Time Is Now Ripe for Showdown
I with Russia Goldmann Tells ZAC

mined the prestige of U.S. Zion- make every effort to persuade in the heavily industrialized a deepening of ties between
Israel and Jews abroad. While
the Moroccan authorities to per- and urban coastal region of Is-
ist groups.
the majority of the world's
rael.
mit
them
to
leave,"
he
urged.
JERUSALEM—The time has
This denunciation was a
Dov Joseph, treasurer of the Jews have a deep feeling of
come to place the question of : part of a sweeping charge that
Paying
tribute
to
the
success
O
Soviet Jewry before the bar of the Israel government is not of A. L. Easterman of the World Jewish Agency, predicted that solidarity with Israel, this
public opinion, Dr. Nahum cooperating on broad matters Jewish Congress in obtaining 350,000 to 400,000 Jews would feeling must be cultivated, he
Goldmann, president of the of policy with the Zionist permission for several thousand migrate to Israel in the next said.
•
At a press conference here,
of the Moroccan Jews to depart, five years. Assuming an aver-
r,T4 World Zionist Organization, re- movement.
iterated here Wednesday during
Shragai said the matter was a age annual arrival of 75,000, Dr. Goldmann said that the So-
Dr. Goldmann said that while "humane problem" because the absorption funds of 2'75,000,00Q viet government is now .trying
general debate in the Zionist
there is cooperation on "small 100,000 Moroccan Jews who Israeli pounds will be required to understand why world Jewry
Actions Committee.
day-to-day matters," there is no
for each of the five years, Dr. is dissatisfied with the treat-
Replying to criticism from progress on improving cooper- have settled in Israel left be-
•
Joseph said.
ment of Russian Jews.
hind
families
with
whom
they
1 veteran Zionist Dr. Itzhak ation on a high level — joint are eager to be reunited.
The anticipated five-year im-
He pointed out that _ while
- Gr enbaum,
who opposed mak- planning and consultation about
u
migration would represent
ing an international question major problems facing the
▪
He welcomed the proposal to about 12 percent of all non- Jews in Russia have equal
of the plight of Russian Jewry, state.
launch an international cam-. Israeli Jews except those in the rights, the Jewish problem has
not been solved as a "collective
0 Dr. Goldmann revealed that
paign for Soviet Jewry who,
Dr. Goldmann also criticized although facing no physical Soviet Union and the United problem."
he had met during the past
•
Touching on the latest
year with a number of Russian the members of the Actions danger, do face "spiritual anni- States, from which countries no
substantial emigration was ex- changes in the Soviet hierarchy,
P representatives and believes Committee who oppose the hilation."
pected, he stated.
Dr. Goldmann said it cannot yet
that there are good prospects naming of non-Zionists to the
•
Asserting that necessity would
Earlier, Dr. Goldmann em- be estimated whether these
for the demand, through con- Jewish Agency. He strongly ad- create the "will to aliyah"
tacts in the Communist govern- vocated an "open door" policy among Jewish youth of North phasized that within the organ- changes will bring "liberaliza-
ments of Eastern Europe, for for new membership in the and South America, England izational sphere of the world tion" with regard to the Jewish
the right of Soviet Jews to Zionist movement and insisted and South Africa, the immigra- Zionist movement "not much question.
on the reorganization of the
has changed and little has been
migrate to Israel.
The Zionist leader also spoke
Zionist movement on the basis tion official said it was neces- achieved" since the last World
on the possibilities of Arab-
sary
to
establish
satisfactory
He cautioned, however, that of territorial federations.
Zionist Congress.
Israel peace, which he said, is
conditions in Israel for immi-
Jewish demands must not be
He blamed this state of affairs still far off. He emphasized,
He emphasized that had he grants who contribute to the
transformed into a crusade
known he would not succeed professional know-how and de- of the Sinai campaign which however, that an increasing
against the USSR.
in effecting a change in the velopment of initiative as Is- required "the full-time attention number of Arab leaders are
Jacques Torczyner, leader of status of the World Zionist Or-
of Zionist groups abroad," the coming to the conclusion that
the Zionist Organization of ganization, he would not have raelis.
reluctance of Zionist groups and their hopes to destroy Israel are
Louis
Segal,
American
Labor
America, said that were it not accepted the presidency of the
parties to alter their organiza-
Zionist leader, supplemented tional structure and the Israel unrealistic.
for the Zionist movement, organization.
In another press conference,
the report with an account of government's failure to enhance
American Jewish efforts in be-
Mrs. Rose Halprin, quoted "an
the
work
of
the
American
com-
Dr.
Israel
Goldstein,
speaking
half of Israel would be a fail-
