Educator Criticizes Jewish Agencies’ Timing in Recruitment of Manpower

A prominent Jewish educator has sharply criticized Jewish communal agencies for directing their manpower recruitment efforts to the “wrong places at the wrong time” and for appearing as corporations in size and behavior pattern, thereby repelling the “best potential workers in communal fields.” Dr. Judah J. Shapiro, in an address at the concluding session of the National Conference of Jewish Communal Workers, attributed to these failings the present manpower crisis in the Jewish communal field. Dr. Shapiro pointed out that vocational guidance in public schools is introduced at an early age level “when children and adolescents are forming their vocational decisions and aspirations.” Jewish recruitment for communal personnel, however, is only pursued at college level and beyond, he said. The starting age for vocational influence, he maintained, should be in such institutions as the Jewish schools, synagogue, and community centers. Mrs. Martha K. Selig. of New York City, was elected president of the National Conference, succeeding Sidney Z. Vincent of Cleveland.