
American Jewish Committee Awards Dinner
This episode is from the WNYC archives. It may contain language which is no longer politically or socially appropriate.
From card catalog: American Jewish Committee Award dinner honoring Robert Wishnik, civic leader and industrialist. Speakers: Mayor-elect John V. Lindsay, Sen. Jacob Javits, R. Wishnick. Topics: RW; work of AJC; anti-semitism in Soviet Union; work of AJC and the Arab boycott.
Leydesdorff begins by celebrating the work of Senator Javits (whom he calls "Jack"), then presents him with a scroll. Javits thanks the AJC and Leydesdorff, talks about Wishnick, a planned Food Aid program for Egyptians, acts against Jews in the Soviet Union, "Judaism without Embellishment," role of the Jewish people in the battle for Civil Rights.
Host introduces Gus Levy, President of Mount Sinai Hospital, who introduces the Mayor Lindsay, who talks about the work of the AJC and Wishnik.
Host introduces Max Fisher compliments Wishnik and presents him with an award. Wishnik talks about the Arab boycott and how it inspired him to become involved to create a study group.
Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection
WNYC archives id: 70566
Municipal archives id: T1309
This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.
Tonight I am potentiating for Jerry Nomen who couldn't be here I'm very happy to do it they prepared a beautiful speech for me to read but Mr Chairman I know you're a bit late and you always like to finish on time so instead of reading the speech I'm just going to think out loud for a few minutes I have the privilege of knowing Jack Javits well for many years Jack was born on the aid of immigrant parents he went this way through Columbia University and got his law degree from New York University and started in to practice law and was doing quite well. In the leg was a regime he got the political bug and Mr Laguardia sold him a bill and that started Jack on his political career I'm very happy that it happened that way because to me Jack is a great American and a great Jill he has without doubt done a yeoman job and I just made a little lest hear of some of the things that Jack has been in old age is creeping on me I have to read it he ran for assembly faced then became a tiny general took times twice elected United States senator and I want to say to you that he has made a record that we can be proud of there are a few people in the United States Senate today who have done more for the underprivileged. To bring about justice not alone to immigration but civil rights I could name if I stood here for a half hour I could tell you one thing after another that Jack either sponsored or proposed himself to me there are very few men that have done a job such as Jack has done in the Senate of the United States my friends if we had more men like him it would be a better place to live and this wild Jack has stood for everything and I sometimes I didn't quite agree with him but he is good to everything that you write that statement and that helps people get a little dignity particularly those who have been under privileged to me I have great admiration for him I go for THEIR I have great affection for him Jack I could stand here for another half hour and read from this great speech here and tell all the things that you have done all the different pieces of legislation. That your visa sponsored or of supported it's a credit to anyone human being I just wonder sometimes how you do it I know you're a fellow that blushes very easily I don't want to get you blushing too hard so what I'm going to do is instead of reciting all your great things simply tell you Jack I love you you're a great American. You're a great jewel and you have done a wonderful job as the senior senator from the state of New York. To join me here. I would like to read from the school the American Jewish Committee scroll of honor presented to Jack Sen Jacob cage Abbots in grateful recognition of is unparalleled leadership in the quest for human rights his courage vaguer and dedication to the struggle against bigotry and hatred have proved an inspiration and an example to all men who labor in behalf of this great human cause presented at. November seventeenth one thousand nine hundred sixty five by the American Jewish Committee. My friends. If we had more people in this world like Jack but it would be a much better way to go to live and Jack I think I know of no one who started the way you did and who has got himself to a position as a senior senator from New York who has shown great a debauch devotion to helping those who have been less fortunate than you and all I want to say to you is I'm only sorry that you happened that you're not twins. Matey. May the good Lord bless you and keep you and I hope I'll have the privilege of saying nice things about you so many issues to come. Thank you. Miles thank you very much Sam A lot is that off that's most gracious heart warming and very dear I appreciate it greatly. Thank you very much to to those in the American Jewish Committee or gracious enough to prepare the scroll which I have in my office and. Deal with the great honor. I came tonight I hope you'll forgive me for being a little hoarse but for me it's about five o'clock in the morning directly from a plane from Ankara. And I have been there on a mission for our country of some importance. And I have not yet been home. And I'm very grateful to fill Levy and Frank Levy and Rob for for putting me on as quickly as he has and I hope you'll forgive me if I leave immediately after I speak I came tonight for two reasons and it's some sacrifice but it's a very small matter compared to the purpose of the. One is to honor Bob wish Nick I've had little experience with Bob Lately