Cooperative Reform-Conservative
`Option' Offered Jews of Israel

Named to- Receive
Stephen Wise Awards

NEW YORK (JTA)—An effort tor.servative plans would seek to avoid
provide a "third option" to Israeli I confrontations with the Israeli
Jews whose choice now is limited ! government and the Orthodox rab-
to Orthodox Judaism, and secular- binate, the sole Jewish religious
ism was described by a Conserva- movement recognized in Israel.
tive rabbinical leader as one of the An example of the separate &-
goals of a projected Conservative- forts cited was a program ap-
Reform rabbinical cooperative bro- proved at the November 1967 con-
gram. vention of the Union of American
Rabbi Ralph Simon of Chicago, Hebrew Congregations in Montreal,
president of the Rabbinical Assem- calling on each member congrega-
bly, said that the principle of such tion to seek contributions of
a cooperative effort was endorsed $1.00 per member family to be
John W. Gardner (left) chair-
at an unprecedented all-day study used in aiding the Reform congre-
man of the Urban Coalition, and
meeting of the executive board of gations in Israel. Under the direc-
David Aronow, noted textile in-
the (Reform) Central Conference lion of Nathaniel Hess, chairman
dustrialist, realtor and philan-
of American Rabbis and the Rab- of the UAHC Committee on Israel,
thropist,
are the 1968 laureates of
binical Assembly, held at the Jew- more than $100,000 has been raised
ish Theological Seminary, the in that campaign. It was also re- the Stephen Wise Awards pre-
sented
annually
by the American
Conservative institution. The gath- ported that there are 39 RA rabbis
ering, attended by 65 Reform and , now resident in Israel, working in Jewish Congress. Gardner, form-
er secretary of health education
Conservative rabbinical leaders,: synagogues, youth villages and
and welfare, receives the award
was the first joint meeting since' other institutions and agencies.
for
"advancing human freedom."
The Rabbinical Council of
the CCAR was founded in 1889 and j
The medal to Aronow cites his
i America, the association of Or-
the RA in 1899.
"dynamic leadership in strength-
thodox rabbis, later warned that
Rabbi Simon ' said that this gen-
ening Jewish life."
the projected plans could be
eral objective had been sought
dangerously
divisive at a time
d
separately by the two branches
through their-committees on Israel when Israel was facing seven
new trials to Its physical sur-
and that both would hereafter
"communicate with each other and vival.
Rabbi Zev Segal, RA president,
;
cooperate in endeavors in which
warned that such efforts could di-
they have mutual concerns." The
conference was convened, Oct. 23, vide Jews both inside and outside
Israel and might "destroy the
in the words of the CCAR presi- unity which we so desperately
SEE OR CALL
dent, Rabbi Levi Olan of Dallas, treed." He urged the Reform and
as a representation of "what is Conservative movements "to de-
happening in the world at large—
sist from these efforts and to con-
the growing movement of secular- centrate instead upon stronger
AT
ism which has brought the reli-
gious forces closer together." Rabbi support for Israel's genuine needs
which are physical integrity, eco-
Simon added that the two commit- nomic development and cultural
tees on Israel would set a date
soon for their first joint meeting to 1 expansion."
He added that religious diver-
califlac
consider steps toward the basic sity and conflict had been "plagu-
objective.
ing" the American Jewish com-
1350 N. Woodward Birmingham
Rabbi Simon cited as an ex- munity "for years" and that
MI 4-1930
ample of the program to be ad- 'there is no justification for per-
by cooperative Reform- there such divisions and tensions
Res. 357-0326
Conservative action wider dissemi-
"
nation of a journal of religious to be imported into Israel.
thought "Petahim" (Gateways),
which he called a journal not bound
by the "rigidity of the fundamen-
talist position." The bi-monthly
publication is published in Jerusa-
lem under the editorship of Joseph
Bentwich, the Anglo-Jewish editor.
Rabbi Simon said that the publica-
tion had been struggling with prob-
lems of finance and support and
that the committees on Judaism
hoped to give it more financial aid
and help in stimulating its circula-
tion which he described as "several
thousand."
Another cooperative goal, Rabbi
Simon explained, would be efforts
to grapple with "the whole philo-
sophical concept of a Jewish
State." New efforts also are plan-
ned to encourage American rabbis
to go to Israel and carry on pro-
grams of liberal religious thought
and education among Israeli Jews.
There are at present seven Re-
form congregations and five Con-
servative congregations in Israel.
Each congregational group in Is
ONE OF AMERICA'S
rael will continue to receive sup-
_ port from its American counterpart
but it was stressed by Rabbi Simon
FAVORITE ENTERTAINERS
that the cooperative Reform-Con-

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

8—Friday, November 1, 1968

Hamburg Jew Bundesrat President

BONN (JTA)—Herbert Weichmann, the Jewish mayor of Ham-
burg, West Germany's largest port city, has been elected president
of the Bundesrat, the upper house of the German Parliament, which
is composed of representatives of the various states.
He is the first Jew in postwar Germany to be elected to such
an office.
Weichmann, 68, was a resident of the United States during World
War II. He returned to Hamburg afterward at the invitation of former
Mayor Max Brauer and became the city's finance chief and later
mayor.

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56th Annual Gala Event

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-

Historical Scty., Hebrew
Collaborate on Histories

WALTHAM (JTA) — The Amer-
ican Jewish Historical Society and
the Institute of Contemporary
Jewry at the Hebrew University
will publish a multi-volume series
of histories in Hebrew describing
the Jewish community in the
United States. The project will in-
volve newly written and edited
works in English prepared by dis-
tinguished scholars and translated
into Hebrew and published by the
Magnes Press of the Hebrew Uni-
versity.
The first three volumes are ex-
pected to be published in 1969-70,
with the initial works concentra-
ting on the history of Jewish life
in the U. S. from the earliest
settlement to the current day.

It is only an error of judgment
to make a mistake, but it argues
an infirmity of character to adhere
to it when discovered.
—C. N. Bovee

MORTY GUNTY

AND SURPRISE HOLLYWOOD STAR

also JOHNNY YUNE, Baritone

Songs of Every Homeland

SPIRIT OF LIFE

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Write: Detroit Businessmen's Group

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