American Jewish Committee Adopts Decisions on Jews in Near East and Latin America

A resolution calling on the American Jewish Committee to continue its policy of helping the Jews in the Near East migrate to Israel was adopted here last night at the closing session of the Committee’s 44th annual meeting. The parley also decided to give aid to those Jews who prefer to remain where they are.

The delegates urged the organization to continue its long-range policy aimed at raising the social and legal status of the Jews of French Morocco. In addition, the A.J.C. was cautioned to “continue its alert watch over all other developments in the Near East affecting Jews.”

The meeting also resolved to intensify the cooperation of the American Jewish Committee with Latin American Jewish communities for the purpose of strengthening local Jewish institutions, promoting wholesome attitudes among Jewish youths toward the Jewish and general communities of their respective lands, as well as promoting better relations between Jews and non-Jews in the countries of Latin America.

A series of recommendations for fostering better human relations in education, civic affairs and inter-religious activities was also adopted at the session. They suggested that the A.J.C. chapters, in cooperation with other community groups, encourage and support measures to ensure that public schools provide the “kind of education which properly prepared our future citizens for living in a democratic society.” They also recommended that the Committee’s own educational program continue to stress the threat of totalitarianism to democratic and liberal values as well as to Judaism.

In addition, the delegates proposed that the A.J.C. expand its cooperative programs of social action with Protestant and Catholic lay and professional leadership, and work toward such common objectives as United States approval of the Genocide Convention and action to eliminate discrimination in employment, education and housing.

Irving M. Engel, chairman of the executive committee, summarizing “the highlights of 1950,” of the American Jewish Committee, charged that anti-Semitism and bigots have exploited the fight on Communism to spread their propaganda. Citing as evidence the recent case of Assistant Secretary of Defense Anna M. Rosenberg, he declared that the A.J.C. “had been able to unearth startling evidence of the fact that at the bottom of the hue and cry against Mrs. Rosenberg lay an unholy legion of bigots.”

Stressing the Committee’s major educational role in the effort to eliminate discrimination and segregation from every phase of American life, including, employment, education and housing, he pointed to the Committee’s efforts “to enlighten the public concerning the nature of fair employment practices; its assistance to local communities in analyzing Fair Employment Practices state bills and municipal ordinances; its submission of legal briefs as friends of the court in several cases defending the right of the New York State Commission Against Discrimination to promulgate rules and regulations.”