The Rabbinical Assembly, the organization of the Conservative rabbinate, voted here, at the conclusion of its 67th annual convention, to oppose Federal aid to private or parochial schools, except for such special programs as transportation, lunches and medical and dental services. The 500 delegates to the convention opposed "outright subsidies" by the Federal Government for textbooks or other supplies to religious schools, whether Jewish, Protestant or Catholic.
At the same time, the Assembly voiced its unanimous support to the all-day, Jewish day school movement, and called on the Conservative rabbinate "to assume energetic leadership to the great effort to mobilize Jewish communal funds from Jewish federations and welfare funds" for the support of Jewish education.
The Assembly reelected Rabbi Eli A. Bohnen, of Providence, as president. An announcement was made, after a debate concerned with the perils facing Israel during the current Middle East crisis, that 50 Conservative rabbis had volunteered to spend from one month to three months in Israel this summer. They will serve as teachers, counselors to children, or in other capacities that would help relieve Israel’s manpower shortage, caused by the call-up of many young men into the armed Israeli services.
The discussion of the Middle East crisis followed addresses by Vice-President Hubert Humphrey and Israel’s Ambassador Avraham Harman. Mr. Humphrey cited President Johnson’s pledge of last week, reasserting United States support for Israel’s right of innocent passage through the Strait of Tiran. He praised Israels "self-restraint" during the current crisis, but warned that war must be averted and stressed the need for further political and diplomatic negotiations during a "breathing spell." At the same time, however, he indicated that a solution of the issue regarding Tiran must not be sought "at the expense of Israel’s sovereignty, her life and her lifeline."
Ambassador Harman, emphasizing that there must be no miscalculation about Israel’s determination and right to defend her freedom, noted that, as of now, "the world will have to decide what to do about this situation in which one United Nations member is threatening to destroy another." He expressed the hope that the international community would not permit "appeasement of a dictator." He said: "It is we who will defend Israel against aggression, if it comes to that."
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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.
