Jewish Communities Counseled on Dealing with Anti-semitism

A report meant to guide Jewish communities in dealing with anti-Semitic incidents was issued today by the National Community Relations Advisory Council, coordinating body of the American Jewish Congress, Jewish Labor Committee, Jewish War Veterans, central Jewish religious bodies and more than 30 local and regional Jewish community councils. The recommendations contained in the report have been endorsed by more than 60 social scientists and community leaders.

The report recommends “constant vigilance” in view of the fact that “the problems of overt anti-Semitism are important at all times regardless of their frequency and severity at any particular time.”

Noting that incidents of anti-Semitic violence and vandalism occur less often and with less severity than several years ago, the NCRAC report observes that “in today’s political atmosphere there is a potential danger which must be kept in mind,” and it recommends that Jewish community relations bodies “deal with underlying causes rather than merely surface manifestations.”

The NCRAC emphasizes that some “ruthless groups and individuals identified from time to time with anti-Semitism have concentrated on other targets.” It cautions that in taking the various steps recommended in its report, Jewish communities “should maintain and guard their traditional adherence to the principles of civil liberties, even if some immediate purpose of preventing anti-Semitic expressions may appear to be served by abridgement or infringement of these principles in some particular case.”

WARNED ON EXAGGERATING CURRENT TRENDS FOR FUND-RAISING PURPOSES

These are some of a series of conclusions and recommendations set forth in the report for dealing with anti-Semitic manifestations in the current situation. The report cautions, in connection with these recommendations, that there should be no “exaggeration of current trends or arousing of scare psychology for any purpose, and especially for organizational promotion and fund-raising.” Among the major conclusions and recommendations are the following:

1. The problems of overt anti-Semitism are important today and at all times, regardless of their frequency and degree of severity at any particular time. Every Jewish community should be prepared in accordance with its size and resources to deal effectively with the problems of overt anti-Semitism.

2. The Jewish community has a psychological need for assurance that such problems are not being ignored and should therefore be kept informed that effective action is being provided for such incidents and situations. This can and must be done without exaggeration of current trends or arousing scare psychology for any purpose, and especially for organizational promotion and fund-raising.

3. Every situation must receive the most careful investigation and analysis to determine the extent to which the harmful acts were intentionally or specifically directed against Jews as Jews.

4. Jewish communities should seek the cooperation of all groups and resources of the general community to deal effectively with local problems of anti-Semitic violence, vandalism, and defamation, and action within the general community should be on a continuing basis rather than confined to emergency periods only.

5. Jewish agencies and community bodies should maintain and guard their traditional adherence to the principles of civil liberties, even if some immediate purpose of preventing anti-Semitic expressions may appear to be served by abridgement or infringement of these principles in some particular case.

6. Systematic monitoring and reporting of the frequency and nature of incidents, studies of community response and action, and theoretical and analytical research are continuing necessities.

7. It should be the responsibility of each local Jewish community relations agency to be alert at all times to these problems and to make itself known in the Jewish community as the resource for all such problems. In small communities local leadership should keep in mind the need for calling immediately upon national resources.

8. Local Jewish community bodies should turn to the Jewish national agencies in accordance with the functions of each agency for consultation and advice. National fact gathering and counter-action services must therefore be continued, to supply specialized assistance to communities. Such service is most effective when supplied in an orderly way, without duplication and competition, and within the framework of joint planning and joint policy formulation.