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World Council of Synagogues Proceedings of Eighth International Convention JERUSALEM—TEL AVIV ISRAEL June 22-25,1970 — 18-21 Sivan,5730 THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMUTE! S31 a ustei n Library Officers 1968-1970 President MORRIS SPEIZMAN, U.S.A. Vice Presidents JUDAH DAVID, India RABBI MARCUS MELCHIOR, Denmark OSCAR B. DAVIS, England JOSE MIRELMAN, Israel PHILIP GREENE, U.S.A. LEON MIRELMAN, Argentina Secretary DR. JACOB B. SHAMMASH, U.S.A. Treasurer DAVID ZUCKER, U.S.A. Honorary President EMANUEL G. SCOBLIONKO, U.S.A. Directors-at-large W. ZEV BAIREY, Mexico ROBERTO MIRELMAN, Argentina GERRARD BERMAN, U.S.A. EMMANUEL E. MOSES, India CHAIM CHIELL, Israel RABBI MORTON H. NARROWE, Sweden RABBI ARMOND COHEN, U.S.A. MARCUS PEARLMAN, Brazil DAVID FREEMAN, Israel MARCOS PERELMAN, Peru DR. MIRIAM FREUND, U.S.A. HENRY N. RAPAPORT, U.S.A. JACK GLADSTONE, U.S.A. CHARLES ROSENGARTEN, U.S.A. BERT GODFREY, Canada MRS. SYD ROSSMAN, U.S.A. RABBI ISRAEL M. GOLDMAN, U.S.A. SAMUEL ROTHSTEIN, U.S.A. MRS. EVELYN HENKIND, U.S.A. LEON SCHIDLOW, Mexico DR. ALFRED HIRSCHBERG, Brazil ARTHUR J. SIGGNER, Canada FRITZ HOLLANDER, Sweden PROF. ERNST SIMON, Israel VICTOR HORWITZ, U.S.A. RABBI RALPH SIMON, U.S.A. VICTOR LEFF, U.S.A. JERRY SUSSMAN, U.S.A. ARTHUR J. LEVINE, U.S.A. DR. GIANFRANCO TEDESCHI, Italy DR. LOUIS LEVITSKY, U.S.A. ADOLFO WEIL, Argentina GEORGE MAISLEN, U.S.A. VICTOR ZAGER, U.S.A. RABBI BENT MELCHIOR, Denmark Director MORRIS LAUB Director of Special Projects and Convention Director MRS. ADELE K. GILEAD Director, Latin American Office RABBI MARSHALL T. MEYER Director, Israel Office RABBI MOSHE COHEN Officers 1970-1972 President MORRIS SPEIZMAN, U.S.A. Vice Presidents JUDAH DAVID, India RABBI BENT MELCHIOB, Denmark CHAIM CHIELL, Israel SAMUEL ROTHSTEIN, U.S.A. OSCAB B. DAVIS, England ADOLFO WEIL, Argentina Secretary DR. JACOB B. SHAMMASH, U.S.A. Treasurer DAVID ZUCKER, U.S.A. Honorary President EMANUEL G. SCOBLIONKO, U.S.A. Honorary Vice President PHILIP GREENE, U.S.A. Directors-at-large W. ZEV BAIREY, Mexico DR. LOUIS LEVITSKY, U.S.A. GERRARD BERMAN, U.S.A. GEORGE MAISLEN, U.S.A. DR. LEON BERNSTEIN, Argentina EMMANUEL E. MOSES, India DR. DAVID BRAILOVSKY, Chile RABBI MORTON H. NARROWE, Sweden DAVID FREEMAN, Israel BARRY PAGE, Australia DR. MIRIAM FREUND, U.S.A. JUAN PLAUT, Venezuela JACK GLADSTONE, U.S.A. HENRY N. RAPAPORT, U.S.A. BERT GODFREY, Canada CHARLES ROSENGARTEN, U.S.A. RABBI ISRAEL GOLDMAN, U.S.A. ALFREDO ROSENZWEIG, Peru MRS. SYD ROSSMAN GOLDSTEIN LEON SCHIDLOW, Mexico YAACOV HAHAM, Israel ENRIQUE SCHOEN, Argentina MRS. EVELYN HENKIND, U.S.A. JACOBO SEQUEIRA, Brazil DR. ALFRED HIRSCHBERG, Brazil ARTHUR J. SIGGNER, Canada FRITZ HOLLANDER, Sweden PROFESSOR ERNST SIMON, Israel VICTOR HORWITZ, U.S.A. RABBI RALPH SIMON, U.S.A. MARTIN KAMEROW, U.S.A. JACOB STEIN, U.S.A. SEYMOUR L. KATZ, U.S.A. JERRY SUSSMAN, U.S.A. VICTOR LEFF, U.S.A. DR. GI AN FRANCO TEDESCHI, Italy RABBI S. GERSHON LEVI, U.S.A. ARTHUR TIEMANN, U.S.A. ARTHUR J. LEVINE, U.S.A. VICTOR ZAGER, U.S.A. Director MORRIS LAUB Director of Special Projects and Convention Director MRS. ADELE K. GILEAD Director, Latin American Office RABBI MARSHALL T. MEYER Director, Israel Office RABBI MOSHE COHEN Convention Committee Chairman VICTOR ZAGER Nominations Committee Chairman GEORGE MAISLEN SEYMOUR L. KATZ CHARLES ROSENGARTEN ARTHUR J. LEVINE SAMUEL ROTHSTEIN EMMANUEL MOSES JOSHUA SELMAN HENRY N. RAPAPORT JACOB STEIN Resolutions Committee Chairman JERRY WAGNER Co-chairman MARTIN KAMEROW CHAIM CHIELL BARRY PAGE