Twelve young men and women from five European countries have been chosen from 240 applicants for enrollment in a training institute for directors for Jewish centers, Charles H. Jordan, overseas director-general of the Joint Distribution Committee, reported today.
He said the Institute, which will begin July 1 in the Paul Baerwald School at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was a cooperative venture of organizations working for Jewish youth. He listed them as the JDC; the Standing Conference of European Jewish Community Services; the Jewish Agency for Israel; and the Paul Baerwald School. Mr. Jordan said the Jewish Agency will finance an intensive four-month seminar on the Hebrew language and Jewish cultural studies for the enrollees. The JDC will pay for transportation to Israel and maintenance and tuition. The JDC was bringing Yehuda Rosenman, executive director of the Jewish Community Center of Baltimore, to Israel to direct the project.
Mr. Jordan said that whereas ten years ago there was not a single Jewish center in all of continental Europe, there were now 82 such centers in operation created with West German reparations funds made available by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. He explained that “this phenomenal growth” created a need for trained personnel who were not available in Europe.
The 12 enrollees were recommended by specific communities and have agreed to work for the community that recommended them when they complete their training in Israel. They will eventually serve in France, Greece, Sweden, Belgium and West Germany.
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