Goren Appeals for Full Jewish Education

Rabbi Shlomo Goren, Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv and former chief chaplain of Israel’s Armed Forces–and a leading contender for the post of Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi in Israel–in a talk yesterday to leaders of the American Zionist Federation called the period of the last 21 months during which the cease-fire has prevailed between Israel and Egypt to be “the most significant 21 months in Jewish history since the diaspora began,” He called the developments during these past months including the aliya from Russia and America, evidences of the “beginnings of the fulfillment of prophecy.”

Rabbi Goren appealed to the leadership of the American Zionist Movement to see to it that “Jewish children are not deprived of a full Jewish education” and that steps should be taken “to establish a solid chain of Jewish schools throughout the United States, which remains the greatest reservoir of Jewry for the political and spiritual support necessary for the survival of Israel.” He cautioned, however, that unless America’s Jewish youth receive a full Jewish education this support may be lost to us in the next generation. He appealed for increased American aliya, adding, “if you find it too difficult to come, at least send us your children.”

Calling the exodus of Soviet Jews “a greater miracle than the Six-Day War,” he urged American Jewry “to understand the significance of this moment in Jewish history in order to work with even greater devotion in fulfilling the Zionist dream.” Replying to a question from Rabbi Israel Miller, president of the AZF, dealing with the “quality of Jewishness of the Soviet immigrants.” Rabbi Goren disclosed that “the percentage of mixed marriages and assimilation among the Russian Jews is lower than from other countries from which aliya is coming.”