Workmen’s Circle Shows Rise in Jewish Education; Honors Nathan Chanin

Nathan Chanin, general secretary of the Workmen’s Circle, national Jewish fraternal and cultural organization, told the organization’s 62nd anniversary convention here today that its “more than 100 schools and centers throughout the country serve as centers not only for Jewish culture, but for community service and liberal ideals.” He called this “a combination unique in Jewish life in the United States.”

The organization’s activities, he reported, range from participation in civil rights campaigns to support of the Institute for Jewish Research. Other cultural activities it supports in addition to schools include the Jewish Culture Congress; Folksbiene, the year-round New York Yiddish theatre; and publication of a Yiddish dictionary and Jewish encyclopedia. He emphasized the importance of continuing cooperation with the Jewish Labor Committee, which the Workmen’s Circle helped found in 1934, and which has rescued thousands of labor leaders, Jewish writers and teachers from totalitarian countries.

Mr. Chanin noted that the Workmen’s Circle had sold $10,000,000 worth of Israel Bonds, and that it raised “hundreds of thousands of dollars annually” for the United Jewish Appeal. He concluded with an appeal to delegates “to continue with vigor and devotion our support for Jewish culture, our help to our fellow Jews, and our work for a world of justice and progress.”

AMERICAN-BORN WANT JEWISH EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN, SURVEY REVEALS

A strong desire among American-born parents of Jewish ancestry to give children familiarity with the Jewish language, culture and traditions was indicated in another report released at the convention today. A survey of family backgrounds of children in 85 secular Jewish schools run by the Workmen’s Circle in New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities revealed that 84 percent come from homes in which one parent is American-born, while 69 percent are from homes in which both parents are American-born.

About half of the parents covered by the survey, which was directed by Joseph Mloteck, executive secretary of the New York Workmen’s Circle school committee, are college graduates. Many have graduate degrees. He reported that 25 percent of the fathers, and 39 percent of the mothers have had no Jewish education. A desire to see children grow up with consciousness of Jewishness seemed especially strong in homes where both grandparents are dead, the report stated.

Discussing the survey, Salman Yefroikin, Workmen’s Circle national education director, said there is a pronounced rise in interest in Jewish education among parents in suburban areas.

The convention, attended by delegates representing 65,000 members in 120 cities, is celebrating Mr. Chanin’s 75th birthday, to occur next month. Leaders of Jewish communal life and organized labor from all over the country congratulated Mr. Chanin in messages received here. A leading member of the Jewish Daily Forward Association, and chairman of the administrative committee of the Jewish Labor Committee, he is also a member of the boards of Bonds for Israel, ORT and the Joint Distribution Committee.