Zionist prestige.
authoritative American" as stat-
as a member of the Agency mittee to encourage immigration
ure.
Jewish problems in the world ing that American-Israel re-
executive, also struck a discour- to Israel, and praised the co-
At the same time, he paid
aging note concerning the Israel operation of Rabbi Mordecai at large, Dr. Goldmann de- lations are now "on an even
tribute to the all-out support government's failure to imple- Kirshblum of the Jewish Agency clared, are not primarily those keel."
of American Jewry for Israel inent its agreement with the for the registration of 250 of physical and political secur-
Speaking as acting chair-
during the Sinai campaign.
American Jews for immigration ity, but that of "safeguarding man of the American Section
World Zionist Organization.
Jewish identity."
Torczyner agreed with - Dr.
Rabbi Mordecai Kirshblum, in the first three months of
of the Jewish Agency, Mrs.
Goldmann on the need for clos- American Mizrachi leader, criti- 1957.
As the political and economic Halprin reported a heart-
er relations between the Israel cized Ben-Gurion for his theory
situation of Jews abroad im-
warming unity in the Ameri-
Yehuda Braginsky, head of proves, he warned, the internal
government and the Zionist that Zionism must be exercised
can Jewish community during
the
Agency's
absorption
de-
movement, but disapproved of by person-ally emigrating to Is-
danger of assimilation increases.
the Sinai campaign. She ex-
partment, reported that be-
the World Zionist Organiza-
pressed the belief that twice
The essential work of pre-
rael.
cause of the desire to make
tion's chief in his proposals for
as many American youths will
venting assimilation, he con-
best use of the high percen-
"Zionism," he argued, "should
drawing non-Zionists into the
leave for seminar study in
tinued, must be done by the
tage of professionals, tech-
be measured by devotion to the
Jewish Agency.
Israel as immigrants and on
Zionist movement and through
task performed for Israel and nicians and scientists who
He insisted that non-Zionist followed by personal emigra- came from European countries
organized tours.
efforts in behalf of Israel were tion to Israel whenever pos- in the past year, the Agency
Mrs. Halprin admitted inac-
only helpful when carried out sible."
To Post Mezuzahs tivity
departed from its main prin-
on the part of American
under Zionist direction.
Michael Gelber of Canada, ciple of sending the largest
Zionists in carrying out the
on
Israel
Offices
During the debate, Mizrachi and Dr. Isaac Goldenberg, pres- possible number of immi-
resolution of the last Zionist
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Me-
delegate Benyamin Shahrer ident of the Zionist Organization
grants into rural undeveloped
Congress to counter Arab boy-
zuzahs will be affixed to the
cited the "injustice" of the of Argentina, supported Dr. areas.
cotts on Israel.
door posts of all Israel gov-
status of rabbis and the lack Goldmann's demand for the es-
She admitted that this is a
He
revealed
that
between
ernment
educational
institu-
of rabbis in the settlements. An- tablishment of Zionist territor-
complex problem which is un-
October
1956
and
July
1957
less
tions,
Education
Minister
other Mizrachi delegate, Yes- ial federations. Dr. Goldenberg
der study by many Jewish
Zalman Arrane promised the
hayahu Bernstein, charged that also recommended the creation than nine percent of the immi-
groups in the U.S., which expect
Knesset. He was responding
only one-third of the 14,000 chil- of Arab-Israel friendship grants ended up in agricultural
initiative from the Israel Em-
to criticism from Orthodox
dren and young people now in leagues in countries outside of settlements, 44 'percent went to
bassy and consular agencies in
semi-urban
settlement
zones
and
deputies.
Youth Aliyah institutions were Israel.
the United States.
the
remaining
47
percent
stayed
receiving a religious education,
Ezra Shapiro, president of the
although more than a third of
them came from Orthodox fam- newly established American `You Can't Drop an Aleph Bet and Pick Up a Torah'
Jewish League for Israel, re-
ilies.
ported on the formation of the
Mrs. Bertha Schoolman, lead- new organization. He said that
er of Hadassah, the American deeper knowledge of associa-
Women's Zionist Organization, tion with Israel in its broader
who is responsible for Hadassah implications is needed for Jews
A Review of Dr. Michael Alper's 'Reconstructing Jewish Education'
activities in the Youth Aliyah in countries outside of Israel.
movement, denied Bernstein's He emphasized that the League
By MORRIS GARVETT
assertion that 3,000 children is the first new Zionist group
Chairman, Education Division, Jewish Welfare Federation
from Orthodox homes had been established since the birth of
Jewish educators have long since learned that has to be put together by one's own hands, mind
placed in non-religious centers. the State of Israel.
if, as has been said, one cannot drop the Greek and emotions to have religious significance for
