American Jewish Conference on Soviet Jewry Attacks Dr. Heschel

Dr. Abraham J. Heschel, professor of Jewish ethics and mysticism at the Jewish Theological Seminary, was accused of “demagoguery” in making “unfounded and irresponsible charges” in his criticism of the organized American Jewish community’s handling of the protests to the Soviet Government on the cultural and religious discrimination against its three million Jews.

Prof. Heschel had criticized the program of the American Jewish community in regard to Soviet bias against Russian Jewry, when he addressed the convention of the Rabbinical Assembly, last week, at Toronto. In his critique, the scholar mentioned specifically the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and that criticism was rejected by Dr. Joachim Prinz, chairman of the President’s Conference. The retort today was made by Rabbi Israel Miller, chairman of the American Jewish Conference on Soviet Jewry.

“The American Jewish Conference on Soviet Jewry and the 25 national religious and secular organizations that are its components, is the organized voice of the American Jewish community to register its great concern for the fate of Soviet Jewry. Both collectively, and individually, we have dedicated ourselves to a continuing campaign to obliterate the religious and cultural discriminations that engulf Russia’s three million Jews,” Rabbi Miller said.

“We invite Dr. Heschel to join with us in this great work, rather than level unfounded and irresponsible charges, as he recently did, against one of the constituent agencies of the Conference on Soviet Jewry.” The statement continued: “Even a respected scholar of such eminence as Prof. Heschel has the responsibility of knowledge of the facts before engaging in such vocal demagoguery. Further, while not denying him the right of his own opinion, it should be noted that he is a member of at least two groups, representing the religious grouping with which he is affiliated, that are participating members of the American Jewish Conference on Soviet Jewry.”

Pointing out that the Conference has reason to believe “that our message is getting through to the Soviet Government,” the statement concluded: “Within the limitations of an educational program, we are best serving the cause of the Jews of Russia. We urge Prof. Heschel to join with us in this great work, rather than to sit on the sidelines and critically snipe at the sincere efforts of the great majority of American Jewry.”