West Germany Has Paid out $14 Billion in Material Claims, Goldmann Tells Parley

West Germany has paid out approximately $14 billion in material claims to individual Jews, Jewish institutions and the State of Israel since the reparations law came into effect in 1952, it was reported here today by Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany.

Dr. Goldmann spoke at the annual meeting of the Conference’s board of directors. He said, “The Claims Conference is nearing its end. We have agreed not to make any further demands following the 1965 Schlussgesetz (final law).” He emphasized that no amount of money could compensate Jewry for the ravages of the Nazi era and that the money paid by West Germany was only for material losses suffered.

Dr. Moses Rosen, Chief Rabbi of Rumania, who attended the meeting, noted that many elderly Rumanian Jews who suffered in Auschwitz and other concentration camps have not yet had their claims paid. He urged Dr. Goldmann and the Claims Conference to press the matter on their behalf and Dr. Goldmann replied that the Conference would do so. A Conference budget for the coming year of $1,247,872 was submitted by Jacob Blaustein, senior vice president. Its major item is relief and rehabilitation through the Joint Distribution Committee. Dr. Goldmann was re-elected president, Mr. Blaustein was re-elected senior vice president, Dr. Joseph Schwartz was re-elected treasurer, and Mark Uveeler was re-elected treasurer.

MEMORIAL FOUNDATION CALLED ‘UNDER USED’ AS INSTRUMENT FOR UNITY

The Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture, also meeting here, was addressed by Dr. Goldmann. He said the organization, which he described as “the most representative group of the Jewish people,” was “under used” as an instrument for Jewish unity, though in other ways it was doing useful and important work.

The Foundation supports Jewish cultural and educational programs around the world in cooperation with universities and established scholarly organizations, and conducts an annual scholarship and fellowship program.

Dr. Goldmann told the representatives of 42 major Jewish organizations that “the basic idea is not so much to disburse a million dollars annually, however important the causes supported thereby, but mainly to establish a coordinated body which could discuss ideological and pertinent issues affecting the Jewish people today and reach conclusions as a result of the discussions.

According to Dr. Goldmann, there has never been “so much intellectual wealth among Jews in all age groups, but little of it is dedicated to Jewish life, Jewish problems and Jewish issues.” He said there was some slight improvement after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war “but it is not very noticeable.”

COJO PLANS 3-DAY SESSION, WILL FOCUS ON ISRAEL, SOVIET JEWS, EDUCATION

Cojo–the Conference of Jewish Organizations–will open a three-day meeting here Friday to discuss matters relating to the security of Israel, the plight of Soviet Jewry and Jewish education. The gathering, to be attended by 75 world Jewish leaders, will also commemorate 50 years of fighting for Jewish rights which began with the conference of Jewish delegations in Paris in 1919. Speakers will include Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of Cojo, and Dr. Jacob Hertzog, director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem. The meeting will be attended by Louis A. Pincus, chairman of the Jewish Agency.

A special Cojo committee on Jewish education held preliminary sessions here today to prepare a series of proposals for the meeting. The committee will recommend the establishment of a special commission on Jewish education within the Cojo framework.