NEWS - -
Max Fisher Seeks an Apolitical Jewish Agency
(Continued from Page 1)
Fisher defines his views on
the Zionist partnership by
declaring:
The Zionist Congress is
the supreme forum of the
WZO whose representa-
tives, as noted above, con-
stitute 50 percent of the
agency. If the agency is to
attain its goals, it is impera-
tive that the "Zionist
Movement" succeed in its
efforts to galvanize
worldwide support for the
aims of Zionism as spelled
out in the Jerusalem Pro-
gram of the WZO.
"In 1981, at the joint ses-
sion of the Zionist General
Council and the Jewish
Agency Assembly, I ob-
served that: 'The citizens of
Israel vote in an Israeli elec-
tion not as members of a
WZO party, but as Israeli
nationals for Israeli politi-
cal parties with different
and opposing attitudes on
foreign and domestic issues.
" 'Our Zionist pro-
grams of aliya, Jewish
education, Project Re-
newal, consolidation of
settlements, campus ac-
tivities, all continue —
unabeted — regardless of
the outcome of Israel
elections.'
"Why then should the re-
sult of Israel's elections be a
key factor in determining,
at the World Zionist Con-
gress, the composition of our
Executives? . . . We should
begin to consider alternate
approaches for the selection
of leadership which would
reflect the totality of Israeli
society and Diaspora in-
stitutions as well."
Affirming in his state-
ment the positive aspects of
the Jewish Agency's
achievements, Fisher takes
pride in the role of the "New
Zionists," those who, like
him, called for a strong
movement to assist Israel,
and in his renewed call for
unity asserts:
"I am repeating this mes-
sage to my friends within
the leadership of the Zionist
Movement enheartened by
their own expressed desire
for change. We, the 'New
Zionists' of the Diaspora are
steadfast in our support for
Israel and its people. The
reconstituted Jewish
Agency is the strongest
single link between Israel
and the Diaspora. We in the
agency and in the WZO
have an opportunity and a
responsibility to strive to-
gether toward the goal of
excellence in all we under-
take. Let us meet our re-
sponsibility with vision,
courage and determina-
tion."
Listing the accom-
plishments, Fisher
chronicles the combined
efforts of Zionists and the
"New Zionists" in the re-
cord of the Jewish
Agency:
"The existing structure
has performed effectively in
settling more than 1.5 mil-
lion olim, building close to
500 towns and educating
thousands of young people
from all segments of Israeli
society.
"We in the Diaspora are
becoming more involved
every year — hundreds of
American communal lead-
ers have impacted on
agency programs through
the annual assembly. The
shape and drive of Project
Renewal which grew from
their personal involvement
and interest is now being
applied to the details of
other programs and we
shall continue to expand our
involvement, and our con-
cern for the quality of life in
Israel."
Special interest attaches
to Fisher's definition of the
"legal and functional sepa-
ration" between the two
bodies, the World Zionist
Organization and the
Jewish Agency. He points
out in his definitive state-
ment:
"The WZO is assigned
responsibility for the ful-
fillment of classical
Zionist programs, such as
immigration from the
Free World, Hebrew edu-
cation and youth work in
the Diaspora. The Jewish
Agency is responsible for
immigration from coun-
tries of distress, initial
absorption, youth care
and training, absorption
in agricultural settle-
ments and selective so-
cial programs in Israel.
"The policy-making body
of the Jewish Agency is the
board of governors whose
chairman and 50 percent of
its members are, by agree-
ment, community leaders
from the Diaspora. The
other 50 percent of the
board is comprised of the
members of the WZO
Executive who are elected
at the World Zionist Con-
gress. The Zionist Congress,
strictly speaking, relates to
3-Month Aliya Program in Safed
NEW YORK — The Is-
rael Aliya Center has an-
nounced a summer work-
study program for young
people, "To Build and To Be
Built," centered in the old
city of Safed, in the Galilee.
The three-month pro-
gram enables participants,
ages 20-25, to explore their
Jewish roots while they
help restore the religious,
historical and cultural sites
of the city. Morning hours
are devoted to restoration
work and afternoons are
spent studying Torah,
Zionism, Hasidism, modern
Jewish history and Hebrew.
Jewish dietary laws
and Sabbath observance
are maintained during
the program's three ses-
sions beginning March 1,
June 1, and September 1.
The only cost to the par-
ticipants is airfare. Trips
in Israel are included and
the program culminates
in a three-day hike from
the Sea of Galilee to the
Mediterranean.
