The first phase of a year-long study on national Jewish cultural programs was completed this week-end by the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, it was announced here today. A preliminary report on key problems facing nine selected Jewish cultural agencies was submitted to a committee composed of 25 outstanding Jewish scholars.
The Council is conducting the study to ascertain the nature and extent of research, scholarship, publication and archival activities and the problems confronting the national cultural organizations. The Council also plans to evaluate the direction the actual cultural programs are taking, as well as the question of how the communities can most effectively support such activities.
Among the agencies involved in the first phase of the study were: The American Academy for Jewish Research, American Jewish Archives, the American Jewish Historical Society, the Conference on Jewish Social Studies, the Congress for Jewish Culture, Dropsie College, Histadruth Ivrith, the Jewish Publication Society and YIVO. The fact-finding and analysis is now being extended to several other organizations, which include cultural programs as part of their operations.
The survey will form the basis for consideration and policy recommendations to be made early next year by the Council’s Board Committee for the National Jewish Cultural Study. The study is being conducted with the assistance of a technical advisory group, under the guidance of a special Council committee. Julian Freeman of Indianapolis, a former president of the Council, is chairman of the committee, and Arthur Gelber of Toronto is vice-chairman.
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