The 68th General Assembly

November 18, 1999

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On November 18, 1999, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution published an article on the 68th General Assembly, which is an annual gathering of Jews from all branches of Judaism. This year, 4,000 Jews will gather in Atlanta, with the underlying theme of many of the workshops and seminars focusing on what it means to be a Jew today. Jonathan Woocher, executive vice president of the Jewish Education Service of North America, stated: "The single most important thing about Jewish identity today, if you look across the span of people who identify themselves as Jews, is that it's incredibly diverse." Arnold Eisen, chair of the department of religious studies at Stanford University, spoke to the wants of the American Jewish community: "We've discovered that what American Jews are after from their Jewishness is a combination of meaning and community...When the Jewish world reaches out to people and gives them this meaning to live for and the feeling that they're part of something larger than themselves, they respond positively." Kenneth Stein, professor of contemporary Middle Eastern history and Israeli studies, spoke to the worries of the Jewish community: "People are concerned about how will Jews survive in the assimilationist environment in America...How do you sustain Jewishness? How do you be sure that your kids don't intermarry? How do you keep traditions and customs going?" Barry Schrage, president of the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, notes that efforts to strengthen the Jewish community in America are centering on three areas - serious Jewish learning, caring for Jews in Israel and throughout the diaspora, and a commitment to social justice.