The United Jewish Appeal concluded today its two-day 20th annual national conference here with a call to American Jewry to raise a special $100,000,000 Rescue Fund over and above the regular UJA campaign for 1958, which require $102,031,000, Morris W. Berinstein of Syracuse N. Y., well-known philanthropist and business leader. was elected general chairman succeeding William Rosen Wald who served in this position during the last three years.
The decision to conduct a rescue fund campaign in addition to the regular drive was adopted by the more than 1,300 delegates from all parts of the country who attended the conference. Some of the delegates brought forward checks from their communities totaling several million dollars. Thirty-three communities whose 1957 campaigns topped at previous records were presented with special awards Mr. Rosenwald was presented with a silver antique menorah for his outstanding leadership of the UJA since its founding and his major role as general chairman for the last three years.
The vote for a 1958 rescue fund came after the delegates heard Moshe Sharett former Prime Minister of Israel, sum up Israel’s accomplishments and problems on the eve of its 10th anniversary. and heard Edward M. Warburg, UJA honorary chairman outline the humanitarian tasks which the member agencies of the UJA are facing for the coming year.
SHARETF DENOUNCES MOSCOW’S “IMPLACABLE HOSTILITY” TO ISRAEL
That the capital of a great nation should become a constant source of the “most systematic and blatant mendacity,” he said, “is a most depressing and deeply disturbing phenomenon. It is a revolting degradation of international relations.” Mr. Sharett was also critical of the West, asserting that its groping “toward dead ghosts of appeasement” could be sensed. In an apparent reference to Brita in he added that “some governments are unable to learn a lesson from their own past experiences.”
He warned the West against trying to buy Arab friendship at the expense of Israel, In a wildly applauded declaration, Mr. Sharett sharply rejected the 1947 partition plan. “The Arab invasion killed the partition plan of 1947 “he exclaimed. “The plan cannot now be resurrected by word of mouth. History has moved forward. Israel has moved forward.”
The former Prime Minister declared that since 1948 his country has achieved an enormous advance in productive capacity and economic performance.” He expressed special gratitude at the financial assistance accorded Israel’s economic growth by the United States Government through loans and grants, and at the same time paid tribute to the efforts of American Jews for their aid to the humanitarian work of absorbing Israel’s immigrants.
WARBURG OUTLINES “CRUCIAL TASKS” TO BE FACED BY U. J. A. IN 1958
Mr. Warburg listed the “crucial” tasks which he foresaw that the supporters of the United Jewish Appeal must make possible in 1958 through both the UJA Rescue Fund and the regular campaign. “Some 70,000 Jews in Eastern Europe, North Africa and other Moslem areas will be in urgent need of resettlement in Israel in 1958. Another 10,000 displaced Jews including refugees who fled Egypt and Hungary last year, and who now are in transit camps in Western Europe can be resettled to free countries including the United States. British Commonwealth lands and Latin America.
In Israel, he declared, UJA funds must be used to carry forward vital programs of constructive aid for 375,000 previous immigrants–making up more than half of the 615,000 individuals who will require UJA help in 1958- whose absorption is far from completed, or who are among the aged, the handicapped and the young. requiring suitable welfare aid.
“More than 22,000 families, representing some 100,000 immigrant men, women and children are still living after many years in tin-hut towns, known as ‘ma’abaroth,’ “Mr. Warburg pointed out, He added that another 100,000 recent immigrants “are living in substandard semi-permanent housing units. All these people have a high priority on our help “Mr. Warburg said.
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman, the UJA executive vice-chairman, summed up 1958 objectives and called for “meeting the greatest part of the commitments we have pledged
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.