I know of no more dedicated and honorable gentleman. With a real feeling for the public service and a desire to expand. The help to others like Mr Lindsay and myself which will arm us to do the public work then Bob wishing I have rarely seen a man of such generosity such willingness to spend not only is money but his time and to throw his heart into a cause as he did and as I believe with Sam live as the off that it is men who move mountains make worlds set moral tone. And generally noble the human rights I'm here Bob And I'd like your wife and your family to know that. To you. Thank you. Thank you said to wish you a happy birthday that's kind of a double daily Thank you. And I came to because the American Jewish Committee and especially this particular human relations appeal is a very moving thing to me I have a great deal of personal experience with it there are very few witnesses who can testify as I look what lay as I can to it's worth and to invoke more feelingly than I your support for. The budget which is here to for been. Raised for the committee is a million dollars less than it had available last year Raddatz a million dollars more in sixty five that had a million dollars less available and sixty for the seeking four million seven hundred thousand dollars I hope that you will take everything that I say as an endorsement and support for this fund raising effort and that when the cards are called here by Ed Goodman the jewel that you will respond in the way that. And the way that it should be done. Also my I say that I'm very honored by the presence here of so many of the distinguished leaders of Jory and Jewish cause Mike's Fisher is here heads are huge a drive in the country. Levy and many others here all my friends and all dedicated to these tremendous efforts to which Bob wish to make is given so much and for which he so very properly honored tonight now worried about the work and then show hope you'll excuse me. Considering the circumstances under which I come tonight promise to come in my name's on the program and here I am I'll do the best I can under the circumstances when I say I've had a great deal of experience with the American Jewish Committee I know you all understand that all of these causes in which the committee works almost without exception come within the cognizance in one way or another of the work in the Congress of the United States and hence I know very well the indispensability of IT services in the research field of its advocacy of the fact that have been lists not only the leading Joe's in the country which goes without question but in the lists also men and women of all faiths deeply interested in the kind of been farmed leadership which it provides Now let me give you a few examples because they've come within my personal knowledge that's not written in the script the one I'm about to tell you but it's very very important Jacob Blaustein. And Joe Prasco represented the American Jewish Committee twenty years ago when as a military officer I was an observer at San Francisco where the United Nations was born and waged at that time with the greatest skill and indefatigable struggle for the declarations in favor of human rights which appear in that shot or and which in all the years which of sense passed and in the generations which will and so will be a monument to man's understanding of the pain and anguish of other men and the effort to alleviate that pain through the organized conscience of the whole world this is my first contact and be with the American Jewish Committee in an organized capacity when I encounter these two men in San Francisco at that time and I met them interestingly enough because it bears on another aspect of the work of the committee which is not necessarily in the human relations field but is vitally important I met them when they were trying to talk some leading San Francisco Joes out of siding with the Council for Judaism and the great struggle which was already beginning at that time in order to redeem the promise of Israel for the for the persecuted Jews of the world and for Jews everywhere indeed it's very interesting the to this very day this prestige full activity has continued. As you all know. We have moments of quiet and respect of the problems which beset Israel and then their East but they are only the eye in a storm that kind of quiet is ominous I much prefer it when there are struggles afoot to which one can address oneself and latch on to right now our government as you may have seen by the morning papers has joined with the British government and giving important aid military aid to Saudi Arabia at least that's the report there are also reports which have been very disquieting to me about which I made my views felt very strongly in the administration that we're going to continue rather important food aid so-called Food for Peace program with President Nasser notwithstanding the fact that it seems to me and to many others in the Congress only to be backing up it's an international adventuring at the expense of world peace and security and serving no other purpose. No one more than I is devoted to helping the people of Egypt improve their miserable condition and to give them the necessary backing and audit to do that but when I see food used as a means indirectly far stablish ingrate or armament carrying on a struggle in the Yemen which has been so distressing to all the world and engaging in not only overt anti United States propaganda but activities and almost every Arab state with still the dream fast glimmering of some Arab hedge of money presided over by President Nasser and undoubtedly with the purpose and intent of pushing the people of Israel into the sea it's extremely distressed. And these matters