Newspaper Page Text
Friday, May* 14, 1965
THISOD
Vida’s “Visting Jew”
Koffee K la Id i
by VIDA GOLDGAR
“The Vanishing American Jew’’
is becoming THE topic of con
versation of American Jewry.
But it’s kinda like the weather.
You know — everybody talks
about it, but nobody does any
thing!
So maybe it’s time for Vida
to put some Koffee Klatch logic
on the line. Perhaps from my
skeleton of an idea we can de
velop a concrete plan of action.
First, a basic premise: The
more pride a Jew has in his her
itage, the less likely he’ll be to
defect the faith or abdicate its
tenets. So how do we promote
his pride?
I say we must simply motivate
(or restore) his interest in the
basic subject. And I say we have
the ignition key—ready-made to
rev up religious interest and
tune Up pride—right in the very
existence of the State of Israel!
So why not take ’em at the
formative ages—13 to 18—and in
sure that they VISIT ISRAEL?
The Jewish kid who visits Is
rael isn’t likely to miss much. At
this age, his (or her) perception
is keen, memory acute. And pio
neering spirit is contagious. In Is
rael they’ll see—and remember—
all the symbols of Jewish accom
plishments from ancient history
£o modem times.
So far, I’m sure you can read
ily recognize the value of this
Plan „
“living history lesson” to our
Jewish youth. But how can you
afford it? Under normal circum
stances most of us have all we
can do to pay for our kids’ col
lege needs or buy them a guitar
or whatever. A trip abroad? Out
of the question!
Well, let’s see . . My plan
is that the summer immediately
after a child has been BarMitz-
vahed (or Bas Mitzvahed) or
confirmed, automatically becomes
ISRAEL SUMMER for that child.
During ISRAEL SUMMER he or
she will be spending four weeks
in Israel—absolutely free!
In this country we have, in
round numbers, 5,500,00<) Jews,
or about 1,000,000 children aged
1 to 20. I would estimate 400,000
are between ages 13 and 18
Thus each summer vacation about
100,000 would visit Israel, say in
three monthly contingents of
about 30,000 each.
All these winters, of course, the
more adult Jews who visited Is
rael (on their own steam) the
better. But my plan’s chief thrus:
is toward Jewish youth — those
who’ve been through religious
school. (Isn’t it usually right aft
er they’ve graduated Sunday
School that we lose them?) What
Jewish mother wouldn’t rather
her children have this opportun
ity than she herself?
Why, in ten years, the entire
Jewish generation of young adults
(ages 23-28) would thus be en
riched with real-life Judaism.
One million strong—would they
ISRAEL
KATZ
candidate for Georgia House
of Representatives in Newly
Created District No. 131
thanks his friends and sup
porters for their May 5 vote
and urgently asks them to
turn out again for the May 19
RUN-OFF....
This time with additional
voters to raise the percentage
of participants.
Remember
COME TO VOTE May 19,
Wednesday - - - - and bring a
friend.
This ad paid for by friends
of Israel Katz
LITE
be likely to vanish? I think not.
FI us — 100,000 more coming up
every year!
Intermarriages are sure to de
crease with this strengthening of
common bonds. But that has
never been the chief problem.
Rather, it’s been finding a meth
od to give Judaism real mean
ing to those who don’t inter
marry. During ISRAEL SUM
MER for one thing, my VISIT
ING JEW will be so darn busy
travelling and visiting, he won’t
have time to be VANISHING
from our midst in that first cru
cial period! And, refreshing him
self at the fountain springs of
Judaism, he won’t want to.
Now to the financial side: The
State of Israel must provide
planes and ships! Judging by the
past sale of Israel Bonds in this
country, the program’s costs will
come back many times over. And
who knows? Many of these young
Americans may later personally
invest in Israeli industry.
So ISRAEL should'—and must
—provide transport for the Visit
ing Jew Plan But American
Jews should— and must— help
them do it. I propose a special
Visting Jew Series of Israel Bonds
—that every adult Jew in Amer
ica must get out and push. Isn’t
it worth the effort to help pre
serve Jewish culture for poster
ity?
Besides transport, each child
should receive a $100 cash fund
for the trip. I propose this be
provided in Any of tbrOe
a. Each congroggttoR
nual donations at
own. children.
b Family gifts to
so ear-marked. 1 (WS*i fee:
Mitzvah gift!) ' i
c. Each ISsterhoodyor
chapter to taka th* lab
sibility.
Well, what say you? An over-
ambitious plan? Not .il, •war g#t
right at it! I advocate a National
Committee be immediately-awl lip
to explore this pVogrStrT -to- its
most feasible method. If *
think the plan has merit, please
send me your views and Ideas.
Let’s use the Visiting Jew tp
vanquish the Vanishing Jdtrit :
cl 065
VOTE AGAIN
‘■A
■“< • • ' V *
v •./>*- ’ • *
For
CHARLIE FRANCd
In The May 19
[Wednesday]
Democratic
Run-off
Primary
FOR THE POST OF REPRESENTATIVE
IN THE NEWLY - CREATED
DISTRICT 130
CIVIC LEADERS ENDORSE
CHARLIE FRANCO
We feel strongly that Charlie with his background
of experience and his personal integrity is the kind
of person that we want to represent us in the State
Legislature. We hope you will feel the same and
not forget to vote for him on this very important
election day.—WEDNESDAY, MAY 19.
Mrs. Marian B. Glustrom
1962 Pres. Momingside PTA
Mrs. Martha Ann Deadmore
1963 Pres. Morningside PTA
Mrs. Eleanor R. Vrono
1964 Pres. Momingside PTA
Mrs. Haxel Pressmanes
1965 Pres. Momingside PTA
Jack Cohen
1959, 1960, 1962 PTA
Pres. Rock Springs School
These Lawyers
endorse Charlie Franco
as “Best Qualified”
IF YOU live nr
PRECINCTS TfllH I
HELP ELECT
PEC ’
Kf
Sidney Parka
Aaron Baranan
Charles W. Bergman
Joseph M. Brown
Harold Karp
Morton P. Levine
Herbert A. Rlngel
Sidney I. Rose
I. Ruden
Michael Alembik
Miles J. Alexander
Raymond Alhadeff
James Arogetl
Richard K. Babnsh
Saul Blau
Larry Bogart
Morris J. Brown
A.D.G. Cohn &
Alice W. Cohn
David S. Eisenberg
Joel J. Fryer
Joe W. Gersteln
Isaac N. Hablf
Sidney Haskins
Harris Jacobs
Joseph Jacobs
A. David Kahn
Arthur Kaplan
Uny Lewis
Harry Morris
Melvin Paxol
Larry Pike
Leon Rosen
Paul K. Silverman
Philip Slotin
Stanley Slutsky
Gordon R. Sugarman
Julian Turk
Walter V. Beasley ,
Charles O. Baird, Jr.
Marvin H. Zion
LEGISLATURE
TET#tr
Voting Prociite-
For District tf°
8-H £
Square A
51 T ,
Rock SpriaP Scb001
Hellte* Centcr
IF
MoiWT*^ School
«-A
Uiyland Br. Library
6-B i A-
Highland School
6-D — - y- .
Moreland SchArf '
/ This political ad pmld
for by frisnds
of Charlie Franco -