Present: Abraham Bayer; Jacob Birenbaum, SSSJ; Mrs. Clara E. Bloom, NYC Council – Pioneer Women; Al Blumenthal, AJCongress; Herbert J. Cohen, United Synagogue of America; Jack Fields, Free Sons of Israel; Sol Friedman, Workmen’s Circle; Rabbi Jacob Goldberg, NY Board of Rabbis; Jerry Goodman, AJCommittee; Martin Lapan, JLC; Moshe Mann, Farband; Isaiah Minkoff, NCRAC; Edward D. Moldover, New York Chapter, AJCommittee; Frank Phillips, Poale Zion; Glenn Richter, SSSJ; Mervin H. Riseman, JCRAC & AJCommittee; Arthur Rosenbluth, B’nai B’rith; Elkanah Schwartz, UOJCA; David Sidman, Jewish War Veterans; Benjamin Silverman, J.W.V.; Mrs. Helen Telushkin, Mizrachi Women; Mrs. Eva Weissman, National Council of Jewish Women; Morris M. Winer, B’nai B’rith; Herman Brown, AJCongress; David Geller, AJCommittee. The meeting was held at the Institute of Human Relations, 165 East 56th Street, NYC, Room 8G0-A. Rabbi Jacob Goldberg opened the meeting, greeting the representatives of the various Jewish organizations. He thanked them for their cooperation in the past and introduced the new chairman, Rabbi Norman Lamm. Rabbi Lamm urged representatives to commit themselves to the development of a strong program of public education and public relations in order to be as effective as possible in the struggle for the freedom of the Jews in the Soviet Union. He then presented a citation to Rabbi Jacob Goldberg from the New York Conference on Soviet Jewry “for his dedication and persevering efforts” on behalf of Soviet Jewry. Rabbi Lamm also introduced David Geller, who will be staff coordinator of the New York Conference, and his two associates, Herman Brown, Director of the Metropolitan Council, AJCongress, and Rabbi Louis Ginsburg, Director of Special Activities, National Conference of Synagogue Youth of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. Abraham Bayer reported on the TV program about Soviet Jewry, which was presented on Sunday, June 15, during the half-hour program of…

David Geller – presiding. Present: Abe Bayer, NCRAC; Jacob Birnbaum, SSSJ; Pinkas Dain, AZC; David Geller, AJCommittee; Rabbi Louis Ginsburg, NCSY/UOJCA; Rabbi Jacob Goldberg, NYBR; Janet Goller, AJCongress; Mel Klarfeld, B’nai B’rith; Martin Lapan, JLC; Arthur Rosenbluth, B’nai B’rith; Isaac Seif, Farband, Labor Zionist Order. The following decisions were reached: (I) The title of the rally will be “Simchat Torah Celebration for Soviet Jewry.” (II) The celebration will be held at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 47th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues, on Thursday, October 2, 1969, at 6:30 p.m. (III) The agreed-upon format will include: (a) introductory remarks by Rabbi Norman Lamm; (b) greetings from Mayor Lindsay, Senator Javits, and Senator Goodell; (c) a major address; (d) songs and dances. Several names were suggested for key speakers and entertainers, including Senator Edmund Muskie, Arthur Goldberg, Arthur Miller, Theodore Bikel, Elie Wiesel, Senator Abe Ribicoff, Eli Wallach, and Jan Peerce. (IV) Posters will be distributed to various geographic locations in the city, from which they will be sent to local synagogues and schools. Members present agreed to arrange for 3–5 people each to assist with distribution and to make personal appeals to rabbis and teachers to publicize the rally. Rabbi Jacob Goldberg agreed to follow up with the New York Board of Rabbis to ensure they publicize the rally to their membership and congregations. Herman Brown of the AJCongress will be asked to work with Rabbi Geffen, Jacob Birnstein, and the Queens Council on Soviet Jewry. (V) Because several invited youth leaders were unable to attend this meeting, it was suggested that a special meeting be convened for youth directors and youth leaders. Rabbi Louis Ginsburg was asked to contact youth directors and, through them, youth groups, including those associated with the North American Jewish Youth Council. Abe Bayer also agreed to contact NAJYC representatives during their Labor Day conv…

We are here, representing all of New York Jewry, to express three central themes: sorrow, solidarity, and protest. Our sorrow concerns the condition of three million Soviet Jews who have had to bear fifty years of Communist repression, and cultural and religious deprivation. We have gathered too to demonstrate our solidarity with young Russian Jews who, after three generations of enforced alienation, have rediscovered their Jewish identities and on Simchat Torah defiantly express it by singing and dancing in front of syna- gogues in the major Russian cities. We are doing so here three days in advance, resolving that we will not forget them — not until they are free.We are also here to protest -- because we are Jews and because of our commitment to human dignity. We protest the condition of Russian Jews as the chief victims of residual Stalin- ism. We protest the discrimination against Jews in denying them cultural and religious rights granted to other minorities.-- a denial which violates the Soviet Constitution. We demand that the right granted by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — the right to leave any country --be given to Russian Jews.Let them live -- or let them leave.

Present: Abraham J. Bayer – NCRAC; Jacob Birnbaum – SSSJ; David Geller – AJCommittee; Janet Goller – AJCongress; Rabbi Louis Ginsburg – National Conference of Synagogue Youth/UOJCA; Mel Klarfeld – B’nai B’rith; Rabbi Norman Lamm – The Jewish Center; Jack E. Levine – Free Sons of Israel; Arthur Rosenbluth – B’nai B’rith; Rabbi Elkanah Schwartz – UOJCA; Benjamin Silverman – Jewish War Veterans. The meeting opened with a review of the October 2nd celebration, and the following recommendations were made: (1) alternate indoor quarters should be arranged for any outdoor demonstration in case of inclement weather; (2) petitions should be circulated at every demonstration. The committee discussed the advisability of continuing outdoor demonstrations, and the overwhelming consensus was that they must continue while simultaneously developing new programmatic vehicles to publicize the plight of Soviet Jewry. It was announced that on December 10th – Human Rights Day – the American Jewish Conference on Soviet Jewry was calling on governors in each state to issue a proclamation on behalf of Soviet Jewry. A Proclamation Sub-Committee for New York was appointed: Abe Bayer, Mel Klarfeld, Jack Levine, Arthur Rosenbluth, and Benjamin Silverman. It was decided that a Passover demonstration should be planned using the theme “Let My People Go.” A special committee including Jacob Birnbaum will propose plans for this demonstration. The committee also discussed the possibility of pageants with contributions from each organization, and an indoor event such as a performance of a cantata composed by Cantor Kwartin. In addition to holiday-connected demonstrations, it was felt that the New York Conference should develop an ongoing program. Suggestions included: (1) a seminar on Soviet Jewry; (2) an in-service course for teachers and students for credit; (3) the construction of a monument to Babi Yar. A sub-committee was appointed to study these projects further and report back at the general …