The American Jewish Congress ended its national biennial convention here today following an address by Sen. Hubert H. Humphrey urging that the United States use official channels to protest what he termed “the rising tide of anti-Semitism” in the Soviet Union.
Sen. Humphrey said the welfare of 3, 000, 000 Jews in the USSR was a proper subject of official U.S. protest “at every conference and in every negotiation. ” The U. S., he said, has “never felt that our principle of non-intervention in the affairs of other states has limited our obligation to make protests on behalf of our moral duty to humanity.”
The convention adopted a resolution calling on the Soviet Union to end official anti-Semitism and grant the 3, 000, 000 Jews of the USSR full equality with other religious and national groups in the country. James H. Scheuer, of New York, chairman of the convention International Affairs Committee, introduced the resolution, which declared in part: “The bonds of Soviet Jewry with their tradition are being destroyed by increasing restrictions against fundamental and sacred Jewish practices. We appeal to the USSR to redress these wrongs and grant Soviet Jews equality with other minorities as required by Soviet law. “
GERMAN SCIENTISTS HIT; COMAY ADDRESSES PARLEY; PRINZ RE-ELECTED
In other resolutions, the AJC: 1. Criticized West Germany for failing to take “effective steps” to halt participation of German nationals in the Arab arms build-up; 2. Urged Secretary of State Dean Rusk to press for ratification of the Genocide Convention and other international human rights treaties; 3. Charged that current efforts to amend the U. S. Constitution to allow religious practices in the public schools were “a threat to religious freedom and separation of church and state. ” 4. Voiced “strong opposition” to federal aid to parochial schools and said “shared-time” proposals under which students in religious schools would take secular courses in public schools were “highly undesirable.”
The convention also called on visiting King Hussein of Jordan to seek cooperation with Israel rather than join in “conspiracy” against her. The 500 convention delegates unanimously adopted a statement asserting that King Hussein–who last week urged American Jews to re-examine their attitude toward Zionism–would fail to “undermine” American Jewish support of Israel.
Earlier, they heard an address by Ambassador Michael S. Comay, Israel’s permanent representative to the United Nations, who recalled that King Hussein himself had asserted at the UN several years ago that the Nasser regime in Egypt was a “trouble-maker in the Middle East and a threat to the independence of Jordan and other weaker Arab states in the area. ” “That is as true today as it was then, ” asserted Mr. Comay, pointing out that all Israel asks from its neighbors is “normal and peaceful relations.”
Dr. Joachim Prinz, of Newark, was re-elected president of the AJC. Shad Polier, of New York, was re-elected chairman of the national governing council, with Morris Michelson as co-chairman.
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.
