College Youth to Be Involved in Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds Decisions

In one of the first actions of its type in the country, the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston has approved the involvement of college youth in committees which deal with the determination of policies, programs, and priorities of the CJP. David R. Pokross, CJP president, said these positions will generally constitute normal committee membership with full voting privileges. He said the decision to involve youth in decision making committees was formalized by a resolution adopted by the CJP. This resolution, Pokross added, implemented the position taken by the General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds on November 16, 1969, that Federations should involve the participation and membership of college youth and faculty on boards and committees of Federations.”

Pokross invited three members of the Concerned Jewish Students to be observers at the CJP meeting when its resolution was adopted. The Jewish students’ group represents a coalition of campus student groups in Greater Boston and New York. Representatives from this group attended last fall the General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds when it met in Boston. Some of them expressed the view that the Federations had not been sufficiently sensitive to the needs of Jewish youths in the areas of Jewish education and culture. In another precedent-making action this week, the executive committee of the CJP approved allocations to two Hebrew Day Schools in the Boston area, the New England Hebrew Academy in Brookline. and the Schecter School in Newton. Students, parents and administrators of the Chelsea Hebrew Academy, which did not receive allocations picketed the CJP headquarters in protest.