Aj Congress Information Center on Jewish-black Relations to Aid in Urban Renewal

Establishment of an Information Center on Jewish-Negro Relations that will funnel details of cooperative efforts between the two groups nationwide to an expected 1,000 institutions, organizations and individuals working in intergroup relations was announced today by the American Jewish Congress. Richard Ravitch, chairman of the Congress’ Commission on Urban Affairs, made the announcement concurrent with publication of the Center’s first newsletter. The Information Center is located in Stephen Wise Congress House, and is under the direction of Mrs. Libby R. Adelman. Mr., Ravitch said that in coordinating information on Jewish-Negro relations on a national basis, the Information Center would “seek to play a role not only in strengthening understanding between the two groups but in forging the working partnership necessary to revitalize the cities, where the majority of Blacks and Jews live.” He added: “The need for such a central repository of information has long been felt. It is our hope that the Information Center will help the many groups working in this field to share and profit from each other’s experiences and serve as a resource library for scholars, social scientists and other professionals in the human relations area.”

The new center is expected to provide information on current programs, activities and studies involving Negroes and Jews, especially little-known efforts in communities that may lend themselves to duplication in other parts of the country. Mrs. Adelman said that more than 300 organizations, responding to an initial questionnaire, indicated their desire to participate in the Information Center and receive material from it. They include government agencies on a national and local level–particularly human relations commissions in 20 cities and states; national organizations in the fields.of housing, education and civil rights; local groups engaged in similar activities, and universities. About a third of these, she said, responded that they are now or have recently engaged in programs in which Blacks and Jews have worked together.