Najyc Planning for Mass Simchat Torah Mobilization in Washington on Soviet Jewry

Representatives from 23 national Jewish youth organizations and 30 local Jewish youth councils throughout the U.S. and Canada began today the annual conference of the North American Jewish Youth Council, it was announced here by Eric Yoffie, the newly appointed chairman of NAJYC, and by Margy-Ruth Greenbaum, co-chairman. The three-day conference at Camp Moshava, Indian Orchard, Pa., attended by 150 representatives, will discuss plans for the Simchat Torah mobilization for Soviet Jewry in Washington. D.C. on October 11-13, which is expected to be attended by more than 1,000 student representatives from all the national Jewish youth organizations and local youth councils. The assembled students will join with members of the Washington Jewish community in a march of solidarity with Soviet Jewry. There will be meetings with State Department officials and Congressmen as well as discussions with Soviet Jewry experts on current trends and strategy to coordinate Soviet Jewry activities for the coming year. The keynote address at the NAJYC conference dealing with Israel, Soviet Jewry and North American Jewish community, will be delivered by Rabbi Henry Skirball, Director of National Federation of Temple Youth, who just completed his tour of duty as chairman of the National Association of Jewish Youth Directors. The new chairman, Bernard M. Weisberg. National Director of Hadassah Zionist Youth Commission which includes Hashachar, the largest Zionist youth movement, will also attend the conference. The Israel workshop of the conference will discuss prospects for peace in the Middle East, countering anti-Israel sentiment and Arab propaganda and the need for increasing contacts with Israeli youth. NAJYC is a member of the Presidents Conference of Major Jewish Organizations in the U.S. and of the American Jewish Conference on Soviet Jewry.