Church and Synagogue Women Join to Translate Ideals into Action

A Conference of Church and Synagogue Women is planning a two-pronged program to enable “millions” of American women “to translate their religious idealism into practical action” to deal with “the current threatening challenges to western civilization,” a spokesman for the interfaith group said today.

The conference, which held its spring conference last week at the office of the National Women’s League of the (Conservative) United Synagogue of America, was described as a movement by which Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christian women mobilize their common goals and action through Church Women United. It also represents the (Reform) National Federation of Temple Sisterhoods, the Women’s Branch of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, and the National Women’s League. The spokesman said the two-part effort will seek to organize the concerted power of the millions of members “in the struggle to achieve freedom as well as responsible social order in a global society, for the benefit of all people.”

The first action will be circulation of a letter to the various constituencies of the Christian and Jewish women’s groups proposing the initiation of dialogues on social action issues. Among suggested topics for such dialogues are respect for human rights, strengthening of such social institutions as family life, the neighborhood, church and synagogue, children and the educational system, racism, international peace, and protection of the human environment.

In the second action, a subcommittee will explore and make suggestions on one or more projects which can be pursued jointly by the cooperating groups. Their recommendations will be brought to the next meeting of the conference for adoption. The date was not announced.