The Fund That Rallied the Jewish People
By DIL ISRAEL GOLDSTEIN
World Chairman, Keren Hayesod.
United Israel Appeal
Fifty years is a long time in the
life of a human being; it is not a
long time In the history of a nation,
certainly not In the history of an
ancient people. Yet the 50 years of
the Keren Hayesod—we are mark-
ing the jubilee of its foundation
this year—span two of the most
important milestones in the che-
ckered history of the Jewish peo-
ple. One, tragic in its implications.
the Holocaust of the Jewish people
in World War II, when we lost six
million of our people and the cen-
ters of Jewish culture and learning
were destroyed; the other, the re-
surgence of Jewish statehood and
the rallying of all sections of the
Dr. Israel Goldstein, world chairman : of the Keren Hayesod-
Jewish people around their home- United Israel Appeal, in conversation with two of the village elders
land reborn.
at Avivim, the northern settlement which suffered so tragically
When the Keren Hayesod was es- during the recent shelling from across the Lebanese border.,
tablished 50 years ago, the Jewish
• • •
people were still licking the wound s
people go on and build Palestine,
Most Important of all, however,
and nursing the scars that had been the Jewish state will become a
It has induced members of the
inflicted upon them during World reality."
younger generation to assume re-
War I. The memory of the pogroms
May and June 1967 marked a new
sponsibilities and to take posi-
in Poland and the Ukraine was still chapter in the history of Jewish
tions of leadership.
fresh in their minds, the ruins of giving for Eretz Israel because it
For many years the younger
hundreds of Jewish communities
marked a new chapter in the rela-
were still smouldering, but the San tionship between the Jewish people people had taken cover under the
Remo peace conference had just in Israel. It was not perhaps new fact that their parents were "giv-
ratified the Balfour Declaration in essence as in the degree and ing" or "working" in Israel's be-
which served as a ray of hope in spontaneity of the reaction. The half. The Six-Day War brought an
infusion of new blood into the
its dark and overclouded skies.
peril in which the state of Israel
The Keren Hayesod, which found itself in the month of May ranks of the Keren Hayesod key
workers,
bolder methods and
means "foundation fund," was to 1967 sent a shudder of fear through
be the first financial instrument the body of the Jewish people the broader horizons of responsibility.
The
impact
of this younger leader-
for helping the Jews already in world over, as its miraculous vic-
ship is being felt all along the line
Eretz Israel and those who were
tory in June sent a thrill of exul- of communal endeavor.
to come to their ancient home-
tation. In most countries the Keren
There is still another aspect of
land to find their foothold. The Hayesod realized more than ten-
umbilical cord which tied Jews fold its proceeds of the preceding Jewish unity which deserves to be
stressed,
and that is the feeling
to Bretz Israel had never been
year and remarkably enough Jews
cat. There had always been Jews
felt that they had received more professed by Israelis towards Dia-
spora
Jewry.
A number of Israeli
in the country, and Jews in the than they were giving. The Keren
Diaspora had always extended Hayesod had become the channel soldiers have left a record of what
their aid to them. But that aid for their expression of solidarity went on in their minds and hearts
bad always assumed the form of with Israel. Many young Jews lined through the crucial six days of
charity. Now it was realized, in the airports in order that they the June 1967 war. They felt that
they were fighting for the entire
the words of the manifesto is-
might offer their all in Israel's
Jewish people, as indeed they
sued by the founding conference
defense. The lightning victory of
of July 1920, in London, that "no the Israel Defense Army luckily were. They felt they were fighting
casual charity will suffice.
made their offered sacrifice un- for Jewish honor. They had Ausch-
witz in their mind, and they felt
"The exceptional effort which is necessary.
that it was up to them to show
called for today must take the form
The saga of the Six-Day War
what Jews can do with weapons in
of self-taxation, steady, persistent,
has been told and will continue
their hands. Is not this a dramatic
systematic, inspired by the noble
to be told for generations to aspect of Jewish unity? There is
tradition of the time." For, as
come, but some of the side ef- one thing more about the Israeli
Chaim Weizmann put it at the
fects of that epic will, one may
soldiers. Deep in their hearts they
founding conference, "even if all
hope, be of enduring quality.
hate war, but they fight like lions
the governments of the world give Israel's Crisis and victory have
because they have to. They know
us a country, it would be only a
brought a hitherto unknown unity
that unlike the Arabs who may
gift of words, but if the Jewish ht Jewish communities abroad.
lose once, or twice or three times,
IMMIIIMMIMUMIME who can retreat and reform their
lines and try, their luck again, the
Israelis cannot afford even one
defeat.
We are now in the year 1970,
Just over three years after the
Six-Day War. Using the Keren
Hayesod as a Yardstick there
was a steep decline in Proceeds
Machinery Movers, Riggers, Erectors
in 1968 because the tension had
Heavy Specialized Carriers
dropped, even though income was
still several times that of the
"Over 50 Years on the Move"
pre-1117 period. In ISO we saw a
substantial
increase as the situa-
5201 Twelfth Street
TY 4-0661
tion in Israel became more tense,
and in 1970 there Is a great up-
surge.
The question has often been
asked: Don't people get tired of
giving? Don't they resent being
FROM
asked year after year?
It must be borne in mind that the
Keren Hayesod is not linked to
Israel's
defense needs but rather
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were to come, these needs would
go on. Immigration would con-
tinue; the arrivals would have to
The Farband City Committee in Detroit extends
be housed and absorbed, and their
Best Wishes to all Farband members and their
children would have to be educated.
families for a Happy and Healthy New Year.
If the gatesuf Soviet Russia were
to be thrown open—and we are all
hopeful that one. day they will—
there can be no doubt that the
The City Committee takes this opportunity to Invite its membership to
Jews
of the world would be pre-
the ANNUAL CONFERENCE on Saturday evening and Sunday, October
pared to make every sacrifice to
17th and 18th, 1970. Mr. Jacob ICasinan, Notional Secretary will be
help Israel absorb them. They
the guest speaker.
would also be prepared to assist
'JOSPEH KATZ
in Israel's share of finding an equi-
President
table solution for the problem of
Harry Goldbaurn
Movsas Goldoftas
the
Arab refugees. Great tasks are
Trreesurer%
Secretory
still in store for the Keren Hayesod.
Season 's
reetirtgs
Thomas Goodfellow, Inc.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, °debar 2, 1970-55
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Best Wishes to the Entire Jewish Community
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