Document/File Date |
Contents |
08/27/1962 |
AZC internal memo – Lenore Karp to Rabbi Jerome Unger about AZC Department of Public Information literature distribution. |
Undated |
1962-1963 AZC Public Relations Plan summary |
10/31/1962 |
Assistant Attorney General and Director of the Internal Security Division J. Walter Yeagley notifies Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy “…we are soliciting next week the registration of the American Zionist Council under the Foreign Agents Registration Act…You may be aware that the American Zionist Council is composed of representatives of the various Zionist organizations in the United States including the Zionist Organization of America.” |
11/06/1962 |
Nathan B. Lenvin, head of the FARA section, memo to central files, about a meeting with Jewish Agency representative Maurice M. Boukstein who asks about FARA applicability to AZC. “…in his view it was doubtful that any great protest would be made since in the discussions he has had with various officials connected both with the Zionist Council and the Jewish Agency he had made it clear in his view an agency relationship would result which may require registration.'” |
11/14/1962 |
Edwin Guthman letter to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach about future AZC FARA registration order. “I doubt very much there will be any fuss. I don’t think the American Zionist Council is in any position to do so…the Council has compromised its position.” OK’d by Robert F. Kennedy. |
11/21/1962 |
DOJ orders AZC to register under FARA “…receipt of such funds from the American Section of the Jewish Agency for Israel constitutes the Council an agent of a foreign principal…the Council’s registration is requested.” |
12/06/1962 |
AZC President Rabbi Irving Miller response to DOJ “The request for registration contained in your letter raises many questions of fact and of relationships which first must be resolved by us before compliance can be made. Therefore, it is requested that you be good enough to grant us a delay of 120 days…” |
01/02/1963
Archive |
Isaiah L. Kenen incorporates the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington, DC |
01/24/1963 |
DOJ draft file memo about 01/23/1963 DOJ meeting with AZC head legal counsel Simon H. Rifkind “…he had advised his client to discontinue completely the agency relationship and cut off the receipt of any additional funds…Mr. Lenvin pointed out specifically that the termination of the ‘activities’ on the part of AZC did not absolve it of its obligation to register…”
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01/25/1963 |
Article in the National Jewish Post, filed in FARA Section – “AZC Gives Up $ to Avoid Foreign Agent Registration” |
02/01/1963 |
DOJ Executive Assistant Thomas Hall memo to Nathan Lenvin updating meeting notes “Mr. Hall emphasized that a contrary conclusion would not of course be reached during the course of this meeting and suggested that the subject submit a detailed argument as to why it was of the opinion it should not be required to register….” |
02/08/1963 |
DOJ AZC January 23, 1963 meeting notes by Nathan Lenvin filed “discontinuance of receipt of such funds thus terminating the agency relationship did not absolve the Council of its obligation to register.” |
02/19/1963 |
American Council for Judaism (AJC) newsletter. “The American Zionist Council (coordinating political action arm of all U.S. Zionist organizations) was asked last month by the Justice Department to register as a ‘foreign agent’ of the State of Israel.” |
03/07/1963 |
New York Times reporter Tony Lewis calls FARA section to verify AZC foreign agent order state AJC press release. |
3/23/1963 |
AZC Counsel “Memorandum of Law in support of our position that the American Zionist Council is not required to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938.” |
04/01/1963 |
Nathan Lenvin file memo of DOJ AZC meeting on April 1, 1963- AZC Memorandum of Law rejected. “…if necessary I would be willing to recommend, if the representatives of the Council insisted upon these points, that the matter be litigated.” |
04/05/1963 |
Thomas Hall memo with J. Walter Yeagley notes “Okay, but let’s get it concluded. Have we sent them J.A. reg[istration] statement?” |
05/02/1963 |
Nathan Lenvin file memo of DOJ AZC meeting on May 2, 1963 “Finally, Judge Rifkind raised the point…that the vast number of Jews who adhered to the principles of Zionism could not understand how ‘our administration’ could do such harm to the Zionist movement and impair the effectiveness of the Council by insistence on registration. He appealed to the discretionary power of the Department…Mr. Katzenbach then noted that if the Council made a full disclosure of the receipt and expenditure of the funds it had received from the Jewish Agency so that such information would then be available for public inspection the purposes and objectives of the Registration Act might well be accomplished and very likely there would be nothing further for the Government to do…” |
05/23/1963 |
First Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearings on Israeli Foreign Agents (Senate Records) |
06/28/1963 |