She called such a situation
Abraham Harman, another
alphabet on the floor and pick up the Iliad, him.
"inconceivable."
member of the Agency execu-
Nevertheless, the author has much to teach
Mapam delegate Shlomo tive, called for acceptance of neither can one drop the aleph bet and pick up
the Torah, the Talmud and the Jewish way of Jewish educators and has sound advice for the
Rosen urged an increase in the
the maximum number of im-
laity. He emphasizes the need for schools for
Jewish Agency's budget for migrants from countries life.
higher Jewish learning to "make their courses
soon
by
the
Dr.
Michael
Alper,
touched
all
too
pioneering activities among the
where Zionist activity is not
Angel of Death, presented to Columbia Univer- relevant to contemporary living issues_ and prob-
youth, asserting that this would
permitted, regardless of bud-
sity a doctoral thesis on the principles of Re- lems"; he recognizes the vital need for the
also bring to Israel the middle- get considerations.
constructionism, as applied to Jewish education, maintenance of a competent Jewish teaching
class elements sought by many
He asserted that although the which was abridged and reorganized by his profession, including tenure and security, and
Zionist leaders.
Earlier in the convention Arab refugee problem receives friend Rabbi Eugene Kohn for publication by the importance of according to the Jewish teach-
proceedings, Dr. Goldmann world-wide attention there is the Reconstructionist Press under the title "Re- er "a prideful sense of belonging. to the one pro-
fession that is most crucial for the perpetuation
severely criticized Israel Prem- little appreciation of the fact constructing Jewish Education."
ier David Ben-Gurion for in- that Israel alone bears the bur-
For anyone unfamiliar with the philosophy of Jewish life." The teacher should be "a func-
viting a delegation of American den of absorbing Jewish refu- of Reconstructionism, this little volume provides tionary of the entire Jewish community, not
Jewish Committee leaders to gees.
an excellent outline of Dr. Mordecai M. Kaplan's merely of a particular congregation or school."
Dr. Alper expresses great concern because
Israel without first consulting
S. Z. Shragai, head of the teachings. In Michael Alper, the founder of Re-
of the limited number of children enrolled
Zionist leadership as to whether Jewish Agency's immigration constructionism had a devoted and dedicated
in Jewish schools and says that the problem,
such an invitation would be department, told the Actions disciple. It was the purpose of Dr. Alper to dem-
like health education, must be solved as "a
helpful to Zionist activities in Committee that despite an en- onstrate the inadequacy of the traditional Jewish
communal and not a private matter only" and
couraging immigration of 88,300 schools for the task of educating Jewish chil-
the U.S.
Dr. Goldmann cited this as newcomers in the 13 months be- dren to live in the two civilizations postulated by that financial provision "from communal funds
for Jewish education, especially of the young,
an example of how Israel fails tween the last World Zionist Reconstructionism, American and Jewish, and
to implement its agreement it Congress and the end of June, to point the way by which an adequate education must take precedence over every other need
in the Jewish community; philanthropic and
concluded with the World Zion- "we must not disregard the fact for such living might be accomplished.
anti-defamation activities must no longer
ist Organization, recognizing the that the demand for immigra-
Those who believe with Dr. Kaplan that the
monopolize Jewish communal life." To the
latter as the representative body tion is greater than we are able Jew does indeed live in two civilizations and
latter sentiment, there are many who will
of Jews in countries outside to handle."
who accept the principles of Reconstructionism
add a hearty "Amen"!
He reported that some 60,000 in general will find Dr. Alper's criticism of the
Israel.
Everyone interested in Jewish education will
Moroccan
Jews
were
registered
traditional
schools
and
his
detailed
suggestions
While acknowledging the
work of the AJ Committee, Dr. and approved for migration to with respect to their curricular and administra- find something in this book which will strike
Goldmann charged the organi- Israel and unable either to tive reorganization very persuasive. But, one a responsive chord and stimulate his thinking,
zation with not accepting Jew- leave Morocco or return to their whose philosophy of Judaism differs from that whether or not he be a Reconstructionist. Much
of the Reconstructionists will be reminded of more needs to be written on this increasingly
ish discipline, and asserted that former lives there.
"The Zionist movement must the dropped aleph bet which, when picked up, important subject.
the Premier's invitation under-

(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
To The Jewish News)

H

p.

Critical Analysis of 'Reconstructing Education'