Klutznick Derides Theory of Jewish ‘demise’ in U.s.; Voices Optimism

Deriding guesses about the alleged “demise” of Jewish life in the United States, Philip M. Klutznick hailed here today the “conscious investment in the Jewish future” being made in the present era by American Jewry. The former United States Ambassador to the United Nations, now Washington’s representative on an ad hoc U.N. committee of experts to examine the finances of the U.N. and its specialized agencies, voiced his optimistic view in an address read for him at the dedication of a new, $2, 200, 000 YM-YWHA in this city, which highlighted the Golden Jubilee convention of the National Jewish Welfare Board, currently in session in New York.

Pointing out that Jewish life in this country is exposed to the various revolutionary trends which affect the entire American community, Mr. Klutznick declared that, rather than wasting his energy on denying the theory of Jewish “demise,” he found it more important to consider what can be done by the Jewish community “to make a better tomorrow.”

“Some delight to denigrate this era,” he said, “as the age of the ‘edifice complex.’ It is really a period of thoughtful additions as well as reconstruction. It is not by accident that this is the first time when the major additions to Center facilities are the product of joint planning by Federations and Canters.”

Mr. Klutznick, who is also past international president of B’nai B’rith, said that such joint planning is illustrated by the fact that, in New York City alone, $30,000,000 worth of new Jewish Centers have been planned, while, across the entire United States, more than $100,000,000 worth of Center and camping facilities have been developed or are being developed now. He noted that the new structure being dedicated today — the Milton Weill Building of the Emanu-El Midtown YM-YWHA on New York’s East Side –is the eighth structure completed in as many years by Centers that are part of the Associated YM-YWHAs here.

“We are engaged,” he declared, “in a new type of adventure in the Jewish experience. We have purposefully and deliberately chosen life in all its glory — not decay.” Since Mr. Klutznick had to leave for Geneva to attend a meeting of the special U.N. committee on finances on which he represents the U.S. Government, his address was read by Mrs. Leonard H. Bernheim, program chairman of the JWB’s Golden Jubilee convention. Mr. Weill, after whom the new building was named, is convention chairman, while Mr. Klutznick heads the JWB’s Golden Jubilee committee.

Louis Stern, national president of the JWB, presented medallions at the ceremony to Dr. Maurice B. Hexter and Joseph Willen, executive vice-presidents of the New York Federation, for their “distinguished leadership in the creation of Jewish community centers in Greater New York.”