IV. This Committee offers its most earnest approval of the recommendation that the Conference seek with untiring power to meet the "misinterpretations and undervaluation of Judaism by an affirmative presentation of the teachings, the spirit and the ideals of Judaism and the Jew". However regrettable in this day and generation may be the continuing need for combatting aspersions upon the life and faith of Israel, we dare not leave unutilized the opportunity of presenting in the form of tracts and otherwise the basic teachings of Israel to the end that there be no excuse for misunderstanding, even though the temper of injustice persist. We must supplement our own ceaseless effort to lift Israel to the highest level of its spiritual and moral potencies by showing forth in a series of publications, moderate in tone and scholarly in temper, the truth of our claim that Judaism is preeminent among the religions of the world in its spiritual beauty and moral power as well as in the simplicity and reasonableness of its teachings. We endorse the spirit of the recommendations of the Committee on Tracts, which is in accord with the President's Message, looking to a nationwide propaganda on behalf of a truer understanding of the teachings and practices of Israel. We recommend that the Conference arrange for the preparation and issuance of four tracts yearly, if possible, and that the matter of cooperation with the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in the publishing and distributing of the tracts, as suggested by the Tract Committee in its report, be referred to the Executive Board.

V. Wise and statesmanlike is the suggestion of the President that the Conference, through a commission, investigate and study the relations of Israel in America to the Jews of all lands. The problem requires such prolonged and earnest consideration as can best be given through the medium of a specially constituted commission, which shall deal with this subject. We are of the hope that at the next meeting of the Conference the commission to be named may be able to submit a report on methods and means of entering into and maintaining cordial relations with the Jewish communities of the world, and more especially the further-removed and weaker Jewries, such as the Falashas of Abyssinia and the Beni Israel of India, to which it might lie within our power, as it is clearly our duty, to stretch forth, when needed, the hand of brotherly good will and service.

VI. Not less important than the foregoing is the request that we undertake a careful and detailed survey of Jewish religious conditions in this land. Such a survey would include in its scope the increasingly serious problem of nonaffiliation with our corporate religious life on the part of many Jews in this land. Such a survey would further include a study of the extent and consequences of mixed marriages, the relation of Israel to the problems of marriage and divorce, the conservation of the home, the religious education of the young, and the defections resultant upon the establishment of certain new cults and upon other causes. We recommend

that the Executive Board be empowered to appoint a commission which shall, at the next convention, submit a detailed plan of such survey, together with estimates of expenditure, and, if possible, recommendations with regard to the personnel of a working staff.

VII. As Jewish teachers we rejoice in the leadership of the Peace cause which is falling to the lot of our nation; the Peace program of recent administrations, as continued by the present administration, is perfecting at this time a series of peace treaties with the nations of the world. Resting our position on Israel's classic contributions to the world's peace ideals, we tender our heartfelt congratulations to the National Government upon its earnest efforts to maintain amicable relations with the Republic of Mexico. The perpetuation of such peace would be a moral and spiritual achievement of the highest order, which we pray it may be given to the administration to attain. We ask that a copy of this paragraph of our report be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

VIII. In the matter of the Conference's representatives on the Advisory Committee of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew Union College, we recommend that they be elected by the Conference from year to year, acting on the report of a special nominating committee to be appointed by the President. The same procedure shall be followed in the matter of designating our representatives on the Board of Editors of the Department of Synagog and School Extension.

IX. Your Committee recommends, as a first step in the direction of carrying into effect the President's earnest plea for a broader and more intensive religious education, and particularly for the training of teachers, that measures be taken by the Conference looking to the establishment of Teachers' Colleges, by the side of similar institutions already existing, to meet the needs of Liberal congregations in large Jewish communities in such cities as New York, Chicago and Philadelphia.

We recommend this matter to the favorable consideration of the Conference, and ask that the Executive Board be instructed to devise ways and means for its accomplishment.

X. We approve the action of the Executive Board in arranging for the services of an Editor of the Yearbook and in the selection of an Official Reporter of the convention. We concur, moreover, in the plan of the Executive Board to secure the services of a permanent Executive Secretary, to be suitably remunerated for his services, and we recommend that the Executive Board be empowered to engage the services of such a Secretary as soon as the funds of the Conference permit.

Under the inspiration of the President's Message, and as a result of the brotherly deliberations of this convention, may it be given to us, as finely suggested by the President, "to march forward with new enthusiasm

in this country. I believe that this same spirit can be fostered in other universities, if only our Rabbis will give some of their time and labor to it.

Upon motion a rising vote was unanimously carried, expressing the thanks of the Conference to Rabbi Franklin and its appreciation of his earnest and fruitful labors.

The recommendations contained in the reports of Rabbis Berkowitz and Franklin were, upon motion, referred to the Executive Board with power.

Rabbi Franklin-There is one strong argument in support of the recommendation that an associate membership in congregations located in university towns be established for university students. The charge has often been made, and undoubtedly correctly, that while the congregations all do nominally extend a cordial welcome to the students, nevertheless when these students do attend the services, particularly on the holidays, they find that no provision has been made for them. Now if the students actually are members of the congregation, with full rights and privileges and a voice in the congregational administration, this trouble is obviated.

