The Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture has allocated $1.26 million during fiscal year 1969-70 for Jewish cultural and educational programs throughout the world, according to a report submitted here today by Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, Foundation treasurer. The Foundation disburses its funds in cooperation with universities and established scholarly organizations and conducts annual scholarship and fellowship programs.
The allocation represented an increase of $58,000 over the funds disbursed during fiscal 1967-68. Fifty percent of the allocations went to Israel. Europe received 35 percent, the United States 16 percent and all other countries three percent.
Dr. Schwartz reported at the annual conference of the Foundation’s board of trustees that $1,127,000 or 89 percent of the 1968-69 grants were to organizations and institutions; $116,000 to scholarship and fellowship programs and $18,000 were allocated for documentation of the Nazi holocaust.
The conference devoted considerable discussion to problems of Jewish education around the world. Prof. Ernest Simon, of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, said the only choice for Jewish youth who wished to remain Jewish was to “fight the battle of the generations” within the frame work of Jewry. Rabbi Jochim Prinz, of Orange, N.J., said the Memorial Foundation was perhaps the only Jewish group and one of the few groups in the world representing established society to which young people came to freely discuss problems.
Part of the discussion centered around the establishment of a Commission of Jewish Education within the framework of Cojo, the Conference of Jewish Organizations which will begin a three-day meeting here tomorrow. The Commission would replace the World Council of Jewish Education. Rabbi J. Kaufmann, Louis A. Pincus, chairman of the Jewish Agency and Chaim Finkelstein, a member of the Jewish Agency executive, proposed that the Commission be headquartered in Jerusalem. Isaac Toubin, executive vice president of the American Association for Jewish Education, expressed doubts over the proposed education commission. He was assured by Cojo chairman Dr. Nahum Goldmann that the projected Commission would deal with problems of Jewish education in a general way and would encourage the various other bodies dedicated to the same task.
Dr. Moses Rosen, Chief Rabbi of Rumania, urged the Memorial Foundation to pay more attention of basic Jewish education instead of higher education. According to Dr. Rosen, primary school is sometimes more vital than post-graduate studies from the point of view of preserving Jewish tradition and Jewish faith.
The Memorial Foundation closed its conference after electing officers. Dr. Nahum Goldmann was named president; Jacob Blaustein, Louis Pincus and Lord Sieff of Brimpton were elected vice presidents. Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz was re-elected treasurer, Shad Polier secretary, Mark Uveeler executive director and Maurice Boukstein, counsel. Elected to the executive committee were: Man-del Berman; Jules Brunschvig; Gregorio Faigon; Itzhak Gross; Avraham Harman; Oscar Joseph; Rabbi Joseph Karasick; Claude Kelman; Dr. Israel Knox; Solomon Litt; Prof. Joshua Prawer; Louis Stern and Dr. William A. Wexler.
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