Nearly 400 principals and administrators of Hebrew Day Schools who met in annual convention this weekend in Greenfield Park, N.Y. strongly criticized the Jewish communal establishment for its failure to support adequately Hebrew Day School education. “Fund-raising arms of the Jewish community such as Federation and Welfare Funds spend a great deal of time drafting guidelines for support but very little time on actually mobilizing and funneling financial support to the economically hard pressed schools,” a convention resolution stated.
Delegates also called upon Federation and Welfare Funds to consult earnestly with representatives of the Hebrew Day School system in drawing up guidelines for Federation support of day schools. “The day of the company union and the company town have long since passed from the American scene. There is no need to revive it within the American Jewish community. Furthermore, the day school movement is mature enough to speak for itself. It need not have representatives appointed for it.”
The convention also criticized Jewish organizations which rush to file court briefs and spend communal funds to “gun down” all state and federal legislation for support of non-public schools but spend nothing to gain increased support for Hebrew Day Schools from Jewish communal funds. “Obviously equal rights and equal treatment doesn’t apply to children who attend Hebrew Day Schools.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
