The American executive of the World Federation of Polish Jews, which had planned on sending a five-man delegation to Warsaw to attend the rites scheduled to open there tomorrow and run all weekend, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto rebellion, had the visas held up by the Polish Government, and is not sending an official delegation, it was announced here today.
Officials of the organization, notified by the Polish Embassy in Washington only yesterday that visas would be available to those who would come to Washington today, charged that the delay was “deliberate, so that we could not participate. ” According to the official, visa applications had been filed five weeks ago, and the Polish Embassy in Washington had been saying all this time that it had not yet heard from Warsaw on the matter.
Meanwhile, plans were finalized here today for participation by 30 national and local Jewish organizations at Warsaw Ghetto commemorative services to be held here in Carnegie Hall, Sunday. Former Governor and Senator Herbert H. Lehman will preside at these rites, honoring the martyrs who staged the suicidal revolt against the Nazi regime in the Warsaw Ghetto in April 1943.
Other speakers to address Sunday’s meeting will be Philip M. Klutznick, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations; and Katriel Katz, Israel’s Consul-General in New York, who formerly represented Israel in Poland. A special prayer will be recited by Rabbi Israel Mowshowitz, president of the New York Board of Rabbis. A roster of nationally prominent actors will perform a dramatized documentary of the Warsaw Ghetto revolt, written by Howard Fast. Fifty survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto will be guests of honor.
A special exhibit commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto uprising will be unveiled Saturday night at the Yivo-Institute for Jewish Research in this city.
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