Rabbinical Convention Hails Progress Made in Integration in the South

The progress made “toward integration of public facilities, particularly school districts” in some parts of the South, was hailed in a resolution adopted last night at the closing session of the 58th annual national convention of the Rabbinical Assembly of America.

The 600 delegates, spiritual leaders of Conservative congregations in the United States and Canada, warned in the same resolution that resistance to the Supreme Court decisions by acts of violence “transcends the immediate issue of segregation and poses a serious threat to all who believe in law, order and constitutional government.”

The delegates said they were “shocked and appalled” by “bombings and threats of bombings” against Jewish houses of worship recently in six southern cities, calling the acts “reminiscent of Nazi tactics” which seemed to indicate a “planned conspiracy” against “churches, schools and other public facilities.”

The rabbis denounced the Arab boycott which they said “continues unabated” against American citizens and expressed regret that the United States Government had “thus far taken no action” against the boycott.

Rabbi David C. Kogen, director of community activities of the United Synagogue of America, reported there were now 650 Conservative congregations in the United States and Canada with 1,125,000 members, which he compared with 1945 when there were 275 congregations and less than 500,000 members. Rabbi Isaac Klein of Buffalo, N.Y., was elected national president.

In a special resolution, the rabbis hailed the State of Israel as it entered its second decade and asserted that Jews throughout the world were “stronger in spirit and more united” because Israel had been reborn. The delegates urged the United Nations to convene in the near future a “peace conference between Israel and the Arab states” stressing that the peace of the world hangs on the establishment of amicable relations among the nations of the Middle East.