News Brief

TERCENTENARY COMMITTEE CLARIFIES ITS POSITION

The American Jewish Tercentenary Committee today told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the selection of Lessing Rosenwald is in accordance with the program policy of the organization which was approved unanimously by its entire national committee of 300 on April 12, 1953, and which reads:

“We do not believe that the Tercentenary should be made a vehicle for propagation of any particular ideology in American Jewish life. Some among us may feel strongly that the identification of a Jew is solely in terms of his religion; others may lean toward a different interpretation. The celebration should not be committed to either philosophy. It should be neither Zionist, non-Zionist, nor anti-Zionist. It should not try to formulate or advance any particular definition of Jewishness.

“The Tercentenary belongs primarily to five million people who regard themselves as patriotic, loyal American Jews, whatever their definition or their philosophy; it should be broad enough to appeal to 160 million Americans, who have all shared in the building of America, and who, we would hope, would be willing to join in commemorating with us this happy anniversary.

“The overall program to be developed and carried out by the Tercentenary Committee ought to have the general agreement of all major forces in American Jewish life. We do not see in the Tercentenary Committee an instrument for organizing the American Jewish community in any particular direction. By adhering to certain general principles and by carrying out a broad program, we hope there will be reached a healthy agreement in the conduct of this observance.”