Rabbi Landman-I would like to add that just this experiment has been tried in Philadelphia, and it has worked admirably. We have a Junior Membership, the annual due of which is one dollar, and an Alumnal Membership, of which the due is two dollars, since more is expected of the latter than the former. This gives these members a voice in the administration of the congregation. The effect of this upon them is readily apparent.

It was moved and seconded that a notice be sent to congregations located in university cities, submitting the arguments in favor of student membership in the congregation. The motion was referred to the Executive Board.

Rabbi Stolz took the Chair while the report of the Committee on President's Message was presented by the Chairman, Rabbi Philipson.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

To the Members of the Central Conference of American Rabbis:

GENTLEMEN : The members of this Committee, appointed to report on the Message of the President, with special reference to the recommendations contained therein, congratulate the Conference on the strength of spirit and breadth of vision which distinguish the President's message. His counsel that "American Israel awaits an inspired forward movement", we would heed as a summons to renewed consecration to the cause of American Israel, which the Central Conference of American Rabbis, founded through the organizing genius of Isaac M. Wise, and developed by the men who have since been called to its leadership, has greatly served.

I. We concur in the recommendation of the President of the Conference "to protest against such encroachments upon the principle of human liberty as are involved in the bill now before the Congress of these United States, looking to such restriction of immigration as would be brought about through the literacy test". As citizens of this republic and lovers of its ideals, we reaffirm as a fundamental principle of American liberty that, under proper safeguards, the gateway of this land shall not be closed to those men and women who seek the high privilege of American residence and American citizenship.

We recommend that a copy of this section of this report be transmitted by the President of the Conference to the President of the United States, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Secretary of Labor, and the Chairman of the Senate and House Committee on Immigration.

II. We share the conviction expressed in the Message that the time has come for an attempt to bring together in common council the National Jewish organizations, with a view to securing concerted action upon such questions as may come before them, and, moreover, to avoid even such semblance of competitive effort as mars the dignity of our communal life and purposes. We believe the Conference particularly qualified to bring together the several national organizations for advisory purposes. We, therefore, recommend that the Conference, through the Executive Board, be authorized to take steps towards effecting harmonious cooperation between existing national organizations for the purpose of consummating the highly desirable end of united and representative leadership in American Israel.

III. On behalf of the membership of the Conference, this Committee unites with the President in congratulating American Israel upon the completion of the new translation of the Bible. In this work our representatives have cooperated with representatives of other schools of thought in Israel, so that the finished work, the early appearance of which is awaited with eagerness and confidence, will stand as the joint product of Jewish scholarship in America.

IV. This Committee offers its most earnest approval of the recommendation that the Conference seek with untiring power to meet the "misinterpretations and undervaluation of Judaism by an affirmative presentation of the teachings, the spirit and the ideals of Judaism and the Jew". However regrettable in this day and generation may be the continuing need for combatting aspersions upon the life and faith of Israel, we dare not leave unutilized the opportunity of presenting in the form of tracts and otherwise the basic teachings of Israel to the end that there be no excuse for misunderstanding, even though the temper of injustice persist. We must supplement our own ceaseless effort to lift Israel to the highest level of its spiritual and moral potencies by showing forth in a series of publications, moderate in tone and scholarly in temper, the truth of our claim that Judaism is preeminent among the religions of the world in its spiritual beauty and moral power as well as in the simplicity and reasonableness of its teachings. We endorse the spirit of the recommendations of the Committee on Tracts, which is in accord with the President's Message, looking to a nationwide propaganda on behalf of a truer understanding of the teachings and practices of Israel. We recommend that the Conference arrange for the preparation and issuance of four tracts yearly, if possible, and that the matter of cooperation with the Union of American Hebrew Congregations in the publishing and distributing of the tracts, as suggested by the Tract Committee in its report, be referred to the Executive Board.

V. Wise and statesmanlike is the suggestion of the President that the Conference, through a commission, investigate and study the relations of Israel in America to the Jews of all lands. The problem requires such prolonged and earnest consideration as can best be given through the medium of a specially constituted commission, which shall deal with this subject. We are of the hope that at the next meeting of the Conference the commission to be named may be able to submit a report on methods and means of entering into and maintaining cordial relations with the Jewish communities of the world, and more especially the further-removed and weaker Jewries, such as the Falashas of Abyssinia and the Beni Israel of India, to which it might lie within our power, as it is clearly our duty, to stretch forth, when needed, the hand of brotherly good will and service.

VI. Not less important than the foregoing is the request that we undertake a careful and detailed survey of Jewish religious conditions in this land. Such a survey would include in its scope the increasingly serious problem of nonaffiliation with our corporate religious life on the part of many Jews in this land. Such a survey would further include a study of the extent and consequences of mixed marriages, the relation of Israel to the problems of marriage and divorce, the conservation of the home, the religious education of the young, and the defections resultant upon the establishment of certain new cults and upon other causes. We recommend