Dr. Karpf Calls for National Jewish Economy; Asks for Jewish Research Foundation

Dr. Maurice J. Karpf, Director of the Graduate School for Jewish Social Work, of New York City, stressed the importance of a national Jewish economy in an address before the students, faculty, and invited guests of the Hebrew Teachers College of Boston.

The address, which closed a series of lectures on various phases of Jewish communal life by prominent leaders, was on the subject of “Integrating the Jewish Community.” Dr. Karpf analyzed the various types of Jewish communal organizations into local, national and international activities, and pointed out there was little or no integration in each of them.

In illustrating the lack of unity among organizations he stressed the failure of some sections of American Jewry to support the activities of the Joint Distribution Committee because of their interest and activity in Zionism; the conflicts between the different parties and organizations working for Palestine; the conflict and strife existing between the American Jewish Committee and the American Jewish Congress.

The situation is not much better among other organizations operating on a national scale, Dr. Karpf pointed out. “There are a comparatively large number of agencies active in the field of Youth Works; The Jewish Welfare Board, The B’nai Brith; The Union of American Hebrew Congregations; The National Council of Jewish Women; Young Judea; Young Israel, etc., are each doing work with the youth on a national scale, with no coordination, no common thinking or planning, each duplicating some of the activities of the others, and no organization having the resources and means for the development of a comprehensive program. In the field of higher professional and academic education there is a like duplication. There are five major rabbinical seminaries, when one or at most two well-organized institutions would serve the needs of American Jewry in this respect. There appears to be a greater coordination in local activities concerned with what is commonly called social work. But even here appearances are deceptive,” stated Dr. Karpf.

There are a number of factors responsible for the lack of integration, according to Dr. Karpf, the most important of which are a lack of knowledge and a lack of leadership. “Most communal activities,” he declared, “are due either to tradition—our fathers have done it thus—or imitation—other communities are doing it—or to the influence of some wealthy and powerful personality. But in almost every instance are they based on a trial and error procedure. Rarely, if ever, are they based on knowledge, knowledge resulting from careful study and research.” He emphasized the difference between scientific research and surveys in which “the conclusions may be and indeed sometimes are written to order, occasionally even before the study is completed, for purposes of expediency.” He stated that it had been conservatively estimated that American Jewry spent between thirty and forty million dollars a year on various communal enterprises before the depression and practically nothing for research. One of the greatest needs of American Jewry, in the opinion of Dr. Karpf, is a research organization “which would be large enough to encompass most phases of Jewish activity and would be independent enough to be able to afford to search out and tell the truth.”

“Of equal importance with research,” Dr. Karpf declared, “is an enlightened lay and professional leadership. The leaders of Jewish life today are called upon to do too many things. They are carrying too many responsibilities and cannot possibly know the ramifications and implications of the problems which are brought to their attention. Moreover, some of the leaders are tired, some are getting old and some are passing from the scene due to the depression. The younger people are either indifferent or unwilling to step in and take up the reins.” Professional leadership, though perhaps in a somewhat better state, is nevertheless insufficient, according to him. “Most people professionally engaged in Jewish activities cannot afford the luxury of independent and courageous thought and action. To say that they should have the courage of their convictions is merely to close one’s eyes to the facts of life. “If only there could be a Jewish Foundation for endowing courageous, constructive and far-sighted leadership. If some Jew of wealth were to create a Foundation which would endow persons of tested ability and proved performance what a boon, what a benefit he would confer upon the Jewish people of America. Such an organization, together with a properly endowed Research Foundation, could do more than almost anything else to bring about the needed integration in Jewish life in America.”