Young people should be given a greater voice in determining the future of Judaism, David M. Blumberg, the president of B’nai B’rith told a press conference here last Friday on the eve of the annual summer meeting of the organization’s Board of Governors. He said that young Jews are looking for “realism in their religion.” They want Judaism to be reflected in all parts of their lives–their home, their business, their daily relations with others–and not merely in their synagogues and on the Jewish holidays, he said.
“Their concern for their commitment to the future of Judaism is real and it is strong, “Blumberg said.” We see it every day in our Hillel programs.”
In a discussion that touched on a variety of topics, Blumberg said also that B’nai B’rith “remains heavily in favor” of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment in regard to U.S. relations with other nations. “The most favored nation trade status must be contingent on the status of human rights, just as detente must be,” he said.
Blumberg added that the U.S. “must continue to keep pressure on the Soviet Union both in respect to the rights of citizens to emigrate and to the right of Jews to live as Jews.”
B’nai B’rith strongly endorses President Carter’s hard stance on the practice of human rights in all nations, Blumberg added.
On other issues, the B’nai B’rith president commented that passage of the proposal to amend Israel’s Law of Return would, in his view, “be tremendously disruptive.” He added that he did not think the amendment would be approved by the Knesset.
URGES THAT NAZIS BE IGNORED
Asked about the recent attempts by a small group of American Nazis to march in nearby Skokie, Ill., where some 7000 survivors of the Holocaust now reside, Blumberg said that he would advise the Jewish community there to ignore the Nazis, “difficult as that might be for them. Any counter-march, demonstration or confrontation would only increase the attention on the Nazis and this is what they want, this is what they live for.” Instead, Blumberg said, he would propose a strong program to educate the public on the inherent dangers that the Nazi movement holds for the country.
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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.
