wierent,szteufrIcit..", 2-3.1,4771.T.,,
College Crowd Attacks 'Establishment,' Wins Voice
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The or-
ganized Jewish community was at-
tacked by its college generation
Sunday for being more involved
with institutional structure /and
ritualistic Judaism than in adopt-
ing militant action on ethical is-
sues confronting society. But much
that was positive emerged from
the encounter.
Early in the confrontation be-
tween leaders of 27 Jewish secular
and religious organizations, 66
Jewish students leaders from - 34
colleges attacked the Jewish
"Establishment" and even the con-
ference itself.
The students, ranging from New
Leftists to supporters of traditional
campus movements, made the
point that they wanted to structure
their own programs and were
"turned off" by the Jewish com-
munity of their parents' genera-
tion.
Some of the students rejected the
premise that the Jewish student is
alienated from Judaism and that
the campus has become a "disas-
ter area" for Jewish community
life. It was organized Judaism in
America, they maintained, that
needed to be reconstructed and
was in greater need of reform.
Campus protests against the
military draft, Vietnam war,
poverty, racial discrimination
and the "dehumanized society"
and demands for revolutionary
change in social mores, was
more in keeping with prophetic
Judaism than the activities .of
the Jewish "Establishment," stu-
dents said.
tive and that the "Establishment" the values and structures of the Public and International Affairs at Bernstein succeeded Prof. Louis'
placed too much stress on budgets Jewish community as a whole." Princeton University, elected Gottschalk of the University of
and money spent on religious build- They asked for "real dialogue, not chairman of the Hillel Commission, Chicago.
ings and not enough on education.
The students demanded and were
given a voice in making up the
agenda of the conference. They had
charged that the Jewish "Estab-
lishment" was trying to impose its
views on participants.
They were rebutted by organiza-
tional leaders, who said they were
anxious to hear what students had
to say but urged them not to gen-
eralize falsely about the Jewish
community and assume that it and
the students were on opposing
sides.
Students attacked the Jewish pul-
pit for failing to take greater lead-
ership on social action. They
claimed that the campus was the
most disenfranchised group in the
Jewish community. It was asserted
that the Jewish community would
not be permitted by students to
dictate the "Establishment" con-
cept of Judaism to the campus
community.
Their sharp attacks notwith-
standing, the students welcomed
the chance for the exchange with
a broad representation of Jewish
leadership, the first such nation-
al dialogue between the two
groups ever held.
A number of community leaders
deplored the communication gap
between the community and the
campus. They reminded the stu-
dents that they were not on oppos-
ing sides in many of the issues of
mutual concern.
The students proposed that the
Students charged that the quality community's leadership, together
and contents of pre-college Jewish with campus representatives, "be-
education were dull and unimagina- gin an extensive critical study of
S
*
Most New Leftists Side With Israel,
Writer Says; Urges Link With Youth
The majority of members of the
New . Left are sympathetic to the
state of Israel, a member of the
rabbinic department of the Jewish
Theological Seminary of America
writes in the current issue of
Journal of Jewish Communal Serv-
ice.
The writer, Robert J. Saks, des-
cribes a wide spectrum of opinion
within the New Left, and calls at-
tention to the fact that some New
Lefists have a "low-key pro-Is-
rael attitude," others are more en-
thusiastic supporters of Israel,
while still others, a minority, sup-
port the Arab side.
"The rank and file of the New
Left, especially of the Jews within
it, are sympathetic to Israel,"
Saks writes. "They appreciate the
important role Israel plays as a
haven to the survivors of the Holo-
caust. They are happy it exists
and happy that it has triumphed in
its fight against the Arabs. They
are excited by the great strides
Israelis have made in developing
their land. They are excited by the
kibutzim and the idealistic venture
in human cooperation which they
represent."
As far as the more enthusias-
tic supporters of Israel are con-
cerned, Saks writes, "at the ex-
treme they are found in such
leftist Zionist groups as Hasho-
rner Hatzair and Habonim. Mem-
bers of these groups often share
the same sentiments towards
American problems as their non-
Zionist friends, yet they are ar-
dent Zionists."
"On the other extreme," Saks
continues, "some New Leftists fol-
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low a Soviet or Maoist line towards
Israel which is quite hostile."
A member of the New Left him-
self, Saks notes that it should not
be surprising that there is less
than total enthusiasm for Israel in
the New Left in light of the follow-
ing conflicts between New Left
values and certain policies of Is-
rael:
"The New Left is quite negative
about America and her recent poli-
cies. Israel and America are al-
lies";
"The New Left is extremely bit-
ter about Vietnam. The Israeli gov-
ernment has never criticized U.S.
policy in Vietnam. . .";
"The New Left identifies with
the nations of the Third World
which are trying to throw off the
yoke of foreign exploitation. The
Arabs foster that image of them-
selves."