quite outside the human relations. Active activity of the American Jewish Committee the committee has been in the forefront of those who are engaged in the struggle with all the prestige which its sixty years of service to the American people let alone to American Jewry justify it and counting as its own Now there are many other activities which have been firsts by this very great organization as you all know we have been deeply concerned about anti Jewish acts in the sub unit as early as one thousand nine hundred fifty this organization began to reveal the true character of the discrimination and repressive activities of the Soviet Union respecting its Jewish citizens notwithstanding the fact that according to Soviet law and I semitism is a crime and Christian off. And his predecessors have always this missed complaints about the situation on the ground that it violated Soviet law so the just couldn't happen and I recall that a very distinguished delegation from the American Jewish Committee received an audience with Mr Christian only to be brushed aside in that way but the organization is nonetheless pursued this activity has called it to the attention of the conscience of all mankind has rallied many other American organizations in the George Field and outside it to the cause was the principal element in exposing the hypocrisy of the Soviet activities by demonstrating that it was sponsoring and of Semitic books one of which was very prominently mentioned throughout the world and it involved a reaction so so ill conceived was it so insulting to the Jews so reminiscent of Nazi propaganda of the most primitive character. Was called Judaism without embellishment. And was the subject of expos by the American Jewish Committee through Mara saber and was also very widely discussed and considered including a big spread in Life Magazine about it helped us enormously in rousing the conscience of the world against anti Jewish manifestations in the Soviet Union and I have no idea whether the recent ever efforts to a meteorite this criticism even the very small things which have been done like a relaxation of the restrictions against the use of matzah by the Jews on Passover or its supply in the Soviet Union are attributed to the work of the American Jewish Committee are not no one will ever know but we do know one thing that such a rising tide of protest arose from the mouths of men of all nations and of all faiths as undoubtedly to have impressed greatly by the leaders of the Soviet Union who notwithstanding their denials are nonetheless very deeply affected by the development of public opinion. And I'm sure you're all aware of the great effort in which the committee has been engaged in connection with the work of the Ecumenical Council which is indeed historic and Psystar like in terms of the centuries let alone in terms of decades involving a totally new concept of the relation of the Catholic faith to other faiths involving a review in which the research activities of the American George committee are indispensable of the literature arc which is used and the textbooks which are used in parochial schools at all grades and I wanted to be sure that they carry out the new approach the approach of brotherhood of the Ecumenical Council as contrasted with the expressions of punishment Deicide which were sprinkled so liberally through this same literate literature and indeed still are until the revisions catch up with what is actually taught in the parochial schools. And then the American Jewish Committee has been an enormous leader in the civil rights movement notwithstanding the fact that there is often question as to whether we are welcome in the civil rights movement in this sense but the American Jewish Committee has perceived the fundamental truth and its human relations work that what affects adversely on a minority affects all minorities and that if you have a grave situation of unsettlement with Negroes in the United States then that and dangers the atmosphere for every minority and in addition that one of the great aims of the human relations effort is a country which has a sense of morality and fidelity to the high principles of both the Christian and the Jewish faith and so whatever in the country disturbs that morality which is embodied in the language of the Constitution of the United States becomes the care of the American Jewish Committee there are many other efforts that the committee has pursued including brilliant studies of the fact that Jews are seemingly because of the absence of them discriminated against in certain upper echelons of business which have resulted in very material improvements because of these disclosures I remember not so many years ago when the American Jewish Committee was heavily responsible for revealing the use of the numerous classes and medical schools and other institutions of higher learning this is a very celebrated our going to zation with a tremendous history of successes in terms of the service to the people of our faith and to the nation itself and its stability and then it's more radical. And very richly deserves the support of the Jewish community of the United States and may I say to you in closing that what is done in these fields with which I live in which so many others who are on the platform live with daily what is done in many of these fields. Is done by many are going as ations not only the American Jewish Committee but the qualities which are brought to these efforts are all determinative of their success. And the great quality which the American Jewish Committee brings to them and I had the honor incidentally of. Speaking at the laying of a cornerstone of the human relations building on Third Avenue I've been so long associated with all of the efforts which have been made here the great power of the American Jewish Committee is the fact that it must is in my judgment in an unparalleled way the prestige of the American Jewish community and second that it proceeds with great research it knows it does its homework and when matters a put forward they are put forward in an extremely informed and intelligent way and third and most importantly its leadership has been graced and distinguished by an understanding of the purposes which it is supposed to. By a restraint and at the same time a courage which is truly most gratifying and should be most gratifying to all of us work in these vineyards I think it is a great privilege to speak these words on a night when we honor so warm and devoted a friend of everything the committee does as Bob wish Nick and so warm and devoted and self sacrificing a man who understands that a business man can make a great deal of money and give a great deal of money away but everybody on this platform knows that it isn't and Sam especially knows having spent decades at that it isn't the giving of the money that we are that we honor we honor the heart than the will and the work and the resolution and the understanding and the loving kindness if you will that go with the giving of the donation and Bob we're very grateful to you for being the kind of a man who deserves this kind of a dinner and I hope very much but in that same spirit and with a full understanding of what is being done by the committee and. With the understanding that I have the right having lived with it testified to. Right from a firing line in the way that I do or that you will give this this effort when you will have an opportunity to do so tonight about on standing support which has made the reputation of Jews in terms of for land self-defense in the United States I name to be conjured with thank you very. Much. That is now my privilege to introduce the distinguished member of New York's financial community. Who has given devoted leadership and say to our city's foremost health education and welfare causes Gus Levy has been president of Mt Sinai Hospital since nineteen sixty two and has a four three is as president of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies he is devoted to the welfare of New York Mr Mayor and through its cultural and intellectual growth is a member of the board of directors of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the great and fun. Before presenting Mr Levy However I have. One is that I'll probably never be invited to be chairman of this dinner again because I don't understand why it is that the chairman does not have the privilege of presenting the ANA guests you always have to present somebody else I had to present Mr Light as then to do Senator Javits and now I have to present Mr Levy introduce the man I don't know while I'm here for and the second observation that I have is and this is directed to our mayor elect even though I didn't contribute to your campaign I want you to know I didn't vote for Mr being technically I am a resident of Connecticut. However I have contributed substantially to the renovation of the mansion at Gracie Square and I hope that you will someday invite me up there once again. It is now my pleasure to introduce to you. Thank you Frank Mr Lindsay. My very. Life Science is my great pleasure to be here tonight because I love you my good friend I happen to be a director of his company he's a great recipient of an award the most. Anybody new in my life. Now it's my great pleasure to introduce like the. Only reason. Of this great city is present. Just on Bob wish me good bye and he have a great affinity Bob did a great job raising money and working for the mayor and help the causes election mail has always been known as a non favorite except He's our favorite He's been the underdog he's come in all these elections he's been he's come from great underdog in two years ago in the great Johnson sweep he had a great plurality in his district and this year in the election as mayor. He had a three and a half the one Democratic registration against the mayor's personality and the help of such people as Bob. And others here present and night for the cause of this wonderful man's election I don't know why you want to go to the toughest job in the United States except the presidency United States and perhaps someday you'll see high office and if he does I for one will support if I'm not present to you Mr John Lindsay mayor elect of New York City Ah. My friend Gus Levy. Bob wish Nick. Members of the wish family Mr Chairman and ladies and gentlemen. You notice that I carefully timed my rival to get here after the card calling and. That's because with a half million dollar deficit I've got a start card calling of my own. But not here because there are more people here. And a whole list of. This throughout the room about the room. Like you never call out again. And then I see what is done in this cause. AGAIN And AGAIN and AGAIN and it really gives me a lot of hope about a lot of things at a press conference today with the young man who elected first four year term to the office of mayor. Elected mayor of Jerusalem and the country of Israel and I've known him before I met him in ninety six he was administrative assistant to Mr Ben-Gurion and I was visiting briefly with both of them he was very kind to me. Very grateful to him and very much honored that he should take the time in his visit the United States to come visit with me I said. To him what's the first thing you did after Election Day which is the same as ours November two that was the first thing you did he said I left the country. I came to the United States and I said the wisest man that's ever