Jews throughout the world will usher in the Jewish New Year of 5716 tomorrow evening with prayers for world peace, for Israel and for the removal of the danger facing Jews in North Africa and in other parts of the world, while Jews in this country will also pray for the well-being of the United States and of all democratic countries The services will mark the beginning of the ten-day span of the High Holidays which climax in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
About 350 full and part-time Jewish chaplains will conduct services for Jews in the American armed forces in all parts of the world where U. S. military units are stationed Twenty-four of them who recently completed training at chaplains schools have reported for active duty in time to officiate at Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services for Jewish military personnel, it was announced today by the National Jewish Welfare Board, coordinator of the global “Operation Rosh Hashanah ” for military installations.
Leaders of all major Jewish organizations issued Rosh Hashanah greetings to the Jews in America, emphasizing the religious aspects of the High Holy Days and appealing to every Jew to be generous in his philanthropic contributions for Jewish causes in this country as well as for the up building of Israel and for Jewish needs in other countries. Particular stress was laid on the serious situation faced by the Jews in North Africa, many of whom seek immigration to Israel. In New York alone, 500 congregations have undertaken to appeal to their members for contributions to the United Jewish Appeal during the Rosh Hashanah services.
AMERICAN JEWS CALLED TO LIVE UP TO UJA TRADITIONS OF AID
William Rosenwald, general chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, said in his Rosh Hashanah message that “the American Jewish community, which supplied most of the funds for the $40,000,000 Yarkon-Negev pipeline in Israel through support of the UJA, and financed as well the resettlement in Israel of many thousands of North African Jews, must help to achieve comparable victories in 5716.” He called upon American Jewry “to continue to live up to the great traditions of the American Jewish community and the United Jewish Appeal. Working and giving to bring hope and life to those in need, we can answer the challenge of this year and this generation.”
Edward M.M. Warburg, chairman of the Joint Distribution Committee, greeted the Jewish communities in this country “on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of Jews in Europe Moslem countries and Israel who are able to celebrate this New Year and look forward to the celebration of other, even happier New Years ” because of the assistance given by American Jewry. “It is your devoted aid–through the United Jewish Appeal–which has made all these things possible and it is because they know of this aid that Jewish communities all over the world send you their thanks this Rosh Hashanah. We of JDC are proud to be able to transmit these thanks, as we have been proud to be the agency by which the aid of American Jewry has for forty years continued to reach Jews in need overseas, ” Mr. Warburg said.
Dewey D. Stone, national chairman of the United Israel Appeal, pointing out that Israel faces an emergency influx which will bring 45,000 Jews from North Africa and other countries to her shores within the next 12 months, said in his message: ” In terms of the problems and challenges which lie ahead, it would be most apt to describe the year 5716 as a Year of Strengthen.’ Israel must help strengthen the Jews who are fleeing from danger: it must strengthen itself with settlement in depth; it must strengthen the productivity of the country both for the recent newcomers not yet fully integrated and for the oncoming mass influx. The measure of our wholehearted support of the United Jewish Appeal during the coming year will serve as a barometer of our concern and our ability to accept and act on our obligations as a community of mature, generous and productive Jews.”
Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman, executive vice-chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, said in his greetings: “American Jewry can be proud of its loyal support of Israel’s people and distressed Jews everywhere. The vast funds raised by the United Jewish Appeal since 1939 to save and rebuild 2,500,000 lives are a testament to the wisdom and generous heart of the American Jewish community. As we enter upon the new year, let us resolve to continue and redouble our efforts to secure the foundations of our humanitarian progress, to give hope and life to those still in need.”
Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, vice-president of the Israel Bond Organization, stated in his Rosh Hashanah message: “The understanding and energetic responsiveness with which American Jews have embraced the program of Israel Bonds are a welcome barometer of high statesmanship and deep devotion to the ideal of a strong and free Israel. We can see now as we survey the international scene that the policy of Israel-American friendship is vital to Israel’s growth as a new democracy and that our share in giving solid meaning to this alliance must find expression in the kind of economic partnership inherent in the purchase of Israel bonds. It is to the credit of American Jewry that it has accepted the Israel bond drive as a major responsibility.”
HOPE THAT ENSUING YEAR WILL BRING ARAB-ISRAEL PEACE
Irving Engel, president of the American Jewish Committee, said that the forthcoming year will determine whether there will be “genuine evidence of the lifting of the Iron Curtain.” Referring to the easing of East-West tension, the AJC leader declared: “It is our fervent prayer that this hoped for relaxation of tensions will be directly reflected throughout the Middle East so that genuine steps toward a lasting peace between Israel and her neighbors will be taken during the ensuing year.”
Dr. Israel Goldstein, president of the American Jewish Congress, stated: “The Jewish people must remain profoundly concerned at the intransigence of the Arab states in rejecting direct negotiations with Israel for an enduring peace. We pray the New Year will also bring a greater measure of security to our brothers in lands where they suffer persecution or discrimination. We earnestly hope that the Communist regimes will call a halt to their relentless campaign of suppressing the religious and cultural life of their Jewish communities, and that they will moderate their harsh policy of isolating their Jewish communities from contact and communication with Jewish communities of other lands.”
Philip M. Klutznick, president of the B’nai B’rith said: “In the tradition of our people we can seek no greater blessing than that of Shalom. In this season we must resolutely prepare ourselves to strive for peace and to be worthy of its fruits.” His organization, he said, looks ahead to a year of achievement in fulfilling the goals of its many-faceted program. “We can anticipate the continued growth of our efforts in adult Jewish education, in youth work, in human rights and in our community and veterans services. New sights are ahead for our work with the United Nations and our efforts on behalf of Israel.”
UNITY TO BE SOUGHT IN AMERICAN JEWISH RANKS DURING YEAR
Bernard Trager, chairman of the National Community Relations Advisory Council, pledged that his organization will do all in its power to bring back into its ranks during the new year the American Jewish Committee and the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation League which withdrew from it several years ago. “As we enter upon the new year, with raised hopes for international peace and domestic tranquility, let us hope and pray and exert ourselves that all the Jewish community relations agencies may be participants in the true cooperation in the common cause that alone can enable all to bring their fullest influence effectively to bear upon our common needs,” he declared.
Ben Touster, president of United HIAS Service, the Jewish international migration agency, in his Rosh Hashanah message, called for a unified effort to rescue ” those others of our people who exist uneasily on the soil of the Old World.”
New Year greetings were also issued by Dr. William Haber, president of the American ORT Federation; Charles Aaron, president of the National Jewish Welfare Board; Daniel Ross, president of the American Friends of the Hebrew University; and by all central Jewish organizations.
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