JUDAH DAVID HAROLD ROSEN OSCAR B.DAVIS SAMUEL ROTHSTEIN DAVID FREEMAN DR. GIANFRANCO TEDESCHI Convention Director MRS. ADELE K. GILEAD t TABLE OF CONTENTS OFFICERS 2 PROGRAM 6 GREETINGS, Chaim Chiell 10 Dr. Zerah Warhaftig 11 Elihu Speiser 12 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, Morris Speizman 13 PERSPECTIVES ON ISRAEL'S PROBLEMS, Prime Minister Golda Meir 15 REPORT FROM AUSTRALIA, Barry Page 19 REPORT FROM ITALY, Professor Gianfranco Tedeschi 20 REPORT FROM INDIA, Emmanuel E. Moses 21 REPORT FROM SWEDEN, Rabbi Morton H. Narrowe 22 PROBLEMS OF DIASPORA COMMUNITIES, Discussion 24 GREETINGS FROM THE UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF AMERICA, Jacob Stein .. 27 IS THERE A RELIGIOUS AWAKENING IN ISRAEL? Professor Ernst Simon 28 SAFEGUARDING ISRAEL'S JEWISH EXISTENCE, Dr. Pinhas Peli 30 A CALL FOR ACTION, Rabbi Pinhas Spector 32 YOUTH AND JUDAISM, Rabbi Bent Melchior 34 WORKING WITH OUR YOUTH, Georges Levitte 36 THE CHALLENGE OF LATIN AMERICAN YOUTH, Rabbi Marshall T. Meyer .. 37 REBELLION AND TRADITION, Colonel Mordecai Bar-On 39 PROBLEMS OF JEWISH YOUTH, Discussion 42 GREETINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WOMEN'S LEAGUE, Mrs. Sol Henkind. 44 TRIBUTE IN MEMORY OF RABBI MARCUS MELCHIOR, Dr. Bernard Segal... 45 CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM IN ISRAEL, Discussion 47 WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF OUR STRENGTH? Dr. Bernard Mandelbaum ... 50 INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS, Rabbi Ralph Simon 52 INTRODUCTION OF CHAIM GRADE, Rabbi Saul Lieberman 53 A DIASPORA JEW IN ERETZ YISRAEL, Chaim Grade 53 RETROSPECT AND PROSPECT, Morris Laub 56 STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT ZALMAN SHAZAR 58 RESOLUTIONS 60 These pages contain a summary, in qualified chronological order, of the proceedings and excerpts from addresses delivered in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Israel, June 22-25, 1970, 18-21 Sivan, 5730. Convention Program Monday, JUNE 22,1970 OPENING RELIGIOUS CEREMONY WESTERN WALL, JERUSALEM DEDICATION OF UNITED SYNAGOGUE OF AMERICA FOREST RESERVE PLENARY SESSION Welcome: VICTOR ZAGER, Convention Chairman Greetings:CHAI M CHIELL, President, Synagogue of Israel DR. ZERAH WARHAFTIG, Minister of Religious Affairs of Israel Presidential Address: MORRIS SPEIZMAN, President, World Council of Synagogues Perspectives on Israel's Problems: MRS. GOLDA MEIR, Prime Minister of Israel RECEPTION American Student Center of The Jewish Theological Seminary of America Tuesday, JUNE 23,1970 SHAHARIT SERVICE D'var Torah: RABBI ALFRED A. PHILIPP, Congregation Emeth V'Emunah, Jerusalem MORNING SESSION Chairman: MORRIS SPEIZMAN Greetings: ELIHU SPEISER, Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv International Reports Australia: BARRY PAGE, Melbourne Italy: PROFESSOR GIANFRANCO TEDESCHI, President, Jewish Community of Rome India: EMMANUEL E. MOSES, Bombay Sweden:RABB I MORTON H. NARROWE, Stockholm r WORKSHOPS AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS Youth: JULES GUTIN, Chairman RABBI PAUL FREEDMAN, Consultant Resolutions: JERRY WAGNER, Chairman MARTIN KAMEROW, Co-Chairman MORRIS LAUB, Consultant Nominations: GEORGE MAISLEN, Chairman RABBI BERNARD SEGAL, Consultant Publications: DAVID ZUCKER, Chairman VICTOR ZAGER, Consultant AFTERNOON SESSION Chairman: SAMUEL ROTHSTEIN, Past President, United Synagogue of America Greetings: JACOB STEIN, President, United Synagogue of America Is There a Religious Awakening in Israel? PROFESSOR ERNST SIMON, Jerusalem Discussants: DR. PINHAS