More than 2500 Jewish leaders from communities throughout the United States and Canada are expected to attend the 47th General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations (CJF), Nov.8-12, in San Francisco, it was announced here. The dynamics of the Middle Eastern peace process, Jewish education, strengthening Jewish family life, and community relations issues in the local community will be priority topics on the agenda.
CJF President Jerold C.Hoffberger will preside over the opening plenary to keynote the Assembly. The new president will be elected at the GA. Dr. David Hartman of Hebrew University is scheduled to address the Assembly-at-large on “Jewish Values and Aspirations.” He will also deliver the major address for the Leadership Development/ Community Planning Mini-Forum on “Jewish Education and Jewish identification: The Role of Federation Leadership in Planning for the Future.” Six related workshops will follow.
This year four forums will offer in-depth coverage of key issues to confront the North American Jewish leaders in the coming year: “Making Peace in the Middle East”; “The Struggle for Soviet Jewry”; “Domestic Social Problems and Their Impact on the American Jewish Community”; and “World Jewry.”
SPECIAL SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS
A special seminar on 1979 campaign needs in cooperation with the United Jewish Appeal will focus on ” Jewish Renewal at Home and Abroad.” Discussions will include what renewal means and how it works in Israel and at home, local community links with Israel, and campaign implementation.
A major phase in the two-year process to review CJF’s purpose, governance, organization and function will begin as community representatives meeting a special workshop to discuss the findings and recommendations. The reactions will then be considered by the CJF Board in formulating its recommendations to the community Federations.
Seminars and workshops are scheduled for: Federation-synagogue relations; federal funding; large city budgeting conference; college youth and faculty; public relations; Canadian-Israel relations; and local Israel desks. In addition to a mini-forum on Jewish education, leadership development sessions include five workshops on Jewish identity, leadership and experimental training.
Following a 22-year-old tradition, CJF will honor more than 100 Young Leadership Award recipients chosen by their local communities for outstanding ability and service. “Strengthening Jewish Family Life” will be a priority concern at the GA, and a mini-forum on that topic opens with “The Jewish Family in America: Today and Tomorrow.” An Oneg Shabbat program on “Transmitting the Meaning of the Holocaust” will feature historian Raul Hilberg.
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