been elected. To the office of mayor. He carefully pointed out that we have one thing very much in common and that's the. Distance between the tracks of the railroads and the two countries. But much beyond that we have common poverty common deficits common housing problems common safety problems common political problems common jealousy problems common job seeker problems all of them seem to be exactly the same and they gave me much comfort indeed to listen to this distinguished gentleman and now. Rather old friend that I have. When I see what Bob wish Nick has done alongside of his old friend Max Fisher across the country and I see year after year the outpouring of substance and power and will and strength. Into the cause. Of the dignity of the individual and in the carrying on of the battle which never seems to end to see to it that no person is ever harmed unjustly. Then I really am encouraged about the state of the universe and the State of the world. I know the proportions of the job that I have undertaken but it is due our first in comparison to the proportions of the job that you have undertaken for several thousand years and when I see the strength and power that goes and. To the uplifting of the daily condition of people in every corner of this country by the American Jewish Committee which is translated in entirely human terms and the personalities of men like wish Nick who started from scratch and who do their best as far as I can see to end in scratch also giving away all of their earthly gains to others who are seeking to start from scratch when I see this go on by then I know that. The human race will undoubtedly continue and that it will not destroy itself. And that those who are less fortunate than anyone else in this room have reason to hope for the future so my salute goes to Bob wish Nick tonight a very dear and old friend a man who lends inspiration to me and who I love very deeply thank you very much. Of for. I'm on next speaker. With whom I have been a friend and have known for a long time and for the highest free God is Mr Max Fisher. The top humanitarian post in the United States Max is general chairman of the United you are Shapiro and president of Detroit's United Foundation the company the country's largest community chest chest which sponsors the famous torch Dr he is a top executive of the petroleum industry he has pioneered in new refining techniques and saves on the one of the country's foremost oil companies He is also a principal advisor to the government of Israel on its refining and chemical industry he is a long time leader of the American Jewish Committee in Detroit and he received last year the highest honor that city Jewish community the Fred. Memorial Award named for the founder of the Detroit chapter it gives me great pleasure and I am greatly honored to present Mr Max Fisher thank you. Jack. Bloggers you're getting a lot of crank you might have mentioned I'm a Republican. I know that but that is our pride. Thanks Frank greetings to the new mayor distinguished guests. One rarely has a privilege of paying publicly his respect to a good friend whom he has such great affection and feeling for today I wish to sank the American Jewish Committee for giving me the opportunity to pay my respects publicly to my dear and beloved friend Bob wish think Bob is a generous warm and loyal and a modest and I might say a very youthful man the adjectives to describe Bob are endless yet they are all inadequate for the essential part of Bob waste make is not words but deeds deeds done out of compassion for his fellow human beings deeds not done for any rewards but simply out of his desire to serve his fellow man I've known Bob for many years I have never known him to refuse any worthy cause this is the hallmark of a man to give of themselves and to give of his profound reservoir of kindness and talents and means as generously as he knows how an astute observer once put down three requisites for effective service to mankind First there is wisdom which is knowing what to do next Secondly there is skill which is knowing how to do it and finally there is virtue which is the act of doing it LAW boy Snick has been blessed. In abundance with these qualities in turn his fellow Jews his community his country has been fortunate that he's been that he's chosen to use his talents for the common good of all of us perhaps Bob cares so much because he knows full well how it feels to be in need Bob wished it came up the hard way very humble beginning he built a tremendously successful business empire. Corporation of which he's chairman executive committee however his work became more time consuming He never cut down on his public service rather did he expanded the American Jewish Committee of course has had the good fortune of his counsel and his supports there are many others so many in fact that I shall only have time to mention a few which you're indicative of his wide range of interests Bob is a director and a tremendous worker and contributor to the United Jewish Appeal he's a trustee of the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago from which he graduated and I might say for which he just recently made gifts of a million dollars for a chemical building but thank. Goodness said that Bob. You know he said I might. Well you shouldn't you shouldn't talk about the same for my. Hard maps the Weitzman Institute the Jewish childcare Association the Hebrew University and of course there's a fine foundation which is some mighty fine endeavors these are more than titles these are more than just titles I read off neither in business nor in public service is Bob way sneak is never never has been a figurehead if his name is associated with an organization then you can rest