ninth annual conference-convention - Cantors Assembly

II. Fund Raising for Cantors Institute.
III. Certification:
While no formal Resolution was framed the Convention
voted to issue the revised Certificates which had
been disributed for discussion to the Regional Branches.
It was also voted to issue the Certificate in both
Hebrew and English.
The following resolutions were unanimously adopted
at an annual meeting and convention of the Cantors
Assembly held on May 22, 1956.
I
Current press reports show that the danger of war
in the Middle East remains great in spite of the
Soviet declaration of April 1’7, and the efforts of UN
Secretary Dag Hammarskjold to obtain a cease-fire.
We also note with growing concern that the shipment
of arms to Egypt by the Soviet--bloc countries is
continuing while Israel is denied the arms she needs
to defend herself and to deter war. The cease-fire
agreements obtained by UN Secretary Hammarskjold
can be considered as only a temporary truce which is
neither effective nor enforceable so long as the conditions
continue to exist which brought the Middle
East situation to its present critical phase. Meanwhile,
Egypt has more time in which to train her men
in the operation of Soviet MIG jet fighter planes, Ilyushin
jet bombers, Soviet torpedo boats and other weapons
from the Communist arsenal.
Not a single day passes without new threats against
Israel by Egypt and the other Arab states. The Arab
press and radio continue to shout their intention of
annihilating Israel.
The Soviet Union now threatens the position of the
United States and Great Britain in the Middle East
and weakens the security of Israel. Moscow’s protestations
of peace must be regarded in the full light
of the price she is demanding for peace in the Middle
East. There is danger that the Soviet declaration will
be used as an excuse to hold back from Israel the
planes and weapons she must have to make war an
unprofitable gamble for the Egyptian aggressors.
The Cantors Assembly, in convention assembled,
therefore, deplore the State Department’s efforts to
approach the Middle East situation by a policy of
“impartial friendship” and to treat it as if it were
a local dispute between Arabs and Israel rather than
a vital front in the Cold War.
We call upon our Government to make its decision
now to permit Israel to buy the arms that she needs
and has requested for her defense and for the restoration
of military balance in the Middle East.
We also urge our Government to strengthen the
effort for peace in the Middle East and to implement
its announced policy to preserve Israel by offering
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mutual security treaties to that country and any
state ready to join in the preservation of peace.
II
Arab
Whereas, the Cantors Assembly of America has
from its inception been in the forefront of the forces
creating the Cantors Institute and
Whereas, the Cantors Assembly has indicated its
financial support by raising substantial funds annually
in behalf of the Cantors Institute and
Whereas, the members of the Cantors Assembly have
repeatedly been hindered in their campaigns by a lack
of cooperation and in some instances by direct opposition
on the part of some of those involved in raising
funds for the Seminary, and
Whereas, it is the sincere desire and intention of
the Cantors Assembly to continue to support the Cantors
Institute,
Be it therefore resolved
That the officers of the Cantors Assembly make
strong presentations to the Jewish Theological Seminary
of America, the United Synagogue of America,
and the Cantors Institute, and request that these organizations
use their good offices to accomplish the
following ends :
1. That the campaign of the Cantors Assembly on
behalf of the Cantors Institute become a fully recognized,
and authorized official campaign and be
so designated by the aforesaid organizations.
2. That such designation be fully publicized by the
United Synagogue of America and the Jewish Theological
Seminary among its affiliated congregations.
3. That the rabbis and officers of congregations and
the Seminary campaign chairman be urged to implement
this designation by cooperating with the cantor
in his plans to conduct a successful campaign.
4. That the cantor in each congregation wherever
possible, be made a member of the general committee
in order to coordinate the two campaigns.
5. It is further the unanimous opinion of the Cantors
Assembly that, failing the implementation of the
above resolution, its enthusiastic support and energetic
efforts in behalf of the Cantors Institute will be
seriously discouraged and blighted, and the campaigns
of the Cantors Assembly for the Cantors Institute will
undoubtedly be so affected as to result in drastically
diminished financial returns to the Cantors Institute;
and
6. It is the further unanimous request of the Cantors
Assembly that the Jewish Theological Seminary
and the United Synagogue of America put forth effort
in the future to unite the campaign for Cantors Institute
with the general campaign of the Seminary.