U.S. Jews Warned Against ‘the New Assimilationism’; Jewish Unity Urged

Dr. Joachim Prinz, president of the American Jewish Congress, warned yesterday against “the new assimilationism–a kind of vicarious Jewish living by those who believe in international Jewish philanthropy and other good works without having any Jewish commitment themselves.” He spoke at the final session of the national biennial convention of the American Jewish Congress Women’s Division here.

“Identification with the Jewish people around the world and with Israel cannot be divorced from our Jewish commitment in our own lives and in our own country, “Dr. Prinz declared. However, he added that “the concept of Jewish peoplehood–the unity of the Jewish people around the world–must stand as the basic principle of Jewish identification and as a motivating factor of Jewish communal life here and abroad.”

In resolutions adopted at the closing session of their four-day convention, the American Jewish Congress women called for vigorous action to keep religion out of the public schools. and urged the U.S. Government to denounce the Arab boycott “as a measure of economic warfare constituting a threat to international peace.” They also asked that all U.S. treaties and executive agreements with foreign powers bar racial and religious discrimination against American citizens. Mrs. Thelma Richman of Philadelphia was reelected national president for a third two-year term.