B'NAI B'RITH NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION 1003 K STREET, N. W. WASHINGTON 1, D. C. RELEASE FRIDAY OCTOBER 19, 1945 DR. SACHAR ASSUMES DIRECTION OF OVER-ALL B'NAI B'RITH YOUTH PROGRAM; TO CONTINUE AS NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF 119 HILLEL FOUNDATIONS WASHINGTON, D. C. Dr. Abram L. Sachar, since 1932 National Director of B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundations, has assumed the additional responsibility of planning, implementing and directing an over-all B'nai B'rith youth program under the B'nai B'rith Youth Commission, it was announced here by Henry Monsky, President of B'nai B'rith and Chairman of its Youth Commission. While Dr. Sachar will carry the dual responsibility of National Director of the 119 B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundations and Counsolorships and the direction of the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization's program, the functions of the National Hillel Commission and the Youth Commission will continue unchanged, Mr. Monsky emphasized. In respect to the Hillol Foundations, Mr. Monsky declared, Dr. Sachar will continue to be responsible to the B'nai B'rith Hillel Commission, while as regards the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization program, he will be responsible to the B'nai B'rith Youth Commission. The B'nai B'rith Youth Commission is the governing body of the B'nai B!rith Youth Organization which includos the Aleph Zadik Aloph for boys of high school age; the B'nai B'rith Girls for girls of similar age; the B'nai B'rith Young Women for girls out of high school and up to 25; and the B'nai B'rith Young Mon for boys out of high school and up to 21. The four organizations now have a combined membership of 28,000 organized in 900 chapters. In announcing Dr. Sachar's acceptance of this additional responsibility in B'nai B'rith, Mr. Monsky said he did so with "a very profound sense of gratification because of my high appraisal of the magnificent capacity of Dr. Sachar to formulate and implement a youth program which will undoubtedly win recognition from the American Jewish community and from educators as the foremost in Jewish life." In a statement of ultimate aims of the program he envisagos for reaching the teen age area in Jewish life, Dr. Sachar stressed the need for synthesis of "the best in the Jewish and American cultural and religious traditions. For two decades B'nai B'rith has carefully prepared the ground and has distilled an experience in the field which has been tremendously valuable and which will serve as an excellent foundation for future development." As outlined by Dr. Sachar, the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization's program will be guided by the following objectivos: "1- The basic need is to provide Jowish information to the young people. There is an extraordinary amount of ignorance on the basic data of our Jewish heritage, - its history, its literature, its ethics, its folkways, its traditions. There are agencies in American Jewish life that specialize in the preparation of such resource material. We must use these very fully. What is lacking must be created. Loyalty cannot be elicited merely by appeals to duty. Loyalty must be grounded in understanding. "2- A corollary need is Jewish dignity. There is a terrifying malaise in Jewish life, which is the product of discrimination and unfriendly pressures. Just as adults are confused and uncertain, so young people reflect these social attitudes. It is important, therefore, to bring to young people a sense of pride which does not degonerate into chauvinism, but which brings poise and serenity. The proper celebration of holidays, the stimulation of aesthetic traditions, the implementation of a mature interfaith program, are but a few of the many approaches to the building of a wholesome Jewish esprit de corps. "3- Still another need is the development of social responsibility. It is not enough for young people to be informed and to carry themselves with dignity. They must be aware of their responsibility to the Jewish P-64 45 Continued