Jewish youths “must play a major role” in building Jewish life in America, some 200 delegates from all parts of the country were told today at the opening session of the National Jewish Youth Conference sponsored by the National Jewish Welfare Board.
“If we want to remain a living people, we, the youth leaders, must make an effort to enrich our program with more Jewish content,” Arnulf Pins, chairman of the conference, told the delegates. “We must make our members aware of the rich cultural heritage which is ours and make them see and appreciate present-day Jewish life. We cannot be neutral about Jewish life. Either we are assimilationists and try to minimize Judaism, or we are positive Jews who are happy in our Jewishness and proud of it.”
To solve the problems facing American Jewry, Mr. Pins called for “a partnership between youth and adult leaders of the Jewish community”. He emphasized that youth needs the interest, guidance and support of the adult community. He also reviewed the Jewish situation in various European countries and spoke at length about the “deplorable living conditions” of Jews in North Africa.
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