American-israel ‘dialogue’ Ends on Note of Common Problems and Needs

The seventh American Jewish Congress-sponsored American-Israel Dialogue has ended here with speakers from both countries in general agreement that Israeli and American Jews had common problems and needs as well as mutual dependence.

Rabbi Arthur J. Lelyveld, president of the AJ Congress, stressed that “we need one another, we are kin, we have common values emanating from our common historic experience and our situation in the modern world.” He also referred to the question of nationalism, which sparked some of the sharpest exchanges during the dialogue. He said “we want Jewish nationalism to continue to be in the category of enlightened nationalism.”

Dr. Yermiyahu Yovel of the Hebrew University conceded that for an Israeli, the question of ideological definition was not pressing because “our life and existence do not depend on it.” He expressed the hope that the generation gap among American Jews would be narrowed because the Jewish youth rebellion against the “establishment” in the United States “distorted” the essence of Israel with which the American Jewish “establishment” identified itself.

A gloomy picture of Jewish education in America was described at another session by Isaac Toubin. executive director of the American Association for Jewish Education. Mr. Toubin said Jewish education in the United States lacked both motivation and clear objectives and suffered from a shortage of good teachers. He added that the time devoted to Jewish education was so inadequate that it amounted to no more than “play schooling.” According to Mr. Toubin, every American Jewish youngster should be given a Jewish education but in fact only a very small proportion received it. He said the only ray of hope was to be found in Hebrew day schools and the Jewish sponsored summer camps. He suggested that Israel be made the focal point of Jewish education in America and become a place where American Jewish youth could come to study Judaism in practice.

Dr. Yogev Karmi, principal of the Herzilya high school, said he saw no solution to the problem of religious education in an open secular society. He said Jewish education in Israel must be based on past heritage and on moral values that would be the source of a modern Jewish heritage.

Prof. Zwi Kurzweill, of the Technion, said he favored the plan of Hebrew University Prof. E. Auerbach whereby religious life in Israel would be organized on a community and congregational basis as in the United States and not on political parties.