Jewish Center Workers Urge More Democracy in Communal Organizations

The Association of Jewish Center Workers, meeting here last night, adopted resolutions urging increased democratization and adjustment of priorities in Jewish communal organizations. The National Conference of Jewish Communal Services, of which the Association is one of several constituents, refused to introduce a resolution on the same issue but promised a serious study of the problem. Both groups have been meeting here separately since Sunday. About 700 persons are attending. The Association of Jewish Center Workers expressed concern over the alienation of Jews, particularly the young, from Jewish institutions and suggested in its resolutions that the situation could be remedied by broadening the structure of community policy-making bodies; providing programs that enhance Jewish identity; providing “quality” Jewish experiences and by eliminating aspects of Jewish organizational structures that are unattractive to many Jews. It recommended specifically that boards of directors be made more representative of their communities and that the distribution of Jewish communal funds must not be solely in the hands of the wealthy contributors, according to Barry Shrage, chairman of the Association’s social actions committee. The Association adopted a resolution denouncing “blatant job discrimination” on the basis of sex. Shrage told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that women were discouraged from taking jobs with communal organizations and from seeking promotions to executive positions by various acts of omission. He mentioned the failure to provide day-care centers and other facilities enabling women to fill responsible jobs.