A plenary meeting of the World Conference of Jewish Organizations (COJO) acted today to strengthen its structure and extend its role as a worldwide consultative body by dropping a proposed veto rule.
Dr. Nahum Goldmann, who was reelected chairman of COJO, and Dr. William A. Wexler, president of B’nai B’rith, both COJO affiliates, spoke for closer coordination among Jewish groups on international matters. Other delegations joined in adopting a set of “basic principles” to enable COJO to engage in more functional activities without impairing the autonomy of the ten constituent organizations.
The veto proposal, which would have required unanimity among the ten constitutents for COJO to act on any substantive matter, was abandoned in a proposal made by Dr. Wexler, as chairman of a committee drafting bylaws for COJO, in favor of a policy requiring “a substantive majority.” Under the proposed rule, any dissenting constituent would be free to dissociate itself publicly from any majority decision.
Dr. Wexler said that the “voluntarism” which unites COJO members should dispose of any fear that a constituent would surrender in any fundamental way its sovereignty or freedom to act. He said each group had much to gain and to give in the coordinative aspects of COJO.
Rabbi Jay Kaufman, executive vice-president of B’nai B’rith, proposed that COJO explore ways to establish a “single and central voice to present the Jewish viewpoint in Jewish-Catholic relations.” He said this would be an effective way to “clarify what Jews believe in those areas where the Catholic Church sought such expression.”
Other speakers at the plenary, which ended today, were Dr. Yaacov Herzog, political advisor to Israeli Premier Levi Eshkol, who reviewed the situation of Israel and the Middle East, Dr. Gerhard Riegner of the World Jewish Congress, who reported on developments stemming from the Ecumenical Council declaration on Jews, Philip Baum of the American Jewish Congress, and Dr. Maurice Perlzweig of the World Jewish Congress, who discussed developments in United Nations Human Rights conventions.
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