The Jewish Community Relations Council of Pittsburgh, along with the United Jewish Federation, is one of the chief participants in inter-community efforts to extend aid and counsel to victims of the race riots that erupted here following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, the Negro civil rights leader. According to a JCRC report, activities to date include meetings with victimized merchants and the City Council on problems of re-building and aid, requests to synagogues which responded by making their facilities available as drop-off centers for clothing, food and furniture and a campaign to let organizations know of the programs designed to cope with problems cited in the Kerner Commission report on civil disorders.
Hillard Kreimer, chairman of the JCRC, said “we have been in continuous touch with the Council of Churches and the Catholic Diocese to coordinate aid activities.” The United Jewish Federation, mean-while, has counseled merchants hard hit by the riots and has guided them, in some cases to the Hebrew Free Loan Association for help. The JCRC is serving as an information center for the victims and has met in emergency session to plan long range goals.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