"To Build and To Be
Built" is sponsored by the
Jewish Agency and the
Gesher Foundation. For in-
formation, write Hillel
Weiner, Gesher Founda-
tion, 1328 Broadway, New
York 10011.
the activities of the WZO
departments, not to those of
the agency.
"From the very outset of
`reconstitution' we estab-
lished the guideline that
WZO party considerations
are irrelevant to the agen-
cy's operation. By agree-
ment and convention, the
selection of the chairman of
the Executive and all
agency department heads,
including their respective
directors-general, is subject
to the consultation and con-
sent of the Diaspora
partners in the Jewish
Agency and are elected by
the agency's board of gover-
nors.
"This process of consulta-
tion and consent, concern-
ing agency portfolios, was
implemented at the 29th
World Zionist Congress
held in 1978 and was con-
tinued at the 30th Congress
held last December in
Jerusalem."
Fisher's explanatory
statement deals also with
the administrative
forces, with the Project
Renewal and the forth-
coming plans for its con-
tinuation. He states:
"All of us can be proud of
the caliber of our de-
partmental civil service.
Each director-general now
in office was selected by a
committee of the agency
board. In a few months the
current director-general of
Project Renewal will leave
for a position in private in-
dustry. A search committee
of the board of governors is
now in the process of inter-
viewing candidates for this
top professional adminis-
trative post.
"It is clearly understood
by all concerned in Israel
that 'competence' and not
any other consideration will
be the basis for the election
of a new director-general of
Project Renewal.
"I am concerned, how-
ever, by misleading infor-
mation which has appeared
regarding the agency's
budgetary process and the
controls asserted by con-
tributors to the annual
campaign. The agency has
established a procedure
which begins with the
Jewish Agency Executive,
including leaders of the
UJA and Keren Hayesod in
determining the paramet-
ers and priorities of the next
budget:
"In February an ex-
panded budget and fi-
nance committee with the
participation of repre-
sentatives of the Council
of Jewish Federations
and the Large Cities
Budgeting Conference of
North American Federa-
tions meets in Jerusalem
for a week to review on a
line-by-line basis the
budgets for aliya, rural
settlement, youth aliya
and Project Renewal
programs. We monitor
the expenditure of these
funds regularly, have set
firm limits on the agen-
cy's debt and developed a
plan for its retirement. In
fact, when the Harvard
Business School, at my
invitation, reviewed the
control system now in
place, a leading authority
on non-profit organiza-
tions stated that it was
the best ever seen.
"While the agency may be
better controlled and moni-
tored than most similar
American bodies, we insist
on more, not less, accounta-
bility. It is not enough for
the controller to function —
we do demand quick com-
jac iuVry 2083 — 19
A rope drawn too taut is
apt to break.
pliance. It is not sufficient to
have annual audits by our
own American teams — we
demand continuous report-
ing on the quality of pro-
grams as well as expendi-
tures.
Party
CARICATURES
by
Chuck Borshanian
535-5340
Al Harrison Co.
WAREHOUSE CLEARANCE SALE
See as on page 25
VIDEO
PROFILES
CORPORATION
Complete Broadcast Color Videotape Productions
HAVE A MOVING EXPERIENCE
And Still Enjoy Your Party
Any Event • Any Subjebt • Any Occasion
CALL 354-0438
TALK TO A VIDEOGRAPHER
Personal Video Services
you shou1d
know
youre tired, disgusted, sick, want to rnove,
retire,
you about!
name it
things
1. Your. here
practice
worth more
than you think. Let us help you establish and receive the
are is sorne
important
sition to
growing
list
of waiting
buyers'l
tax purposes,
financing,
and a smooth tran
ll Going Concern NJ nd
aWe"
for it
"Fu eW.owner long
are areas
have special expertise. P rofessionals should come to
a in which we f or
t
have a
We
Proper allocation of the sales
only
price
if you move quickly and your practice is active. If it is no
we Ca n
3._
an
Prof essionals.
{or
is on your side
"fa Going
Concern Value"
active it must be sold
immediately.
4. Time
\tout' practice. In most cases
years. We have an
13
Pessional
practice
sales is a very unique specialty AN eve been doing Accounting and
5 5.
• You
will get
the
exclusively for Health Care Professionals for over
intimate understanding of your problems and opportunities.
WOO(
prof
-fax
CO us, we have cnany practices for sale.
Picture Yourself or
Your Loved One Living Here
Be our guest for lunch or dinner.
Find out why hundreds of senior adults enjoy an active. secure
life at Franklin Club. There are only a few luxury.one and two-
bedroom apartments still available. Don't miss out.
N UN
TM
Cali 353-2810
28301 Franklin Road. Southfield
NAlSt of f Northwestern and 12 Mile Road