Emphasizing that he speaks as an individual and not as the head of his organization, Dr. Joachim Prinz, president of the American Jewish Congress, today suggested at a press conference that a round-table conference of Jewish leaders be held to plan a new mass movement that would express what he termed “the American Jewish credo. ” This “credo, ” he said, is based on the following beliefs:
1. Jewish survival is inseparably linked with the growth of democracy, quality and human welfare.
2. A vital link with Israel is needed not only because it is a haven for refugees and a bastion of democracy in the Middle East but because it constitutes the “keystone in the arch of Jewish survival.”
3. Jews are a people, sharing common values, common hopes and common problems; the cultural and spiritual heritage of this people must be preserved and fostered to enrich both Jewish life and American and world culture.
The American Jewish Congress president called for the merger of “all groups that subscribe to this American Jewish credo into a single and comprehensive mass movement.” Such a movement could be launched, he said, by a consolidation of the memberships and facilities of the bodies that share these views, including Zionist organizations.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
