The Canadian Zionist Federation is holding its fourth annual convention here. The week-long event that will conclude tomorrow, is the first overseas Zionist convention to be held in the Israeli capital since the World Jewish solidarity conference held here last year declared 1976 the year of identity with Israel. The CZF’s “first” was noted with pride by the 800 delegates from Canada and the 300 Canadian olim participating in the gathering.
The convention is a national event for Israelis too. The delegates were warmly greeted by President Ephraim Katzir who said he was deeply moved by their presence. He told them that Israel’s reply to Arab attacks “is to continue to build” the nation and, quoting the late Premier David Ben Gurion, the President declared, “Israel’s security does not depend only on our weapons but mostly on our perpetuation of Jewish traditions and progression in cultural achievements.”
The convention was also addressed by Defense Minister Shimon Peres, Minister of Tourism Moshe Kol, Likud leader Menachem Beigin and by Canada’s Ambassador to Israel, Edward Lee, who was given a thunderous ovation when he declared: “Canadian Jews played a great role in the development of Canada and their contributions in all fields of activities has surpassed by far their numbers….Your support will make Israelis feel that they do not stand alone.”
Philip Givens, of Toronto, who was unanimously re-elected president of the CZF, opened the convention by conveying greetings to the State of Israel from “the many thousands of Canadian Jews who could not make it to Jerusalem but are here in spirits. You are not alone. Come what may, we are with you.” Givens declared.
PILGRIMAGES AS REBUT TO UN
Kol expressed, in his address, the wish that 30 percent of world Jewry come to Israel on pilgrimages as a means of rebutting the UN General Assembly which, he said, “wasted 30 percent of its time with attacks on Israel.”
Peres said morale in Israel was higher than a reading of the mass media here might indicate. He said the next danger period will occur in May when the mandate of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) on the Golan Heights comes up for renewal. He said the Syrians would agree to extend the mandate only if they are confronted with a strong Israel. If they choose a military clash, they will find. “I must say in all clarity, a well-prepared Israeli army.”
Beigin, who heads the Herut wing of Likud, told the convention that the establishment of an “Arafat state” on the West Bank would be suicidal for Israel because it would become a listening post for Soviet intelligence and a dumping ground for the latest Soviet arms. He said Arabs living under Israeli administration should enjoy full cultural autonomy and be given the option of Israeli citizenship.
Beigin also proposed the establishment of a world Jewish Council that would include in its membership the entire Knesset and Jewish leaders from the free world. He suggested that such a Council meet in Jerusalem at three-month intervals to discuss major Jewish problems.
Between plenary sessions so far, the convention has been meeting in committees devoted to such subjects as aliya and absorption, education and culture, organization and information, youth and tourism problems.
ADOPT SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS
A series of resolutions were adopted at the initial plenary session in Jerusalem’s convention hall. Appropriately, the first one called on the Canadian government to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and to re-affirm united Jerusalem as the indivisible capital of Israel. Other resolutions called on the International Olympic Committee to schedule a memorial service for the Israeli athletes murdered by Arab terrorists at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
The Canadian government was urged to encourage charter flights to Israel and to extend El Al’s landing rights at Montreal to Toronto. The convention expressed full solidarity with Soviet Jewry and deep concern for the remaining Jews in Syria. It called on Canada’s Prime Minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau to intervene with the Damascus regime to ensure the safety of Syrian Jews and their right to emigrate. The United Nations was urged to return to its original principles, oppose the anti-Israel voting bloc and abandon actions that encouraged terrorism.
The convention also announced that it would launch a massive membership campaign in Canada to enable Canadian Jews to identify themselves with Zionism. Givens said in his opening address, “Our first priority is aliya and that every family in Canada should have one of its members living in Israel.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
