The American Council for Judaism concluded today its four-day annual conference with the adoption of resolutions directed against the United Jewish Appeal and against Zionism. The conference called upon “Americans of all faiths to reject the Zionist-fostered concept that the State of Israel is in any sense a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy or the real or fancied ‘homeland’ of American Jews.”
With regard to the United Jewish Appeal, the Council resolution suggested Jewish community leaders “responsible for the contractual linking of their local welfare funds with the United Jewish Appeal demand of the UJA a detailed accounting of the manner in which the huge funds raised in 1956 were spent. On the basis of such an accounting–if it is provided–we hope local fund executives will be impelled to demand, a) that similar accountings be made in the future and b) that any diversion of philanthropic funds for political purposes be discontinued, “the resolution said.
Clarence L. Coleman Jr., of Chicago, president of the Council since 1955, was reelected to serve a second two-year term. Richard L. Simon of Great Neck, N. Y., president of the New York chapter of the ACJ, was chosen Greater New York City regional vice-president, a newly created post.
(The American Council for Judaism was accused tonight by Rabbi Irving Miller, chairman of the American Zionist Council, of giving “aid and comfort to avowed enemies of Israel who are intent upon destroying this single bastion of democratic strength in the Middle East.” Rabbi Miller addressed a Zionist rally on the eve of the ninth independence anniversary of the State of Israel, which will be officially celebrated next Monday.)
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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.