American Jewish Committee Opposes Formation of New World Jewish Body

The American Jewish Committee issued a statement today announcing its opposition to a plan for the formation of a new world Jewish body. The plan is now under consideration by a number of Jewish organization in the United States and other countries. The recent national convention of the B’nai B’rith held in Washington approved the idea of such a world body.

Asserting that “no single organization can speak for the Jews of the United States because, like Americans of other faiths, they differ among themselves on social, economic and political issues, and hold varying views of domestic and world affairs,” the statement of the American Jewish Committee says: “By the same token, no single organization can presume to speak for the Jews of the world.”

“The bonds between Jews of various countries are exclusively those of religion, cultural heritage and common history,” the statement continues. “For example, while we have been helpful to Israel, our relationship to the Jews there rests solely on acknowledged bonds of a common religion and history, and on philanthropic impulse. We reiterate that citizens of the United States are Americans and citizens of Israel are Israelis; this we affirm with all its implications. Whether our relations be with the Jews of Israel or with Jews in any other part of the world, we speak as Americans and advocate policies which in our view serve the best interests of the United States and world peace.

“Therefore” the AJC points out, “we cannot condone a permanent global body which sets out to deal with issues affecting the civic relations of Jews of various countries. Although we appreciate the validity of this type of organization for the fostering of purely religious, fraternal, or philanthropic activities, we would have difficulty in recognizing such a body if, in the name of all Jews in all countries, it undertook even to serve in a consultative capacity to the United Nations. Certainly we cannot countenance a body which would arrogate to itself the prerogative of determining our position as free. American citizens with relation to our own government.”

Stressing that from time to time the American Jewish Committee cooperates with other Jewish organizations, as in the case of Jewish claims against Germany or in matters pertaining to Israel, the statement explains that these cooperative activities have been pursued on an ad hoc, voluntary basis and with no obligation to any permanent international body.

“Today, as always, we remain ready to confer with other responsible organizations, wherever they may be on particular issues as they may arise, at all times doing so as an autonomous agency accountable solely to our constituency and within the framework of our American citizenship obligations. And, today, as always, we firmly oppose any permanent organization which would act on the basis of majority vote and whose decisions would inevitably be considered as the policy of the constituent organizations in their respective countries,” the AJC statement declares.