Memorial Foundation Seeks Scholarships for Yeshiva Students Studying for Rabbinate

The newly elected Board of Directors of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture has been authorized to seek ways of implementing a resolution that calls for providing . yeshiva students studying for rabbinic diplomas with eligibility for scholarships and fellowships on the same basis as university students with doctors’ degrees. The resolution was prompted by an appeal from the Roshei Yeshivot throughout the world including leading rabbinical spokesmen such as Rabbi I. Abramsky of Jerusalem; Rabbi Emanuel Jakobovits, Chief Rabbi of Britain; Rabbi M. Feinstein of New York; Rabbi E. Gurwicz of Gateshead, England; and M.R. Springer, board member. The appeal by the Roshei Yeshivot and the rabbis was submitted to the annual board meeting. The Foundation, at its annual meeting which ended several days ago, agreed that in order to define the eligibility of yeshivot students a committee of experts will be established. This committee will include five Roshei Yeshivot members or five orthodox rabbis. A spokesman for the Foundation said that until now yeshiva students who studied for the rabbinate were not eligible for scholarships. He said that the rabbis who signed the appeal and Dr. Nahum Goldmann who is president of the Foundation, felt that such students, like doctors, serve the Jewish community and therefore, should not be discriminated against. The Foundation also announced that scholarships and Fellowships in the amount of $188,000 have been granted for the academic year 1970/71 to 185 students and scholars working in many Jewish fields in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Israel, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay and Yugoslavia. Out of 185 recipients, 114 are doctoral students preparing for careers in various fields of Jewish scholarship and 71 are independent scholars, researchers and writers.