always makes a point of wearing her cross. Strengthening the Jewish Component of Aliyah—A New Dimension in Center Programs and Services* Jewish Communal Service The increase in program time has also made YlTZCHAK DEKEL possible the following new aspects of the In recent years there has been increasing Director, Adult Group Services, Jewish Community Center of Baltimore, Maryland Jewish Identity project: 1) Regular, as concern about the Jewishness of Jewish opposed to occasional contact is maintained communal services. In the concluding chapter Aliyah therefore is a constructive way to keep Jews in the fold. The constructive and positive with the Boys Transitional unit and regular of their study of Jewish identification, elements of Aliyah include: A choice to live a Jewishly more meaningful and stimulating life; to contact is also maintained with two specialized Dashefsky and Shapiro noted that the social participate in the pioneering challenge of rebuilding the Jewish State, fulfdling a two thousand foster group homes. 2) Weekly visits are now structure of the community is important for year-old dream; and an educated decision made on an individual basis. made to the Children's Service Center which the maintenance and development of Jewish Foreward to transform Federations into the central provides elementary and high school education identity and that Jewish identity has a funding and planning agencies of the local to children too disturbed to attend regular reciprocal effect on the nature of the social Following the November 10, 1975 infamous American Jewish community. Community schools. My activities there involve partici­ structure. They added: U.N. resolution denouncing Zionism as rac­ ism, 170 Jewish leaders representing 27 relations councils also have gradually in­ pating in gym programs, talking to kids during If one wants to consider policy implications creased their activities in local communities, lunch and recess breaks, and giving pre-Bar for strengthening Jewish identity and identifi­ countries, met in Jerusalem for an emergency explaining the problems and needs of Israel to Mitzvah instructions. One hoped-for develop­ cation, then the most strategic point in this three-day summit conference, signing a pledge cycle is that of inter-personal relationships. the Jewish and general public. Given the ment which is slowly occurring is the extension to help Israel to "fulfill its historic mission in central role Israel plays in both the politics and What the Jewish community can do is provide the return to Zion". Only Abba Eban, former of invitations by teachers to address their the organizational and institutional context for culture of American Jewish life, it is somewhat foreign minister, was more specific, urging classes when there is an interface between the the development and maintenance of these paradoxical that aliyah—emigration to Is­ relationships. 10 American Jewry to "give us one-third of one class subject and Jewish culture. 3) Another rael—continues to be a fringe phenomenon, percent in each year" meaning 20,000 olim new activity which has great potential for My experience as a rabbi with the Jewish involving yearly about one-tenth of one per (immigrants) instead of the average 5,000 expanding the impact of the project is a series Children's Bureau leads me to the conclusion cent of the American Jewish population, and annually during the last decade. On December of scheduled meetings with the Foster Parents that one can work for change most effectively is virtually ignored with but few exceptions by 14, 1975, 120 Jewish community leaders and Association. These meetings center around when working inside the organization. If the the wide range of Jewish organizations and professionals were called to New York to meet Jewish holidays. At Chanukah, for example, specifically Jewish component of such com­ institutions. It is all the more curious inasmuch Israel's defense minister, Mr. Shimon Peres, the holiday observances and history was munal services as children and family services, as the Return to Zion has been a central motif for the first meeting of the newly formed explained. A discussion ensued about how the vocational services, community centers, etc. is in Jewish life for two thousand years, and a National Aliyah Council; the agenda: to foster parents and children, not all of whom to be improved, it might be helpful for there to high priority of the State of Israel and the increase aliyah from the U.S.A. are Jewish, dealt with the potential Chanukah- be special resource people, such as specifically- Jewish Agency, the major beneficiary of After 28 years of independence it is evident Christmas conflict. 