Evening star., 1948-05-15

Prayers or thanksgiving were Oh
fered in synagogues throughout
Washington today for a new flag
which was raised here yesterday.
1t is the flag of Israel, Jewish state
in Palestine proclaimed last night
one minute after the 26-year-old
British mandate over the country
ended, and recognized 20 minutes
later by the United States.
This morning Rabbi Norman Ger
stenfeld of the Washington Hebrew
congregation said:
I'VE will offer prayers in hope and
in faith. Our co-religionists in Pal
estine will have to fight like the
Pilgrims, but there will follow an
era of peace and progress in the
Middle East"
He added that although there
would probably be celebrations hon.
oring the new state, the feeling here
today was one of humility"
300 Dance and Sing.
At 6:01 pm. yesterday, which was
one minute past midnight today in
Palestine, the flag of Israel was
unfurled at the Jewish Agency for
Palestine, 221O Massachusetts, ave-
nue. NV, and 300 persons danced
and sang with joy. 1t was white with
a blue bar at top and bottom. And
in the center was the Star OF David.
The crowd on the lawn in front
of the Massachusetts, avenue res
idence cheered and Wept as 8-year-
old Oren Finder, native Palestinfan
who now lives in Alexandria, raised
the flag on its staff. They jammed
the agency lawn and overf1oWed into
the avenue, crying, "Mazeltov" good
luck, singing the American and
Jewish national anthems, dancing
and waving small Israel flags. Late
afternoon traffic was snarled as
additional thousands of motorists
slowed their vehicles to see the
celebration.
Attending the ceremony were three
members of Congress, Represent
atives Bloom and Celler, Democrats,
and Javits, Republican, all Of New
York. No representative Of the ad-
ministrative branch of the Govern
ment was present. But though un-
expected by the Jewish colony here,
the President was at that moment
preparing to state the United States
official recognition of Israel.
Rabbi Green Offers Prayer.
One elderly man in the front of
the throng cried openly, tears
streaming down his cheeks, as Rab-
bi Zemach Green of the Ohev
Sholom congregation prayed for the
newest of the worlds states.
I'VE pour forth our hearts with
thanksgiving to be privileged to
live and witness the realization of
the ancient dream" he said.
Only formal statement at the
ceremony was made by Eliahu Ep-
stein, Washington representative of
the Jewish Agency for Palestine,
who pledged the new state to be a
democratic, peace-loving and law
abiding" future. I'VE will make our
contributions to the welfare, pros
perity and progress of the world,
and especially the Middle East"
he declared.
After the recognition of Israel
last night. Frank Goldman, presi-
dent of B'nai Birth, wired Presi-
dent Truman expressing qualification
at his "act of wise craftsmanship
He had urged the President earlier
in the day to take such action.
Your decision was in the great
American tradition" Mr.. Goldman
told the President Thousands and
thousands of people of the Jewish
faith will bless you"
Others Opposed to Nationalism.
But the opponents of establish
ment of a separate Jewish state
had had word about it too.
Two American Council for Ju-
daism officials, Alfred M. Lilien-
thai, counsel, and Joseph D. Kauf-
man, Washington chapter president
yesterday issued joint statement
for release today striking at the
establishment of Jewish national
state.
I'VE speak out and declare once
more our unalterable opposition to
the establishment anywhere of any
Jewish nationalist political entity
they said" Humanitarianism
not political theology, is the one ano
only issue on which Jewry is united
"* Our nationalism is American.
AT this time," they said in part
I'VE Americans of Jewish faith
wish to declare our complete inde-
pendence and separation from any
state that is, or may be, estab-
lished.
Before the United Nations deci-
sion of Nov. 90. the American
Council for Judaism opposed the
nartition of Palestine intn Arab and