Wall Street Journal article “Federal lawyers near decision on whether to require the American Zionist Council to register as an agent of the Israeli government. High Justice Department officials weigh the risk of offending Jewish opinion in the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Fulbright also eyes the council’s activities.” |
06/28/1963-07/26/1963 |
Citizen telegrams and letters urging FARA decision based on legal merits rather than political considerations. |
07/02/1963 |
Irene Bowman FARA section file memo on a June 28, 1963 DOJ AZC meeting, “Mr. Adrian W. DeWind and a Mr. Kahn (ph) of the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison …for the purpose of submitting for the Department’s examination a stack of publications and several books prepared by the American Zionist Council….Prior to Mr. DeWind’s departure he said he was disturbed by what he described as the speed with which the American Council on Judaism learned that the Department had solicited the registration of the American Zionist Council. He wondered whether there was a leak in the Department.” |
07/15/1963 |
Congressman Donald Rumsfeld letter to Robert F. Kennedy about status of AZC FARA registration. |
07/19/1963 |
Thomas K. Hall Memo to Deputy AG Katzenbach and J. Walter Yeagley on Wall Street Journal Article. Yeagley notes “I called Judge Rifkind Thursday July 18. He said he thought the material had been submitted and was ’embarrassed.’ Fri[day] someone else from the firm called asking for still another 2 or 3 weeks as their controller or someone is in Europe.” |
07/19/1963 |
J. Walter Yeagley responds to Rumsfeld “ultimate determination will be based on the law as applied to the facts…not on any consideration of its effect on the public opinion of the Jewish community…” |
07/26/1963 |
American Council for Judaism Letter to RFK about AZC FARA registration “I am enclosing latest issue of our newsletter, Brief, featuring our comments on the Department of Justice investigation of the American Zionist Council…” |
07/26/1963 |
Theresa Green FARA memo about AZC phone call request for two week filing deadline extension. |
7/30/1963 |
Routing memo from Deputy AG Nicholas Katzenbach to J. Walter Yeagley “I guess this is the correct response. Rifkind should be needled, but much depends on Fulbright, too.” |
8/1/1963 |
Second Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearings on Israeli Foreign Agents (Senate Records) |
08/14/1963 |
FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover offers J. Walter Yeagley FBI assistance to investigate the AZC “In view of recent public hearings…it is requested that you advise whether any investigation is desired….” |
8/14/1963 |
J. Walter Yeagley response to 7/30/1963 Katzenbach routing memo (copy from above) “Mr. Hall – is it time to write Rifkind—or send memo to A.G. or send in FBI?” |
08/15/1963 |
Thomas K. Hall internal FARA memo about AZC legal counsel “stalling hoping that time will resolve the difficulties faced by the AZC…We should go on record with the AG (copy to deputy) outlining the posture of this matter and indicate the need for more drastic action…” |
8/16/1963 |
Irene Bowman, FARA section analysis on alleged AZC FARA violations derived from Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings. “…the Department should insist on the immediate registration of the American Zionist Council under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, and if such registration is not forthcoming, appropriate action should be taken to enforce such a request.” |
08/17/1963 |
AZC Executive Director Rabbi Jerome Unger letter and filing to FARA Section “Enclosed wherewith are the two reports of Income and Expenditures of the American Zionist Council…” |
08/20/1963 |
Nathan Lenvin query asking if Irene Bowman would accept as FARA registration, Bowman: “Absolutely not!” |
08/22/1963 |
J. Walter Yeagley memo to Nicholas Katzenbach: “There is also attached a proposed letter from me to Judge Rifkind requesting a registration to be filed within ten days.” |
08/23/1963 |
J. Walter Yeagley to FBI Director “..registration was originally solicited by letter dated November 21, 1962…Pending a determination as to whether further letter should be written insisting on registration no investigation will be required. You will be kept advised of developments in this matter.” |
10/11/1963 |
DOJ Demand for AZC Registration “the Department expects a response from you within 72 hours with regard to this matter.” |
10/17/1963 |
J. Walter Yeagley notes of DOJ AZC meeting attended by Nicholas Katzenbach. “Judge Rifkind then made a plea for no registration, stating it was the opinion of most of the persons affiliated with the Council that such registration would be so publicized by the American Council on Judaism that it would eventually destroy the Zionist movement…he did not believe his clients would file any papers or sign any papers indicating that the organization was an agent of a foreign principal. I told him that any such information or material that is supplied on that basis would be made part of the Department’s public files available for inspection by the public…” |