Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds Urges Unity in Community Activities

Jewish federations, welfare funds and community councils were urges by the Councils were urged by the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds not to permit conflicts in some areas to destroy united Jewish action in the field of fund raising and community organization, it was learned here today when the Council made public the text of letter to this effect circulated to member agencies.

The letter, signed by Sidney Hollander, president of the Council, and William J. Shroder, chairman of its board, resulted from a decision taken by the board of directors of the Council at a meeting held last month in Pittsburgh. The text reads:

“For many years our Jewish communities have organized themselves to meet their communal needs and community obligations with complete recognition and acceptance of two basic principles:

“1.- That united community action can be achieved in all fields where there is a common desire to act together for the benefit of Jewry generally and the community in particular; 2.- That all individuals and groups in our communities can work together effectively with full recognition that there are differences of opinion and belief in many areas.

“These principles are inherent in the organization of federations, welfare funds and community councils. They have proven themselves through many years of experience.

“Under the stress of present conditions it becomes increasingly difficult to forget differences in order to do together those things which can and should be done together. This may result in hasty action inimical to your long-term obligations. Recognizing this, the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, by formal action of its Board of Directors, has authorized this word of reaffirmation of its basic principles.

“We urge upon all communities the necessity of not permitting conflicts in some areas to destroy what has been achieved by cooperative action, and to continue, and to expand their community organizations for the betterment of our people here and throughout the world, and for making their contribution to American life.”

DIFFERENCES OF IDEOLOGY CAN EXIST, BUT CONTRACTS MUST BE HONORED, HOLLANDER SAYS

Supplementing this letter, a statement by Mr. Hollander emphasized that “differences of ideology do exist and will continue to exist, but we have contracted together to maintain communal solidarity for the support of those causes for which we have a common responsibility or group interest. This contract has always been honored. We can continue to honor it.

“The American Jewish Conference, initiated in the hope of furthering unity, regrettably left an aftermath of secession and counter-secession,” Mr. Hollander declared. “I don’t believe that American Jews, any more than other Americans, can subscribe to a single ideology. The Conference simply proved once again that all of us hold convictions from which we will not easily be swayed.

“However, we seem to be forgetting that we have held firm to our differing beliefs for many years. And during those same years we have established an enviable record in erecting a structure of services developed and supported on the solid foundation of joint endeavor. In other words, our Jewish communities have long been a living proof that local groups can work together in common purpose for the causes they support and still have divergent ideas on numerous phases of Jewish life.

“I am certain that not every contributor to our federations and welfare funds admires all the beneficiary agencies alike, nor does joint fund-raising require this. Conceivably he is less than enthusiastic or even opposed to some, but despite such questionings, the self-imposed obligations of American Jews have always been generously and willingly discharged through cooperative effort by all groups.

URGES JEWISH GROUPS TO EMULATE COOPERATION OF DIFFERENT RELIGIONS

“We should remember also that community chests are based on cooperation among Protestants, Catholics and Jews,” Mr. Hollander continues. “If different religious groups can work together without giving up their own religious principles, cooperation among Jewish groups should not be difficult.

“Today the pressure of world events has strained and complicated much of what we do and think. But that must not divert us from the necessity of maintaining and protecting what we have so successfully achieved.

“Whether a central community body can or cannot represent all of our different theories and beliefs, we know that we can all participate in its concrete activities. It is a healthy educational process for debates to continue. Independent thought frequently revitalizes action. But the place for debate and agreement has always been the forum, the meeting-hall. The community organizations have other positive functions on which we have all agreed. These must have the right of way.”