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Pag* I THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE April 14. 1*71
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JNF moves right along
with new goals, changes
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3110 Maple Drive,
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Presidents of Jewiih National
Fund organization! from acroti
the country gathered in Atlanta
this week, along with JNF
profeasaonal staff, to chart new
direction! and reinforce present
efforts of the 77-year-old
organization.
Rabbi William Berkowitz,
national president, spoke of new
goals for the JNF. “file malady of
many organizations," be said, is
that they lack imagination and do
things the way they did them in the
past, with few changes. JNF today,
he added, "has to build on the past,
but in the spirit of renewal,
rejuvenation and revival.’'
Referring to JNF! ongoing
project of selling trees for the
afforestation of Israel, Rabbi
Berkowitz noted that "In our
tradition, we have two kinds of
trees—the Tree of Life and the
Tree of Knowledge. We planted
the first, and will continue to do
that. But," he emphasized, "I
personally believe it is as
important to plant the Tree of
Knowledge...and give Jews a sense
of identity."
Addressing himself to a question
that keeps cropping up, and which
received a place on the agenda of
the Atlanta conference. Rabbi
Berkowitz emphatically stated
that "Zionism is not outmoded.
Zionism," he said, “is the
redemption of a people as well as a
land."
Rabbi . Berkowitz said, with
obvious sadness, that he does not
believe the younger generation has
the ingrained values and emotional
attachment to JNF and other
Zionist organizations as "the old
timers." It is reaching out to grass
roots level of the younger
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Rabbi William Berkowitz (left) and Dr. Gilbert Wi
JNF Conference,
generation that be apparently sees
as a primary goal for JNF.
Emphasis will be on mass
meetings, on education, on
providing leadership and
guidance, and giving Jews the
opportunity to "rub shoulders and
to indentify,” he said.
One step in this direction has
been a series of radio programs
originated by Rabbi Berkowitz
and sponsored by JNF called
“Dialogue.” In the New York area,
he said, a million people listen
every Sunday to the 90 minute
program which features such
figures as I.B. Singer, Elie Weisel
and Abba Eban. These programs
are being prepared for national
distribution to reach Jews across
the nation.
In Rabbi Berkowitz’ view, Israel
has been losing the battle of public
information. He sees JNF as
having a vital role, with its appeal
to both Jews and Christians, in
helping overcome this. He’s
developed a slogan around the
phrase “We have to think BIG—B
for building, I for Indentiflcation,
and G for Giving or Growth."
JNF, he said, as a non-political
organization, is “up front" in what
Prime Minister Begin called
Israel’s second line of defense—the
American Jew.
Stressing again JNFs thrust
toward education, Berkowitz said,
"An educated Jewry will lead to a
committed and giving Jewry."
One of the actions taken at the
dosing executive session of the
two-day deliberations was the
establishment of a new body
within the JNF to be known as the
National Conference of
President!.
Atlanta JNF President, Dr.
Gilbert Wildstein, was elected
chairman of the newly created
group, with Dr. Bernard Kapiloff,
president of Baltimore JNF, as
vice chairman and Mrs. Gertrude
Thaler, president of San Diego
JNF, as secretary
The National Conference of
Presidents ts intended to bring a
greater voice from the regions to
the national decision making
process, according to Wildstein.
The conference was the first time
that Atlanta had been the site of a
presidential meeting. Many local
JNF supporters attended the two-
day discussions which were
chaired by Dr. Wildstein. He and
his brother. Dr. Walter Wildstein.
and their wives hosted a reception
Saturday evening for the delegates.
According to Dr. Gilbert 1
Wildstein, "This national
presidents meeting opened a new
chapter in JNFs history in the
Southern Region, with new goals
and techniques charted to involve
mass participation of Jews and
non-Jews, not only in Atlanta but
throughout the State of Georgia
and neighboring states."
A major forthcoming event is a
dinner on May 2 which will pay
tribute to the dedicated efforts of
Cantor and Mrs. Isaac
Goodfriend.
Life, health, group
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