ajc year of the trip hammer 1968

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A M E R I C A N J E W I S H C O M M I T T E E

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A M E R I C A N J E W I S H

YEARof theTRIPHA

AJC in

Gary S

The mission of American Jewish Committee is:

To safeguard the welfare and security of Jews in the United States,

in Israel, and throughout the world;To strengthen the basic principles of pluralism around the world as the

best defense against anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry;

To enhance the quality of American Jewish life by helping to ensure

Jewish continuity, and;

To deepen ties between American and Israeli Jews.

To learn more about our mission, programs, and publications, and to join

and contribute to our efforts, please visit us at www.ajc.org or contact us

by phone at 212-751-4000 or by e-mail at [email protected].


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Gary Spruch is AJCs assistant director of publications.He writes AJCs Annual Report and edits its quarterlynewsletter,AJC Today. His articles have appeared in

Jewish newspapers around the country.

Copyright 2008 American Jewish CommitteeAll Rights Reserved.April 2008

Content

Foreword

Year of the Triphammer:

AJC in 1968

A Long Hot Summer

If Judaism Means Anythin

The Other Jews

Photos from our Archives

The Trouble on Tet

Up Against the Wallat Columbia University

The Age of Aquarius

The Lessons of 1968


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ForewordForty years have passed since our countryyear and turning point of 1968a year unrest, assassinations, social upheaval, an

ways of the counterculture, whose adhstandards of conventional society and sou

The decade began with the election idealistic president who was cut down at

was followed by unprecedented legislatcivil rights and what was called at the timpart of President Lyndon B. Johnsons

was a program that sought to transformernment attention to urban renewal, eduical care, and the seeking of true equacitizens.

There were a range of achievementsAnd, yet, many of the most ambitiousGreat Society were dashed, in part by domestic conflict caused by the Vietnamreal life to keep up with the starry dream

Throughout this period and througJewish Committee participated actively a

through its dedication to the bettermentrefusal to back away from its unique visthing seemed to be falling apart. Even as of reason and balance in a time of turmoiversalistic goal of championing reform ppeople, AJC, for instance, paid special attish college students and the Jewish poor.

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AcknowledgmentsFor their invaluable assistance with the research forthis and many other projects, deepest thanks to my

friends and colleagues Cyma Horowitz, director, AJCBlaustein Library; Michele Anish, associate director,

AJC Blaustein Library; and Charlotte Bonelli, direc-tor, AJC Information and Digital Archives Center.


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Year of the Triphammer

It was a year when soaring idealism anlegislative achievements mixed fiercely change. When assassins cut down two action and civic concern. When Commtations for victory in Vietnam. When pinner-city black communities and conation. When, with the launch of ApolloU.S. mission to orbit the moon. It was range of social and political forces thatpended dropped suddenly with a force

bered.The despair of 1968 was connected so often follows in the wake of idealistheady assortment of civic, psychologicalcharacterized the period from President in 1960 to the tumultuous year of 1968alisms of the day, each in its own way, reach the moon. What was the source mism, this unlimited hope for revolution

Perhaps the greatest symbol of the singly photogenic President Kennedy anline. The country had moved from its oDwight David Eisenhower, to Kennedydent ever. Not only was Kennedy handsohe had a flair for oratory, and a rare aband pride.

He boldly asked the nation for sacriftask of spreading freedom and progress. H

Author Gary Spruch here deftly portrays AJCs activities againstthe general historical background of the time and provides a vividportrait of major events and themes of interest to both the generalcommunity and the Jewish community. The picture that emerges isthat of an organization which, in the words of one of its leaders,

combined moral passion and intellectual discipline as it confront-ed the challenges of one of the most momentous years ever in U.S.history.

Marianne SanuaAssociate ProfessorDepartment of History/Jewish Studies ProgramFlorida Atlantic UniversityBoca Raton, Florida

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14 year of the triphammer

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., receives

AJCs American Liberties Medallion

at an AJC event in New York.

On his right is Vice President

Hubert Humphrey, on his left,

AJC Executive Board Member

Sol Linowitz.

President Lyndon Johnson hosts a White House me

Seated second from the left is AJC President Morris

Vice President Hubert Humphrey (r.)

with AJC Washington, D.C.,

Representative Hyman Bookbinder.

Senator Robert F. Kennedy, with AJC President Morris Abram (second from left)

and others, on the television show Opinion in the Capitol.


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ajc year of the trip hammer 1968

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