The Rabbinical Council of America, a major organization of Orthodox rabbis, went on record unanimously here today on rejecting “categorically” the concept of “reparations” demanded by black militants from churches and synagogues for Negro deprivations over the years.
The action was taken by the rabbinical body at the close of its 33rd annual convention in one of a series of resolutions on domestic issues. In calling for adoption of the resolution on “reparations,” Rabbi Bernard A. Poupko of Pittsburgh, the convention chairman, asserted that “reparations” would result in creating a “greater gulf between blacks and whites, make permanent the ghettoizing of the Negro community and destroy all efforts to integrate the American society into a united whole.”
The resolution added that “just as we have the responsibility to combat white racism, so do we have the equal responsibility to combat backlash leadership which tries–consciously or unconsciously–to perpetuate black racism.”
In another action, the rabbinical group suggested a conference of all major faith communities to coordinate a joint position concerning a recent United States Supreme Court decision to take up the question of tax exemption for religious institutions. The resolution expressed concern over a New York property owner’s attempt to deny tax exemption to religious institutions, saying “we see in it an attempt to further secularize our society and undermine the spiritual values which we promote.”
The convention delegates called on all non-governmental organizations accredited to the United Nations to join as one group in combatting what they described as “the Soviet and Arab attacks” to “destroy the effectiveness of their work” at the UN. Some 200 organizations are accredited as NGOs to present statements to UN agencies and to participate in debate by such agencies. The NGOs include several Jewish organizations. Rabbi Zev Segal of Newark was re-elected president and Rabbi Bernard Berzon of Brooklyn, N.Y. was re-elected first vice-president.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
