Wjcongress Study Which is Critical of Israel’s Policies and Allya Raises a Furor

A World Jewish Congress study expressing criticism of Israel’s domestic and foreign policies and questioning the feasibility of aliya has created a furor here among World Zionist Organization officials. The 119-page document, titled “The Implications of Israel-Arab Peace for World Jewry,” a two-year study which was commissioned by the WJCongress, was made public at its assembly here last week.

The document, which was issued by the WJC’s 33-member International Economic and Social Commission chaired by Baron Guy de Rothschild of Paris, concluded the criticism of Israel’s policies by Jews in the United States and elsewhere should not be “swept under the rug” but rather openly expressed to relieve “increasing strains” in the relationship between Israel and the diaspora.

“Independent diaspora judgements require full expression in an uninhibited dialogue on the grave doubts and concerns occasioned by Israel’s policies,” the study stated. It asserted that the question of the right to differ with Israel was “by far the most important of outstanding current issues between Israel and the diaspora.”

SOME DOUBTS AND CONCERNS

Among the “doubts and concerns” felt but often “suppressed” by “independently-minded diaspora Jews,” the study said were:

“The religious monopoly exercised by the Orthodox rabbinate in Israel with the official sanction of the government–a situation offensive to Conservative and Reform Jewry, as well as to many secular Jews.”

“Israel’s settlement policies in the West Bank and Gaza,” its “extremely parochial obtuseness” and “lack of appreciation of increasingly critical public opinion in the U. S. and other Western countries.”

“A flawed electoral system based on proportional representation” that has produced “a multi-party political system and successive coalition governments … incapable of resolving basic issues.”

“Growing materialism” and individual and group competition that have “hastened the erosion of the old ideals and Jewish values centering in the idea of social justice.”

The study also stated that to retain and strengthen support by the Western powers and by Jews in the diaspora, Israel should make “unmistakeably clear” that its policies and negotiating stance in search for Middle East peace are based “squarely and unequivocally on security considerations.”

SITUATION OF JEWS IN THE DIASPORA

One of its major passages read: “The classic Zionist ideology which denigrates the prospects for a secure or meaningful Jewish existence in the diaspora, and which conceives of diaspora existence as living in exile, is remote from the thinking of most Jews who live in free democratic societies. The persistent hopes and efforts of Israeli leaders and Zionist organizations to achieve substantial increases in aliya from Western diaspora communities cannot confidently be counted upon to achieve far greater success than they have achieved in the past.”

Another key passage stated “To forge stronger ties between Israel and the diaspora, we recommend that Israel, with the active participation of the diaspora, create a strong and dedicated Shalom Corps, whose members would spend a year or two abroad in response to requests from weaker communities for teachers, rabbis and other essential Jewish services.”

The document was not formally presented to the assembly nor endorsed by resolution. Edgar Bronfman, president of the WJCongress, stated in his preface to the document: “Its independent conclusions and recommendations are naturally those of the Commission alone — the World Jewish Congress is neither responsible for nor committed to accept or support any of them. We do believe, however, that this thoughtful, sensitive and significant report warrants the serious consideration of concerned Jews everywhere.” The study was initiated two years ago by Philip Klutznick who was then the WJCongress president.

KEY MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION

Diaspora members of the study Commission included Bronfman; de Rothschild; Prof. Raymond Aron of France; Sir Monty Finniston of England; Henry Rosovsky, dean of the faculty of arts and sciences at Harvard University; Prof. Seymour Martin Lipset of Stanford University; and Sol Chaikin, International Ladies Garment Workers president.

Israeli members of the Commission included Haim Ben-Shahar, Tel Aviv University president; Naftali Blumenthal, president of Koor Industries; Ernst Japhet, chairman of Bank Leumi; Jacob Levinson, chairman of Bank Hapoalim; and Dan Tolkowsky, managing director of Discount Bank Investment Group Ltd.

CRITICIZED BY WZO LEADERS

The document was sharply criticized by WZO leaders. Leon Dulzin, chairman of the WZO Executive, appointed an Executive subcommittee Monday to prepare the WZO’s official response to the document. Subcommittee members include Eli Eyal, chairman of the WZO information department, who is the subcommittee’s coordinator; Moshe Krone, Prof. Raanan Weitz, Eli Tavin and Avraham Schenker, all members of the Zionist Executive.

Dulzin advised against exaggerating the importance of the WJCongress. “This is a body which represents communities, and it cannot compete with the WZO, “he said. WZO treasurer Akiva Lewinsky charged that too many monied individuals were on the WJCongress Commission, thereby distorting its findings. He said that although it was a document that could not be ignored, he was not ready to accept it as the unanimous voice of diaspora Jewry.

Krone, of the department of Torah culture in the diaspora, suggested that the Zionist Executive issue a protest against the actual publication of the document, since its authors exceeded their authority. Tavin said that the document was “chutzpah.”