4) There has also started trained rabbis or educators, working within fund-raising efforts in the United States. The that Israel has failed to provide the ideological an involvement with the JCB Volunteer these agencies. These resource people could late Pinchas Sapir, then Chairman of the inspiration and the spiritual magnetism to Program. provide information, as well as direction and Jewish Agency Executive, told the annual attract substantial aliyah from the U.S., nor This then is the history of the Jewish coordination of agency efforts to increase Assembly of the Jewish Agency last June have the proper tools and structures been Identity project. The Jewish Identity project Jewish identification among its staff and (1975) that Israel must double its present developed to attract Americans. These facts has provided a wide range of Jewish experi­ clientele. It is necessary to become personally population in order to have peace and indicate a dire need for intellectual and ences to significant numbers of children who familiar with the inner workings and personal­ security. 1 professional reinforcement in Israel. This very were receiving little if any previously. It has ities of the agency, its responsibilities, methods professional and intellectual force exists within The Objective also improved the quality of the Jewish and procedures, its problems, as well as the the American Jewish community. experiences offered in some of the other areas clientele served. This complete familiarity In essence, this proposal calls on the George E. Johnson observes: "The needs of of the agency which did have Jewish content in together with full access to the agency can leadership of the organized American Jewry to the State of Israel have increasingly shaped the their programming. In this sense the project is maximize the impact of American Jewry's accept the historic challenge and assume the work and reshaped the structure of the a success. rabbinic and educational leadership upon the major responsibilities concerning aliyah and organized Jewish community. The fund- Jewish character of Jewish communal services. its complex professional, ideological and raising campaigns of local Jewish Federations material machinery. Such aliyah has to come 10 Ibid., p. 120. have expanded their efforts on behalf of the in substantial numbers from America, in the State of Israel while at the same time helping order of about 50,000 olim a year. If not, Israel may not survive to celebrate its 50th * Presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Conference of Jewish Communal ' George E. Johnson, Analysis No. 53, Service, Boston, May 31, 1976. Nov. 1975. 170 171 anniversary. Unmistakably, the Jewish com­ else, on the surface it seems that: munity centers are the best structural, profes­ 1. Encouraging and promoting aliyah is in should people be attracted to such living cent of the Western olim of 5 years ago have sionally staffed and trained organizations, direct contradiction of the Center's purposes conditions? left Israel, a figure similar to estimates of with the widest geographical spread, to accept and goals and the self-interest and growth of 7. Youth and the aged seem to be drawing returning Americans.4. aliyah as a newly added dimension in their the American Jewish community. We must most of the Centers' attention and funds The Israeli press was recently filled with programs and services not only in relationship remember that the American Jewish commun­ presently. However, the aliyah challenge can articles, commentary and letters to the editors to their own membership, but also to pioneer ity was already established, organized and become an invigorating undertaking because regarding aliyah and yerida (emigration from and carry the message to the total Jewish growing when the first Zionist Congress met in of its absolute importance for Jewish survival. Israel). Some Israelis feel that a free Jew in the It can assume dimensions of unprecedented community in America. As suggested later in Basel in August 1897. Thus America was for diaspora who does not come to live in Israel is magnitude for the Center field and profes­ this proposal, aliyah spells survival for millions of Jews a genuine haven and a as "bad" as an Israeli who leaves the country. sionals. segments of the American Jewry as well as it promising land before political Zionism Why, writes a Mr. S. Ben Zvi from Haifa, is does for Israel. became a recognized and well-organized Before we deal with those crucial questions an Israeli who decides to emigrate, let us say to "As the traditional bases for Zionist activity movement. This historical fact has been we must remember that the ultimate Zionist the U.S.A., considered to be a weakling, a have substantially eroded, new bases seem to crucial in determining the state of mind, fulfillment and self-realization are through traitor, a deserter (after having lived for many be developing. According to a number of ideology and self-perceptions of American aliyah. Aliyah from America is therefore years in Israel) but a free Jew who lives Israel aliyah Center shlichim, the newer lay Jews. The genuine Americanization of mil­ extremely sensitive, especially in light of the securely elsewhere is someone we ought to leadership in local Federations, the Young lions of Jews is best expressed through the great and positive Jewish-American experi­ respect and understand? It boils down to a ence.