Page Eight

THE JEWISH NEWS

A710ay, :Marp,i 8, :1946

Reform Congregations Vote to Remain
In Conference, Stay Neutral on Zionism

Chaplains Awarded
Citations by UAHC

Union of American Hebrew Congregations Overwhelming-
ly Favors Resolution to Affirm Action of Executive in
Relation to American Jewish Conference

ler,

By HENRY W. LEVY

(Special Wire to The Jewish News)

1

and to create anew some of the
charm and poetry of our faith
which need not have been quite
so cavalierly cast aside in the
past."

Major G eneral Luther D. Mil-
chief of chaplains, U. S.
Army, and Rear Admiral Wil-
liam N. Thomas, chief of naval

CINCINNATI.—By an overwhelming majority, which
Predicts Early Decision
A prediction that an early
later was made unanimous, delegates to the 39th Council
of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations voted to decision will be made by Great
remain in the American Jewish Conference and affirmed Britain and the United Nations

the action of its executive board.
in relation to the Conference.
The motion to register the un-
animous vote of the Council was
made by Rabbi Hyman
J.
Schachtel of Houston, Tex., and
was seconded by Rabbi William
H. Fineshriber of Philadelphia,
two
well-known anti-Zionist
leaders of the American . Couicil
for Judaism.

Majority of 6 to 1

The actual vote on the two
questions—continuance with the
Conference and affirmation of
the interim action of the board
—showed a majority of about six
to one.
A resolution which defined as
neutral the stand of the Union
On political Zionism declared
that "the Union recognized the
right of each individual to de-
termine his own attitude on this
controversial question." The
resolution reaffirmed the action
of the executive board at its
meeting in Chicago on Jan. 18,
1944, which said:
"The Union declares that its
function is to interpret, maintain
and promote Reform Judaism
and reaffirms its loyalty to its
spiritual purposes.
Stays In Conference
"The Union, continuing as a
member of the American Jewish
Conference, declares its sense of
fellowship with all worthy and
practical efforts designed to ame-
liorate the tragic plight of world
Jewry and to assist in re-
constructing those communities
that have suffered from the rav-
ages of Nazi tyranny.
"Because in the congregations
of the Union there are divergent
opinions on Zionism, the Union
recognized the right of each in-
dividual to determine his own
attitude on this controversial
question and therefore the Union
refrains from taking any action
on the Palestine resolution
adopted by the American Jewish
Conference."
Force fuI Figure Viewed
Pointing out that the over-
whelming opinion of Reform con-
gregatipn is to remain in the
Conference, Rabbi Fineshriber
said: "My main objection to the
Conference has been that it was
largely a paper organization.
Maybe, with the impact of the
Union behind it, it will be a
fOrceful dynamic figure in Jew-
ish life the world over."
In the debate preceding the
action, principal addresses in
favor of the Conference were de-
livered by Abba Hillel Silver
of Cleveland, / president of the
Central Conference of American
Rabbis, and Henry Monsky,
president of Bnai Brith, co-chair-
man of the Conference.

`Not True Neutrality'

Rabbi Morris Lazaron of Balti-
more presented the chief argu-
ment against remaining in the
Conference and declared that
such action is "not true neutral-
ity." Richard Sloss of San Fran-
cisco offered the amendment to
withdraw from the Conference.
Rabbi Silver pointed out that
a minority in a legislative body
like the U. S. Congress would
not withdraw if it were out-
voted, and he urged the Union
not to withdraw from the Con-
ference even if it could not sub-
scribe to the Palestine resolu-
tion. "To withdraw,"- he said,
"would not be a contribution to
unity or democracy."

Eisendrath's Appeal
A declaration that the UAHC

"must boldly and forthrightly
disassociate itself from dogmatic
anti-Zionism" was made by Dr.
Maurice N. Eisendrath, director
of the Union of American He-
brew Congregations, in his bien-
nial report to the more than 1,200
delegates from 329 congrega-
tions, 403 sisterhoods and 41
brotherhoods accredited to the
39th biennial Council
of the

•

Union here last week end at the
Hotel Netherland Plaza.
Dr. Eisendrath, in a plea for
"an all-inclusive Judaism for
America," said that "neither the
acceptance nor the rejection of
the Zionist philosophy or pro-
gram can be considered treason-
able - to Liberal Judaism. I,
therefore,.call upon this biennial
Council, in the true spirit of
liberalism, which is the sole
raison d'etre for Reform Judaism,
to sustain by an overwhelming
vote the position taken by your
executive board to the effect
that the Union recognizes the
right of each individual to de-
termine his own attitude to this
contentious issue."

Continue in Conference

That such neutrality on the
Zionist issue does not mean the
withdrawal of the UAHC from
the issues of contemporary
Jewish life was indicated by an-
other of Dr. Eisendrath's requests
that the 39th biennial Council of
the Union affrm the stand of
its executive board in regard to
the active continuance of the
Union as a member of the Am-
erican Jewish Conference.
Reports were also read by Dr.
Hiram B. Weiss of Cincinnati,
chairman, board of governors of
the Hebrew Union College; Mrs.
Hugo Hartman of Winnetka, Ill.,
president, National Federation of
Temple Sisterhoods; Jesse Cohen
of Brooklyn, president of the
National Federation of Temple
Brotherhoods, and Bernard G.
Sang of Chicago, president Na-
tional Federation of Temple
Youth. A brief statement was
made by Adolph Rosenberg of
Cincinnati, president of the
UAHC.

