THE SHOFAR Youth d around Are Future markers" e presen- on in the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization of m fun as ALEPH ZADIK ALEPH (AZA) Jewish nity serv- onal pro- w chair- B'NAI B'RITH GIRLS (BBG) he Coun- Community A. Ware S an ele- privileged FEBRUARY, 1976 d BBG present a ; pro- reational. Ir. Avner children. by Philip M. Klutznick like this program ds, they This month marks a publishing milestone for BBYO. The 17th publication in the ing Board of the World Jewish Congress. nteers. BBYO Judaism Pamphlet Series has just been issued and it is sure to make a major Outside of the Jewish Community, Klutznick's achievements have also been and the impact both on BBYO and the rest of the Jewish community. numerous. He served as commissioner of the Federal Public Housing Authority and and had later as United States Representative to the Economic and Social Council of the United As Coun- Written by Philip M. Klutznick, the new pamphlet takes a careful look at the Vital Nations with the rank of Ambassador. He has headed several international missions e Krauss Issues in The Jewish Community. Second Grand Aleph Godol, first executive and, in 1975, was appointed by President Gerald Ford to the President's Advisor not only secretary of AZA, and first editor of The Shofar, Klutznick has occupied positions of Committee on Indo-China Refugees. st of our trust and leadership in the American and world Jewish community, in the govern- Although much has been written about the Jewish community, this is the first at- tact with ment of the United States, and in the United Nations for more than fifty years. tempt to enlighten and help young people deliberate on the subject. Not the usual bout the He served as international president of B'nai B'rith from 1953 to 1959 after which encyclopedic description of the Jewish community, it deals boldly and forthrightly, us." he became Honorary President. He has held a variety of posts connected with Israel, as only Klutznick can, with some of the gutsy issues with which the Jewish com- an Arts having rendered crucial service to the Jewish state. munity has been struggling for decades. ds made A charter member of Kansas City AZA No. 2. Klutznick is generally considered This pamphlet, and the 16 others in the series all designed specifically for teen- Christmas AZA's most prominent alumnus. In addition to his B'nai B'rith involvement Klutz- agers- is available from local BBYO offices for 85c. nick has made major contributions to both the American and world Jewish com- The basic section of the pamphlet-from which we are reprinting a few excerpts- the per- munities. Mr. Klutznick helped create the first important Jewish "think tank" in the consists of an interview of Mr. Klutznick by Dr. Max F. Baer, International Director of d by the United States - The Institute for Jewish Policy Planning and Research sponsored by wands to BBYO. The booklet includes a guide to Jewish organizations, a glossary, many the Synagogue Council of America. Currently, he serves as chairman of the Govern- suggestions for programs, and an extensive reading list. cts was a e BBYO ren, but d for the DR. MAX F. Mr. Klutznick, you have held a variety of leadership roles in the Jewish definition of a member of the Jewish community is a person who acts eld, and BAER: community for more than half a century. Out of this unusual experience, out his Jewishness either religiously, culturally, philanthropically, or ed along you must have reached conclusions about many of the unresolved issues socially whatever may be the degree of his participation in the acts of this community. But, before getting to these issues, it would be helpful Jewish community. Certain of my fellow Jews may disagree completely am, the if you were to touch upon the history of the Jewish community from with this view. That is their right. ate that which most of our grandparents and great-grandparents came. PHILIP M. BAER: What are your feelings about the synagogues and temples today? Are best was That history is very significant for us. Many of its influences are still to come KLUTZNICK: they too big? Should they be smaller for greater intimacy? to be found in our midst. When Jews were compelled to live in ghet- roke up toes, they created their own Jewish community organization, the KLUTZNICK: Size is not the crucial factor. Whether a synagogue or temple is too en. This Kehillah the Jewish community within the larger general commun- big depends upon the community that it serves and the needs of its things, ity. Secular rulers of the countries and provinces, and the church membership. In some of the largest cities a synagogue tends to be ing new authorities where the Kehillah was located, ultimately decided on the larger. The cost of maintenance is higher, the program and staffing between fate of the Kehillah members. These Jews were considered "servi greater. BBYO camerae" (chattel of the King). and were often in a precarious situa- On the other hand, there can be small congregations, since some tion. The Kehillot (plural of Kehillah) had these elements in common, people feel the need for more intimacy. However, in some cases, the f Lewis, wherever they were situated: same intimacy provides a reason or excuse for not attending alto- Georgia They were governed by tradition, by Halakhah (Talmudic Law) and gether. What we need is a variety of houses of worship to attract peo- Minhag (custom and usage) under rabbinic as well as lay leadership. ple who have special needs. One format or size would be self-defeating. They had powers of taxation, imposing fines, and excommunication. Some congregants like the elegance and formality of a great in- stitution without everybody getting in everybody's way. Others want is a They maintained their own Jewish court system, Jewish schools, the opposite or something in between. The size of the community will pro- synagogues, slaughterhouses for kosher meat, bath house, mikvah, determine the character of the synagogue as well. We should not tie ch de- cemetery, and charity fund. ourselves down to any pat formula. hapter In Eastern Europe, notably Russia and Poland, the shtetl with its h they Kahal (the central authority town council composed of the elite take group of well-to-do householders), its khevres (the voluntary associa- em to tions of the people organized around work. study, or charitable func- ns. tions), plus the paid officials, continued the tightly-knit Jewish community structure until its decline and breakup around the time of World War I. A JEW IS A PERSON WHO BELIEVES HIMSELF TO BE A JEW AND PROFESSES TO BE A JEW. In the democracies of today, Jews have a free, voluntary community that is not imposed upon them from the outside. They have a responsi- bility to maintain this community. In fact, they have a double re- sponsibility, to pay taxes to the general community, and to participate in its institutions and activities, and at the same time to make con- BAER: Do you consider informal Jewish education through study tours of Israel tributions to the Jewish community, and to maintain it. or summer camps an important approach to our problems of Jewish education? Although there are a few free communities in the world in which by state law the Jewish communities can levy taxes or their equivalent, KLUTZNICK: Study tours to Israel have a powerful and lasting effect on young the Kehillah is over; but we still feel its influence. people, since they see the places and sites discussed in the Bible, and BAER: What should be the requirements for membership in the Jewish com- the modern miracle of Israel reborn. On a study tour of the country munity? Must a person belong to some organization? Must he contribute itself-it valleys, its orchards, its mountains, its Kibbutzim and to the United Jewish Appeal or the Federation? Must he be a member of Moshavahim (collective settlements) the whole land does the a synagogue? teaching. More of our young people need the experience of going to KLUTZNICK: Israel in their teens when their attitudes and values about Jewish My definition of a Jew is a person who believes himself to be a Jew and Life are being formed. professes to be a Jew, whether or not he contributes to the community, During the summer months at a Jewish camp, young people have or whether he belongs to a temple or synagogue, or whether he be- longs to a Jewish adult or youth organization. Consequently, my (Continued on page 2)