Jewish Community Relations Council Formed by New York Major Group

A coordinating and consultative body, the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, providing an opportunity for voluntary cooperative action among ten Jewish religious and civic agencies dealing with New York City and State issues, was formed here today.

Harry K. Gutmann, New Rochelle, newly elected president of the Community Council, said “this was the first such ad hoc body founded since the establishment of the first Jewish settlers in 1654. ” He stressed that the new group would “work closely in cooperation with Catholic, Protestant and other civic agencies.” He defined the purposes of the Community Relations Council as:

1) Create and maintain conditions in the New York area that are conducive to upholding and encouraging the vitality and variety of Jewish living in a pluralistic society; 2) Promote the establishment of complete equality of opportunity and full civic rights and civil liberties for Jews and for all other groups in our community; 3) Encourage amicable relationships and mutual understanding and respect among the various groups of our community; 4) Develop an intelligent and effective public opinion within and outside the Jewish community on Jewish community relations issues, problems, concerns and commitments; 5) Combat all vestiges of anti-Semitism and anti-Semitic activity.

Included as the founding agencies of the Jewish Community Relations Council are the New York agencies of: American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Hadassah, Jewish Labor Committee, Jewish War Veterans, National Council of Jewish Women, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations, United Synagogue, New York Federation of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and Brooklyn Jewish Community Council.