Federation Reaffirms Commitment to Jewish Education

Overwhelmingly reaffirming the historic involvement in Jewish education of Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, the organization’s Board approved the recommendation of its Executive Committee “that all avenues be searched to find additional funds required” in the effort to increase support for Jewish education, as well as other Jewish communal services. The committee’s report, as announced by Federation president George H. Heyman, Jr., acknowledged Federation’s constant and increasing responsibility in Jewish education in Greater New York. Additionally, the report emphasized that since “the stakes are vital in the effort of the entire Jewish community to achieve quality modern Jewish education… the obligation to do so rests heavily upon the total Jewish community.” The report enumerated four basic considerations as particularly relevant objectives of Jewish education: To provide a modern Jewish identification which equips a person to understand his Jewishness, not as a segregating force, but as one which harmonizes American and Jewish identifies; To offset the growing alienation of Jewish youth by providing them with knowledge of the history and heritage, as well as current developments of the Jewish people; To regenerate leaders and supporters who have an affirmative Jewish community commitment and will thus assure the wholesome continuity of the Jewish community as an integral part of American society.

The fourth objective of Jewish education, according to the report is to reinforce the continuity of the Jewish group – its community and its institutions – by cultivating an intelligent, affirmative sense of Jewish belonging through personal understanding and satisfying and relevant-experiences in the home, in the temple or synagogue, and in Jewish communal organizations. The report presented to the Federation Board by the Executive Committee reiterated the advisability of Federation’s continuing to act through a central Jewish educational agency. It further noted with approval the prior recommendation of Federation’s Functional Committee on Education that the central agency should strengthen its operation and program. The report presented to the Board by the Executive Committee concluded that the functions of the central educational agency should include provision for greater scholarship funds to defray fee costs for Jewish education of children whose families are unable to afford such expenses. It recommended that the Building Fund Program Committee consider the raising of funds to establish an Endowment Fund to finance increased needs of Jewish education, as well as those of other functional fields supported by Federation grants.