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Nation of Over-all Jewish Community in U,s. Urged at Reconstructionist Conference

February 8, 1949
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Declaring that “the present flare-up of interest Jewish life is bound to die down when Israel is no longer front-page news,” Dr. ##decal M. Kaplan, founder of the Reconstructionist movement, proposed the formation an over-all Jewish community in the United States, based on regional and zonal communities uniting the functions of religion, Jewish education and recreation on the ##cal level “as the first step toward an organic Jewish community”

Addressing an all-day conference yesterday sponsored by the Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation, Dr. Kaplan pointed out that an urgent need exists in this country or an “organic Jewish community” based on religious culture as the link between the date of Israel and the Jews of America and, also, to afford ‘the test means of self-suppression for American Jews. About 300 leaders of Jewish communities and national Organizations attended the parley.

“The theory that a Jewish Palestine will radiate spiritual influence to Diaspora, Jews has to be translated into a tangible and feasible program of interaction, otherwise it is bound to remain a pine-dream,” Dr, Kaplan declared. The conference adopted a resolution recommending that the Jewish Reconstructionist Foundation appoint a committee of Jewish leaders to make a study of the next steps to be taken toward the achievement of an organic Jewish community, and that the committee report its findings a conference to be held in the fall.

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