Mapai,Rafi Lick Wounds, Establish United Labor Party; B-G Alone JERUSALEM (JTA)—More than down all barriers, narrowed dif- 2,200 delegates joined by guests ferences and revived labor unity and well-wishers from 22 countries in Israel. around the world, attended the The secretary-general of each of founding conference here of the three parties to the merger — Israel's new United Labor Party — Mrs. Meir for Mapai, Shimon Mifleget Avoda Yisroel (MM) — Peres for Rafi and Israel Galili for composed of Mapai, the party of Ahdut Avoda — declared in turn Prime Minister Levi Eshkol; Rafi, that the merger was undertaken the dissident labor party estab- to provide strong leadership for the lished by former Prime Minister nation. They stressed, however, David Ben-Gurion, and Ahdut that freedom of discussion will Avoda, another Mapai offshoot prevail and all members will abide which has returned to the fold. by majority decisions. Appeals were voiced by veteran The contract of union, combin- ing the three labor parties, was party members for the remaining signed Sunday by the secretary dissidents to return to the fold, generals of each party — Golda particularly Ben-Gurion. Calls were Meir for Mapai, Shimon Peres for also issued to Mapam, the left- Rafi and Israel Gall for Ahdut wing labor party which had an- Avoda. nounced previously that it would Adding their signatures were the seek alignment with the new party 187 members of the new party's and present a common list of can- secretariat and the 15 founding didates in the next Knesset elec- members. Among the latter were I tions. But the religious workers Mrs. Rachel Ben-Zvi, w idow of , faction— Haoved Hadati — which the late President Yitzhak Ben- had joined the Mapai-Ahdut Avoda Zvi of- Israel and Mrs. Rachel i alignment when it was formed Shazar, wife of incumbent Presi- three years ago, announced that dent Zalman Shazar. it would re-establish itself as a separate faction. Noticeable by his absence from The chairman of the Knesset the ceremonies and conference was formerPrime Minister David Ben- I committee announced that the de- Gurion• who bitterly opposed- the signation, Labor Party faction, has merger of Rafi — the Israel been approved for 44 Knesset mem- Workers Party — with Mapai. bers who advised the committee of Ben-Gurion stood firm on his re- their adherence to the new United fusal to join the new party under Labor Party of Israel. But a problem, more sentimental its present leadership. A Rafi dele- gation that visited his home at than political, arose when former Sde Boker in the Negev last week- members of Rafi were reluc- end was unable to persuade him I tant to take their new seats in the to attend the merger festivities. Mapai section of the Knesset cham- ber and thus leave their old leader, Also opposed to the merger, Ben-Gurion, seated alone. but for different reasons, was The central commission of the Mrs. Nick, Israel's former for- United Workers Party has decided, eign minister and secretary- against the votes of Rafi and a general of Mapai who refused an s ection of the Mapai, to continue offer by the Mapai central corn- corn-s singing the "International" and mittee to become secretary- general of the merged parties. "I received my mandate from you and on your dissolution I return my mandate to you," she said. The merged party will have three bodies — a 438 member cen- tral committee, a 187 member sec- Friday, January 26, 1968-9 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS If you haven't seen me on a new PONTIAC, TEMPEST or FIREBIRD you do not have the best price. the Hatikva, and to display the red flag together with the blue-white. In addition to its food aid, dur- ing 1967 CARE delivered $119,000 worth of food-production equip- ment to help hungry people feed themselves. ASK FOR SAUL BERCH AT PACKER PONTIAC 18650 LIVERNOIS UN 3-9300 1 block S. of 7 Mile now available...a limited supply of The Victory Coin issued by the Bank of Israel This striking sterling silver commemorative coin honors Israel's recent victory. It depicts the revered Wailing Wall on one side and the emblem of Israol's Defense Forces on the other. A supply of Uncirculated Coins is now available at the following offices of the National Bank of Detroit. The price is $6.00 per coin. Main Office, Woodward at Fort Woodward-Salem • Coolidge-Ten Mile Seven Mile-Wyoming • Van Dyke-Eight Mile Southfield-Eleven Mile • Seven Mile-Winthrop West Maple-Cranbrook NATIONAL BANK OF DETROIT Einstein Lodge & Chapter, B'nai B'rith retariat and a small body to be established next week. The merger of the three party factions in the Knesset and within the World Zionist Organization, will also take place next week. The three parties have already merged in several municipalities, including Jerusalem. Dissident fac- tions of Rafi, opposed to the mer- ger, have seceded and declared themselves "independent." Ben-Gurion did not attend the final meeting of the Rafi central committee, but his election to the secretariat of the new united party was proposed by Defense Minister Moshe Dayan, who, with Ben- Gurion, was one of the founders of Rafi. The nomination was greeted by applause. The new Labor Party began its first task Monday — the search for effective leadership to govern it. The party will command 58 seats out of 120 in the Knesset. But the party leadership is yet to be de- fined. Proposals were made to estab- Israel 20th Anniversary DINNER-DANCE SAT. EVE., FEB. 3 8:15 P.M. B'NAI DAVID SOCIAL HALL - Guest Star Music by Eric Rosenow & His Continentals EMIL COHEN Bah a five-member secretariat as the party's supreme govern- ing body. It would be composed of three former Mapai members and one each from Rafi and Ahdut Avoda. Meanwhile, a three-man committee was formed to recommend practical meas- ures to cement party unity. Ben-Gurion took his usual seat in the Knesset Monday afternoon as other Rafi members moved over to the former Mapai section of the chamber. Ben-Gurion has not announced his secession. The need for unity, particularly in face of the danger confronting Israel since the June war, was the main theme of the new party's in- augural. It was stressed by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol who was present with his entire cabinet, to deliver the keynote address. Eshkol declared that the spirit of national unity that emerged before and during last June's war tore Dinner-Dance Committee members, from left, seated: Mrs. Nathan Nothman, Chapter President; Mrs. Mania Weisenberg, Chapter Israel Bond Chairman and Dinner - Dance Co - Chairman; Mrs. Nathan Berman, Mrs. Irving Isaacs, Vice President, B'nai B'rith Women's Council; Mrs. Henry Dorfman, Mrs. Max Pines and Mrs. Henry Morgan. Standing: Leo Rosenfeld, Leon Weberman, Zigmunt Rubin, Dinner- Dance Committee Co-chairman; Oscar Bakalar, Lodge President; Felix Rosenweig, B'nai B'rith Council Israel Bond Chairman; Max Fridman, Dinner-Dance Committee Chairman and Lodge Israel Bond Chairman; Mark Webber, Eric Rosenow and Louis Kay. Not shown are Norman Adelsberg, Dinner- Dance Co-Chairman and Walter Cykiert, Sam Freedman, Marcus Last, Al Mondroe, Mrs. Felix Rosen- zweig and Irving Ross, members of the Committee. For Reservations: DI 1-5707 $5.00 per person Cocktails from 7:45 p.m. Auspices, B'nai B'rith Israel Bond Committee