The World Congress for Yiddish Culture opened tonight at Carnegie Hall with several thousand guests and more than 500 delegates in attendance, including more than 100 from20 countries. Jewish cultural groups and institutions in Israel are represented by Dr. Ernst Simon, professor of education at the Hebrew University, and David Zacai, representative of the Writers and Journalists Association of Israel.
A review of Jewish cultural life today was given at the opening session by Samuel Niger, well-Known literary critic. The session also heard an address on “Trends in Jewish Cultural Life” by Prof. Liebman Hersh of the University of Geneva. David Pinski, novelist and playwright, addressed the parley on “Jewish Culture and Its Tasks. “Greetings for the Latin American delegates were delivered by Samuel Roszansky, president of the Argentine Jewish Culture Federation. Chaim Grade, president of the Jewish P.E.N. Club in France, greeted the Congress on behalf of the European delegations.
Special memorial services for the 6,000,000 Jews who perished in Europe during the war were also held. A eulogy was delivered by Jacob Pat, executive secretary of the Jewish Labor Committee. The Congress, which will seek to establish a permanent organization to strengthen Yiddish culture throughout the world, will meet for five days. All Yiddish newspapers in New York today published editorials welcoming the delegates end emphasizing the necessity for such a world gathering.
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