Albert Chernin, executive director of the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council (NJCRAC), warned editors and publishers of American Jewish newspapers that 1979 will probably see “eroding public support for Israel” in the United States.
Addressing the 37th annual meeting of the American Jewish Press Association (AJPA) at Stern College here last week, Chernin explained that since American public opinion on foreign policy is shaped by the President it is inevitable that support for Israel will erode. He said the reason is that the Carter Administration’s proposals for the Mideast include such points as Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, which Israel will not accept.
But Chernin warned that the “biggest problem” may be “erosion” of support within the American Jewish community. He said American Jewry must be united behind Israel through a consensus which supports a united Jerusalem and opposes the Palestine Liberation Organization and a Palestinian state without letting the “zig-zag” of daily events interfere.
WUNDOHL RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT
The AJPA, which re-elected Frank Wundohl, editor of the Jewish Exponent of Philadelphia, to a second one-year term as president, adopted a resolution praising Canada’s new Prime Minister Joe Clark for his promise to move the Canadian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and urging the United States to follow this example. Other resolutions expressed outrage over the execution of Habib Elkanian, the Iranian Jewish leader and concern for the Iranian Jewish community, Jews in the Soviet Union and other areas of oppression.
In addition to Wundohl, also elected were Albert Bloom, editor of the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle, first vice president, Jerry Barach, editor of the Cleveland Jewish News, second vice president; Anne Hammerman, editor of the Dayton Jewish Chronicle, third vice president; Jean Samuels of the Jewish Herald-Voice of Houston, Texas, treasurer; Miriam Goldberg, editor and publisher of the Intermountain Jewish News of Denver, recording secretary; and Milron firestone, editor of the Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, corresponding secretary.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
