B’nai B’rith Convention in Israel Hears Plea on Fate of Soviet Jewry

A call for continued, organized protests against the fate of the Jewish minority in the Soviet Union was issued by Label A. Katz, national president of B’nai B’rith, as the fraternal organization opened its triennial convention here today in Jerusalem’s Convention Hall.

Two thousand persons attended the opening session, which was greeted by Israel’s two chief rabbis, Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Nissim and Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Isser Yehudah Untermann. Deploring sharply “the cruel impeachment of Jewish life in the Soviet Union,” Mr. Katz told the convention: “The status and future of Soviet Jewry has become the crucial test, not only of Soviet Jewry but of the free Jewish communities.”

Prior to the convention opening, delegates and officers of B’nai B’rith participated in ceremonies at the dedication of an addition to the B’nai B’rith Martyrs Forest, near this city. Mr. Katz announced that B’nai B’rith has pledged an additional $1,000,000 to the project, bringing the organization’s total for that purpose to $2,000,000.

Over the weekend, the B’nai B’rith leaders and delegates participated in two other ceremonies. Near Kibbutz Sdeh Boker, home of former Premier David Ben-Gurion, they dedicated a $250,000 Library of Midrasha College. Mr. Ben-Gurien was one of the participants in that ceremony. At Tel Aviv, the B’nai B’rith officials dedicated the Eddie Jacobson Auditorium of the B’nai B’rith Building. The auditorium is named after the late, former business partner of President Harry S. Truman. A letter was read from Mr. Truman, revealing that the late Mr. Jacobson played an important role in gaining Mr. Truman’s support of Israel’s statehood in 1948.