Jewish Youth Councils Assuming Greater Role in Community Life, Survey Reveals

Jewish youth and young adult councils throughout the country are assuming a greater role in the life of their local Jewish communities, a survey completed by the National Jewish Welfare Board reveals. Results of the survey are based on 130 replies to a questionnaire sent to 299 Jewish youth and young adult councils. Approximately 70 percent of the councils reporting were created during the past two-and-a-half years.

The most popular types of Council activities, the survey disclosed, are social, educational, cultural, fund-raising, and programs of Jewish content. Jewish youth and young adult councils have sponsored community-wide observances in celebration of Jewish Book Month, Jewish Music Festival and Jewish Youth Week. They have conducted leadership training institutes and seminars, local youth conferences, courses of Jewish studies, Israeli youth conferences, intercultural events, vocational guidance programs, and other activities.

The Councils also provide resources and program aids to their constituent groups and to the local community. Seventeen percent participate in social action Programs. Local Jewish Community Centers and YM-YWHA’s sponsor most of the Councils reporting. A few are sponsored by the local Jewish community council or welfare fund, and some are sponsored jointly by the Center and the central community organization agency.

The Laymen’s Institute on Jewish Center Programming opened a two-day session here today at the Hotel Commodore under the auspices of the Jewish Center Division of the J.W.B. The institute, which is being attended by 150 Center leaders from all parts of the U.S., was addressed by Louis Kraft, general secretary of the J.W.B.’s national council, and Marvin Lowenthal on programming problems confronting Jewish Centers today.