Jewish Education, Aliya Information is Discussed by Canadian Zionists

The problems of aliya and education were discussed during the final session of the two-day Canadian Zionist Federation National Executive meeting here Rabbi Benjamin Hauer, chairman of the CZF’s national education department, described the drive for teaching Hebrew in all Jewish schools in Canada. He said 24 teachers participated in a five-week training program at Bar Ilan University in Israel and 2500 adults studied Hebrew during the 1972-73 year under the auspices of the CZF.

The CZF’s national executive decided to set up a study group to investigate the possibility of a Jewish educational program in cooperation with the Canadian Jewish Congress. A detailed program to provide aliya information to youth and small businessmen was set up because of the growing interest in aliya throughout Canada.

Phillip Givens, CZF president, said the two-day seminar was the “most successful meeting in the history of the CZF with a general consensus on all the important items expressed by all shades of opinion across the Canadian Zionist spectrum.” He said efforts will be made to establish a working relationship with B’nai B’rith of Canada directed mainly toward educational and aliya programs.

Givens also told the seminar that he was convinced after talks with members of the Trudeau Administration that the present government will continue to support Israel.

Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto urged the creation of a permanent staff that could relate to all Jewish youth in Canada. He said everyone talks about youth education as the number one priority, but it isn’t. “Thousands of dollars are squandered on youth movements and Israeli shlichim who cater to small groups of youth,” he said.