Reviews Historic Record

Reviewing the historic record
of the UAHC on Zionism, Dr.
Eisendrath pointed out that the
late Isaac M. Wise, Dr. David
Philipson and other early Reform
leaders, despite any personal
cnti-Zionist convictions, always
held "that Zionism - or anti-
Zionism is a matter hot for this
Union to determine but for each
individual to resolve for himself,
within the sanctity of his own
conscience.' ,
"The Union of. American He-
orew Congregations," said Rabbi
Eisendrath, "is predicated on the
absolute inviolate autonomy of
As member congregations.
"This does not mean, however,
that we would take refuge in
cowardly evasion or indifferent
eutrality.

No Official Position

"It means that we shall con-
tinue to strive for that synthesis
between universalism and par-
ticularism, between Zion and
the Diaspora, between Israel and
its faith which has been so
faithfully stressed as the quint-
essence of Judaism and Reform.
So that there be no misconcep-
tion, let it be understood that
this Union, as an organization,
takes no official position on this
much debated question. It, how-
ever, offers unstinted hospitality
to the proponents of both view-
points within its own fold."
Dr. Eisendrath also recom-
mended the ultimate merger of
the two liberal Jewish theological
seminaries, the Hebrew Union
College and th6 Jewish Institute
of Religion; the establishment of
"a score or more of Labor Syna-
gogues throughout the thronging
Jewish districts of our land" as
an effective action by which we
can "demonstrate by our deeds
that we are something more than
an upper and middle-class
movement;" the establishment of
an "American Jewish Cavalcade"
as the means of implementing a
"home missions" movement; the
continuance of the "constructive
work' of the Committee on Cere-
monies" to revive, to refurbish

on the political status of Pales-
tine was made by Rabbi Solomon
B. Freehof of Pittsburgh in an
address at a luncheon meeting.
His speech followed a "town
meeting" discussion Sunda y
night at which exponents of
political Zionism debated the
subject with non-Zionists.
"It is clear," said Rabbi Free-
hof, "that the status of Palestine
nts ■ longer can be left unsettled
and vague. Palestine is the key
and the symbol of certain larger
issues upon which the whole
world's safety now depends. The
growing toughness of Arab
demands, the danger of Ameri-
can and British disagreement
over the oil of the Near East,
the still more menacing danger
of an increasing tug of war over
the Arab lands between the Old
British Empire and Russia's ex-
panding new empire—all these
make the question of Palestine
overdue for a settlement.

Definite Solution Near

"It is evident that England and
the U. S. soon will present a
definite solution for the prob-
lems of Palestine and will press
for the adoption of that solution
as a permanent decision of the
United Nations Organization.
There will be no more postpon-
ments or experimentation or im-
provizing. There will manifestly
be a solution which will have
t h e strongest guarantee of
permanence::

Mediating Influence

REAR ADM. THOMAS

in the armed forces of our be-
loved country during World War
II; for his exemplification in
action of the ideals of Judaism;
for his ministry of love extend-
ed to all, regardless of creed,
color or condition of life; for
sustaining the morale and streng-
thening the spirit of our fighting
MAJ. GEN. MILLER
men and women in the titanic
chaplains, were guestS of honor struggle to dethrone tyranny and
at the banquet of the 39th 'bien- hate and to enshrine truth, jus-
nial council of the Union of tice, and peace in the world."
American Hebrew Congregations
at which 146 Reform chaplains
Ask Your Book Dealer for _
were honored with the presen-
tation of a special citation in
recognition of war-time service
to their country. The citations
were awarded each chaplain "for
An Unusual Great Novel by
his valiant and sacrificial service

-

"KATKA"

MARIA K. SINAK

ministration, the first in the U. S.,
will be introduced at the Hebrew
Union College in June, it was an-
nounced by Irving I. Katz, of
Temple Beth El, Detroit, presi-
dent of the National Association
of Temple Secretaries.

Because this controversy has
developed between Jew-
ish groups, Dr. Freehof declared
that it is the function of the
Synagogue to be a moderating
and mediating influence.
Dr. Eisendrath released a
message from President Truman
which declared that "The real
strength of any nation lies in its
spiritual ideals."
"I am therefore glad," - said the
President, "that your victory
Colincil will put the emphasis
on the moral and spiritual in-
fluences which these grave days
Call for. Peace brings oppor-
tunities for victory no less vital •
than the triumph of arms in war.
The years ahead will test the
real mettle of ourselves and our
Allies in bringing order into a
world of chaos."
Pointing out that "new res-
ponsibilities face the UAHC as
its members resume their bi-
ennial councils interrupted by
the war", President Truman sent
his "heartiest felicitations and
warmest personal greetings" to
the delegates and expressed the
hope "that the meetings of the
Council will be helpful in in-
terpreting to the world in modern
terms the ancient teachings of
Israel."
An Institute on Synagogue Ad-

" . . . Kept me burning the

midnight oil"--(Detroit Times)

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$3.50
S. J. BLOCH
PUBLISHING CO.

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