assured that he's both the taskmaster and the man who performs that test. That he's a both executive and worker. Friends gathered here tonight know this full well. As I know Bob wish the he would never ask anyone to do anything that he would not do him self also I'm sure you know that anything that Bob does or requests others to do is eminently worth working for accomplishing for all the Bob is one of the most genuinely modest and unassuming men I've ever known I recently came across a definition of a superior man and I think it aptly describes the aspirations and accomplishment of this wonderful man he is eyes for the blind strength for the weak and the shield for the defenseless he stands by bending over the fallen heroes by lifting others Bob in token of our appreciation is like to have you accept this ball and with it accept our thanks for being friend and inspiration our gratitude for all the many years of great work in behalf of all mankind and our wishes for many years of the same dead US dedicated service and now let me read the inspir inscription The human relations by what you stand in front of the human relations award present presented to Robert I wish to make for as many years of leadership on behalf of freedom democracy and understanding among men the American Jewish Committee appeal for human relations Nov seventeenth one thousand nine hundred sixty five This gives me great pleasure the feeling of this thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I don't know what are you talking about me as somebody else. But but but I think the five thousand dollars I gave your honor was well worth of that that that advertising you gave for me certainly paid off I appreciate it very much I do want to take this opportunity to. First of all. I'm very proud that my family is here I think we should have by my lovely wife and my two sons and their daughter all and most happy to have him here. And I'm hoping I mean that you'll still be able live with the guy he talked about and incidentally by midnight my charming wife will have a birthday and I think all of us will wish you a very happy birthday and. When I do with I do want to say a few words. And behalf of the American Jewish Committee and I know I did a song myself too I should like to tell you why I happen to be interested in the work of the American Jewish Committee while I've been a member for many years through just about five years ago as a result of person experience with the unfairness of the air boycott against you and gentile like that I began to take an active part with the assistance of my good friend and while that was worth four hundred bucks I didn't mention your name. And others we organized through the American Jewish Committee that boycott study group under the ever direction of Ed Lucas is here and I want to thank you publicly for the one of the work you've done in connection that boycott situation largely through this project there's been passed a resolution through Congress and here I might say that Senator Jeffords is not here was the instigator and brought that bill for the directing industry to notify the sect of Congress whenever they receive a questionnaire sent by the Arab League to American companies. Requesting information on any dealings with Israel and that connection I'd like to quote from secular comments Connor as follows Accordingly I am Kurds and request individuals and firms receiving such request to refuse to comply with them and that's certainly a great step forward in doing something about this terrible error boycott which discriminates against you and Gentile alike now you begin to see a number of American companies national companies who are entering the Israeli economy and both Jewish and gentile firms in a certain yet wonderful step forward in that direction and the other thing that I have been closely connected with is the constant alertness to the unfair practices of some large concerns and in their personnel departments here again it was all of my own personal experience I feel that the marriage is too many have done a great service to all faiths and races when I graduate the chemical engineer they could tell you when but one nine hundred fourteen and that you look for position in my chosen profession I found doors close to me because boys were not accepted in the chemical industry by any standing firm and retrospection I guess in my case it proved my good fortune as I was going to my own not look at the company and we have here the chairman the board of Whittaker chemical most of which make I'm very happy to have your. Blood Libel largely through the activities of the American Jewish Committee I'm happy to say that the doors have been opened by almost every concern and in this country all faiths and races I mean any side of these two activities as an example of the type of work which America Committee is dedicated to you can decide for yourself if it is a cause that deserves your support. I mean I'm. Accused of loving by I'm sorry Mr Mayor Mr Mayor like that I first knowledge your presence here I deeply grateful for your presence here and I'm sure that even Mr Levin who is a Democrat will understand that you're up here accepting help from Democrats or liberals are Republicans were right and we will fight should we invite you Mr Levy into a breakfast. At twenty twenty third of this month at the Rose Bowl telling you can help us at that time. Well thank you very much and I deeply appreciate John it conferred upon me I shall share since leaving primarily because of my friends have been here and certainly Thanks I deeply appreciate your being here and I wish you all the success of the world in your campaign for the Americans if you're not interested people thank you very much.