American Jewish Leaders Stress Burdens and Problems of Coming Year

Leaders of American Jewry, in Rosh Hashanah messages to the community, stressed today the weight of the burdens and the gravity of the problems with which Jewry must continue to deal in the coming year of 5729.

Edward Ginsberg, general chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, stressed this continuity in his message, pointing out that “as we ‘close the book’ on the year 5728, we must immediately begin again; we must begin to write a proud new chapter in the history of the Jewish people. The shofar’s call which heralds Rosh Hashanah 5729 is a call which must be heard and understood.”

Louis J. Fox, president of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, said that the federations and welfare funds in American cities were the “living and growing expression” of the “spiritual values (which) have made not only for identification as a people but for commitment and loyalty to each other and to a just society for all.” He pledged that in the coming year, the federations and welfare funds “will work even more earnestly to ‘seek the welfare’ of the community in which we live, to continue to make even greater contributions toward solving the social problems and the urban blight that afflict our cities; to give greater spiritual, cultural and moral depth to Judaism as a more powerful force for betterment of our pluralistic society; and to continue to meet the ever-broadening range of American Jewish humanitarian responsibilities to the people of Israel in the great strains of the continuing crisis in the Middle East, and to Jews everywhere else in the world.”

Max M. Fisher, United Israel Appeal chairman, greeted friends of the UIA for having made possible the bringing of 1,350,000 Jews to Palestine and Israel since 1939 and declared that “today, Israel, faced with unprecedented need for security, more than ever needs the help of American Jewry so that this immigration and absorption program can be continued, so that programs of health services, social welfare and higher education can be maintained. Sadly, an emergency situation exists in Israel and we must continue to meet these pressing needs. To this, as we enter the New Year 5729, we pledge ourselves. It is our privilege as American Jews to do no less.”

Louis Broido, chairman of the Joint Distribution Committee, voiced thanks to American Jewry for hundreds who had suddenly become “refugees” during past weeks and urged American Jews to remember “those thousands who may not celebrate but can only pray.” He said that “many thousands of the harassed and the homeless have been helped to achieve independence and dignity” but he pointed out that “there still remain those other nameless thousands, in physical or spiritual want, fearful of an uncertain future.”

FEINBERG URGES SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Abraham Feinberg, president of the State of Israel Bond Organization, warned that the New Year opens “in an atmosphere of grave doubt for Israel’s development program” and noted that “Israel’s economy, seriously strained during last year’s heroic survival, has had to allocate additional funds for the nation’s number one priority, defense, at the expense of the development budget.” He said that “in the past, we have demonstrated that our support could affect the course of Israel’s economic recovery from a crisis. We can do no less for Israel’s economic development in the year ahead, when the pace of that development may quicken the pace of the efforts for peace.”

Dr. Emanuel Neumann, chairman of the Jewish Agency-American Section, deplored the continued conflict in the Middle East, the “spectre of anti-Semitism and discrimination” in Poland and elsewhere behind the Iron Curtain, and the Soviet Union’s “inexplicable refusal” to grant its Jewish citizens equal rights. He said that “as Zionists, we rededicate ourselves to the concept that Israel must not be allowed to stand alone.” At home, he declared, “we continue to labor for full equality of opportunity for all peoples in the best tradition of American democracy.” Other Zionist leaders, in messages received by the JTA, stressed the need for unremitting efforts for Israel and to strengthen it as the focus of Jewish unity. Among them were Dr. Israel Goldstein and Mrs. Rose L. Halprin, co-chairmen of the World Confederation of General Zionists; Mrs. Max Schenk, president of Hadassah, the American women’s Zionist organization; Jacques Torczyner, president of the Zionist Organization of America; and Rabbi Israel Miller, chairman of the American Zionist Council.

The leaders of American Jewish representative organizations also used the occasion to remind American Jewry of its achievements in the past year and its obligations for the future. Rabbi Herschel Schacter, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. declared that “we cannot close our eyes to the sadness and concern which we feel for many of our people throughout the world.” But, he declared, “the Jews are traditionally a people of hope.”

Arthur J. Goldberg, president of the American Jewish Committee, said that the New Year “finds our country facing both challenges and uncertainties. Abroad, we have yet to fix on a course of action that will bring peace; at home, we have yet to devise ways of meeting our commitments to our own citizens. During the High Holy Days, when Jews feel a special affinity with their deep spiritual roots, each of us must again probe within himself to find a meaningful role in helping to meet our society’s problems.” Rabbi Arthur J. Lelyveld, president of the American Jewish Congress, stressed that “what is wrong with the world is a challenge to our conscience as Americans and Jews. As we renew our commitment to that human dignity which is central in Judaism’s concern, we still confidently proclaim that ‘the just will see and exult and the righteous will be glad when iniquity will be silenced and the government of evil and arrogance will have ended.”

Rabbi Jacob Philip Rudin, president of the Synagogue Council of America, said that “we greet the New Year with confidence and renewal of strength, with new determination to create a nobler world in which none shall be hungry and none without shelter and home.” He voiced greetings to Israel and to “our beleaguered fellow Jews in Soviet lands.” Statements were also received by JTA from Jordan C. Band, chairman of the National Community Relations Advisory Council; Mrs. Leonard H. Weiner, president of the National Council of Jewish Women; Carlos L, Israels, president of United Hias Service; Dr. William Haber, president of American ORT Federation; Rabbi Joseph Karasick, president of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America; Henry N. Rapoport, president of the United Synagogue of America; Rabbi Zev Segal, president of the Rabbinical Council of America; Dr. Milton Aron, executive vice president of the Jewish National Fund of America; and Richard Korn, American Council for Judaism president. In New York City, special messages were issued by Rabbi Gilbert Klaperman, president of the New York Board of Rabbis, and Albert Parker, president of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York.