The Jewish Community Council of Boston today issued a policy statement deploring careless and indiscriminate use of public citations in connection with goodwill and money-raising activities. With Brotherhood Week observance close at hand. the Council voted to appeal to all planning goodwill events to use the utmost discretion in distributing honors.
“We regret to note the strong trend towards using citations as drawing cards for goodwill and money-raising functions in the Boston area,” the statement says. “Inherent in this practice are at least three dangers: 1. Men, rather than issues, will become the central theme of such functions; 2. Honors may be awarded to people widely known for political activities rather than to those genuinely and conscientiously interested in specific communal programs, especially strengthening mutual respect; 3. Persons whose past records have actually reflected intolerance may be selected for current awards. For all of the above reasons as well as others, we deplore the increasing use of citations.”
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