U.A.H.C. Surveys Attitude of Reform Jews Toward Synagogal Worship

The results of a survey on the attitudes of members of Reform congregations toward synagogal worship, theology and liturgy–undertaken by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations–were presented here today at a two day meeting of the UAHC board of trustees. They were not made public. The survey shows the reaction to Sabbath and festival services, and deals with the question whether or not prayer today meets the needs of modern man.

A number of programs being initiated by the UAHC’s department of interfaith activities, to follow up the adoption by the Catholic Church’s Ecumenical Council of a declaration absolving the Jewish people of deicide and condemning anti-Semitism, was announced at the same meeting by Irvin Fane of Kansas City, chairman of the UAHC’s board of trustees.

Under the guidance of Rabbi Balfour Brickner, director of the department of inter-faith activities, a number of person-to-person dialogues have been arranged between Christians and Jews, said Mr. Fane. In Long Island, he said, representatives of Reform congregations and of the Episcopal Church are discussing the theme of worship and the goals and methods in the respective Reform and Episcopal liturgy. Other confrontations have been scheduled with Protestants and Catholics in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and in the southeastern section of the United States.