and place it shall decide; to prepare an agenda and the rules of representation for submission to the constituent assembly, which shall establish the new organization on a permanent basis.

The provisional committee on organization named at the meeting includes the following: Judge Levinthal, Dewey Stone, Ezra Shapiro, Fred Monosson, Louis Lipsky, Benjamin G. Browdy, Samuel H. Daroff, Sol Luckman, Frederic R. Mann, Philip Lown, Jacob M. Alkow, Abe S. Kay, Lawrence Lasky, Louis P. Rocker, Benjamin Harris, Robert Silverman, Louis Falk, Judge Jacob Schwolsky, Adolph Hamburger, Irving Norry, Rabbi Isidore Breslau, and others.