PELI, Jerusalem RABBI PINHAS SPECTOR, Ashkelon RECEPTION Hosted by the Mayor of Tel Aviv Wednesday, JUNE 24, !970 SHAHARIT SERVICE D'var Torah: RABBI PINHAS SPECTOR, Congregation Netzach Israel, Ashkelon MORNING SESSION Chairman: OSCAR B. DAVIS, Vice-President United Synagogue of America YOUTH AND JUDAISM Address: RABBI BENT MELCHIOR, Denmark Working with our Youth: GEORGES LEVITTE, Director of Communauté, Paris The Challenge of Latin America: RABBI MARSHALL T. MEYER, Director of Latin American Office, United Synagogue of America Rebellion and Tradition: COLONEL MORDECAI BAR-ON, Director of Youth and Hehalutz Department, Jewish Agency, Jerusalem AFTERNOON SESSION Chairman: HENRY N. RAPAPORT, Honorary President, United Synagogue of America Greetings: MRS. EVELYN HENKIND, President, National Women's League of the United Synagogue of America MR. ABRAHAM SILVER, National Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs, Inc. Induction of Women's Groups of United Synagogue of Israel CONGREGATION NETZACH ISRAEL, Ashkelon MORIAH CONGREGATION, Haifa Memorial Tribute to Rabbi Marcus Melchior: RABBI BERNARD SEGAL, Executive Director, United Synagogue of America Committee Reports: PUBLICATIONS, NOMINATIONS, RESOLUTIONS Sources of Jewish Strength: RABBI BERNARD MANDELBAUM, President,The Jewish Theological Seminary of America RECEPTION ISRAEL GOVERNMENT TOURIST OFFICE Thursday, JUNE 25, 1970 SHAHARIT SERVICE D'var Torah: RABBI CHARLES SIEGEL, Moriah Congregation, Haifa MORNING SESSION Chairman: DAVID FREEMAN, Haifa Consultant: RABBI MOSHE COHEN, Ashkelon The Unique Character of Conservative Judaism in Israel Discussants: CHAIM CHIELL, Jerusalem YAKOV HAHAM, Ashkelon MRS. ABRAHAM HURWITZ, Ashkelon DR. JOSEPH FELLNER, Natanya Summation: RABBI CHARLES SIEGEL, Haifa \ AFTERNOON SESSION Chairman: CHARLES ROSENGARTEN, Past President, World Council of Synagogues Installation of Officers: RABBI RALPH SIMON, Past President, Rabbinical Assembly A Diaspora Jew in Eretz Yisrael Introduction: PROFESSOR SAUL LIEBERMAN, Rector, The Jewish Theological Seminary of America Address: CHAIM GRADE Retrospect and Prospect: MORRIS LAUB, Director, World Council of Synagogues MEETING OF THE NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Greetings Chaim Chiell Oil behalf of the Israel United Synagogue I would like to extend a most hearty welcome to all of you. I congratulate the organizing committee for having chosen Yerushalayim ir hakodesh for this convention. I must particularly congratulate you upon coming to Yerushalayim hame'uhedet, a Jerusalem reunited since the convention of 1962. I would suggest that Jerusalem be chosen as the meeting place for all our deliberations in the future. In all of Israel there are fewer than 850 "congregations" as you have them in the United States, with fewer than a million and a half members. Nevertheless, I believe there is a strong potential in the country for a Conservative movement. Given the proper spiritual and material support, the movement will grow, for there is a real need for it. There are many people in Israel who feel that they do not belong to the Orthodox or the Reform camps. They prefer the middle way, the Conservative religious way of life, and we should encourage them to join us. We do not intend to take away members from the Orthodox groups which make up some fifteen percent of the population; we will be quite satisfied with some of the remaining eighty-five percent. I would suggest, as a theme of this convention, the triple use of the Hebrew letter yud.
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