Dr. Nahum Goldmann said here today that while it was gratifying that Jewish youth were prepared to go out in large numbers to fight for certain ideals, it was, at the same time “a tragedy that our young men and women look for ideals and values outside of Jewish experience.” Dr. Goldmann spoke as president of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture at a meeting attended by 90 delegates representing 40 nations. The Foundation aims to revive Jewish culture and cultural institutions destroyed by the Nazis.
Dr. Goldmann said that “a large part of the Jewish youth of today is alienated from the mainstreams of Jewish life” and warned that “if we don’t save most of them, the outlook is bleak indeed.” He thought that the Memorial Foundation was best suited to undertake the task because other Jewish establishments could not. “We must look for new ways and means to solve this problem,” he said.
Earlier today. Dr. Goldmann addressed the opening session of the annual meeting of the Conference for Jewish Material Claims Against Germany of which he was re-elected president. The Conference utilizes funds received from West Germany under the restitution agreement to provide relief, rehabilitation and resettlement for needy survivors of Nazi persecution living outside Israel. Fifty representatives of 23 Jewish organizations were present. Dr. Goldmann said that no demands could or would be made of West Germany for additional restitution legislation but that implementation of the final two laws now in progress required the Conference to remain in existence.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.