Turning to a discussion of the
minority within the New Left that
supports the Arab side, Saks
writes that "a lot of young people
stand in danger of being influenced
by them. This presents a challenge
to us all."
"It is high time, that the Jew-
ish community began to deal en-
ergetically and intelligently with
our youth," he continues. "We
spend far too much money on
buying plush carpets for our
just talk" with the adult commun-
ity, "bringing students into the
decision-making national bodies on
an equal basis."
A statement adopted by the con-
ference declared that Judaism had
many options but it "is somehow
not being transmitted to the insti-
tutions which serve the campus
and the community.
"If necessary, these institutions
must be altered," it added.
* s
*
Bnai Brith Hillel Foundation,
reacting to the call by student
leaders for a campus voice in the
policy-making ranks of the Jew-
ish community, voted to include
student representation with "full
participatory rights," on its na-
tional commission and to establish
a student advisory board for "day-
to-day" contact and consultation
with Hillel's national headquar-
ters staff.
The Hillel commission also
moved to extend and expand
"avenues of communication" be-
tween the community and its col-
lege generation through follow-up
conferences.
Dean Marver H. Bernstein of
the Woodrow Wilson School of
quate so far. In reference to Is-
rael, the community has put out
almost no material which speaks
to young people in their own
terms. Its literature is too often
shallow and apologetic.
Its
speakers do not understand us
or relate to us. They may be
good fund-raisers with adults,
but they are too often terrible
with collegians..
"If there is a problem about
Israel's image with American
young people, the fault doesn't lie
only with us. The Jewish commu-
nity, which has failed to under-
stand the needs and aspirations of
many of its youth today, is also to
blame."
8—Friday, March 14, 1969
DMVE
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RICHARD H. LOBENTHAL
Richard H. Lobenthal is the Di-
rector of the Michigan Regional
Office of the Anti-Defamation
League of B'nai B'rith. A psy-
chologist and social worker, Mr.
Lobenthal received his education
at the University of Chicago,
Long Island University, and New
York University. He has served
as special consultant to several
Governors In intergroup relations
and to many of the state and
local public school systems
around the country. Mr. Loben-
thal is also on the faculty of
Wayne State University in the
Department of Sociology and the
Graduate School of Social Work.
Dr. Norman Drachier began his
career as a teacher in the De-
troit schools in 1937. In 1967, Dr.
Drachier was appOinted to Super-
intendent of Schools. A graduate
of Central High School in De•
troit, he has been the recipient
of numerous awards including
the Human Relations Award in
1967. Dr. Drachler is a member
of the New Detroit Committee
and serves as a consultant to the
U. S. Office of Education on
Title IV of the Civil Rights Act.
presents the
10th Annual
Adventures
in Human
Relations
Lecture Series
LIMAS
WILDCATS
A
•
/
'SERVICE THAT SATISFIES"
in conjunction
with the
Anti-Defamation
League of
B'nai B'rith
,
LAMM MI
Of IUKIS IN In
Detroit
B'nai !Nth
shules, and far too little on our
collegians. . The approach of
the Jewish community to col-
legians has been totally inade-
said the students would have a
"partnership role" in the plan-
Industry without art is brutality.
ning of future conferences. Dr. —John Ruskin.
DR. NORMAN DRACHLER
Johannes F. Spreen was appoint-
ed Commissioner of Police by
Mayor Jerome P. Cavanagh on
July 22, 1968, Commissioner
Spreen began his police career
in the New York Police Depart-
ment as a beat-walking police-
man. He rose through the ranks
and after 25 ,years was (Com-
manding Officer of the Bureau
of Operations. He has taught
classes in Police Personnel Ad-
ministration and has had a num-
ber of articles published in No-
tice publications.
JOHANNES F. SPREEN
"Preview of the 70's --- Critical Community Concern"
Mon., March 17, 1969 Monday, April 28, 1969 Monday, May 19, 1969
RICHARD H. LOBENTHAL
"Arab-Israel Relations"
DR. NORMAN DRACHLER
"Crisis In
Education"
JOHANNES F. SPREEN
"Pol R -C ommunity
iceelations"
All Lectures will begin at 8:30 P.M. and will be held at the
Jewish Community Center Assembly Wall,
15110 West Ten Mile Road
SERIES SUBSCRIPTION $2.50
SINGLE ADMISSION $1.00
TICKETS WIII BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR