PRESENTED BY IRA A. LIPMAN NATIONAL CHAIRMAN N.C.C.J. CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT GUARDSMARK, INC. THE NEW YORK HILTON NEW YORK, NEW YORK

APRIL 2, 1990

THANK YOU.

OVER THE PAST YEAR I HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE MORE DEEPLY THAN EVER THE IMPORTANCE OF NCCJ IN THE LIFE OF OUR NATION. IN MY ROLE AS NATIONAL CHAIR, I VISITED CITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY-FROM CLEVELAND IN THE NORTH TO AUSTIN, NEW ORLEANS, BIRMINGHAM, AND MIAMI IN THE SOUTH; FROM SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, AND PHOENIX IN THE WEST TO WASHINGTON, PHILADELPHIA, AND NEW YORK IN THE EAST. EVERYWHERE I SAW SIGNS OF A VIBRANT AND VITAL ORGANIZATION CARRYING OUT ITS MISSION, BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO SHARE THEIR DIVERSITY, SPREADING THE LIGHT OF UNDERSTANDING AND TOLERANCE.

IN CITIES LARGE AND SMALL, NCCJ IS MAKING ITS INFLUENCE FELT IN SCORES OF DIFFERENT WAYS, AMONG PEOPLE OF ALL RACES AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, ACROSS SOCIAL CLASSES, IN THE WORKPLACE, IN THE CLASSROOM, AND IN THE HALLS OF JUSTICE. IT IS INSPIRING TO SEE AND FEEL THE EXCITEMENT OF SO MANY GOOD PEOPLE DOING SUCH GOOD AND NECESSARY WORK.

IN THE CITIES I VISITED I MET WITH THE REGIONAL DIRECTORS, WHO ARE SO VITAL IN KEEPING THE NCCJ NETWORK UP AND RUNNING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I WAS IMPRESSED BOTH WITH THE CALIBER OF THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND WITH HOW WELL THEY CARRY OUT THE IMPORTANT AND DIFFICULT TASK OF CHANNELING THE ENERGIES OF NCCJ WHENEVER A LOCAL INCIDENT OF BIGOTRY OR RACIAL HATRED OCCURS.

IN EVERYTHING I SAW, IN ALL THE MEETINGS, IN ALL THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE I MET, I WAS REMINDED OF HOW PROUD WE CAN ALL BE TO BE PART OF THIS GREAT, DYNAMIC ORGANIZATION THAT CONTINUES TO GROW TO MEET THE CHALLENGES FACING US.

NCCJ IS STRONG, VIGOROUS, AND FINANCIALLY HEALTHY. AND WE NEED TO BE, TO MEET THE CHALLENGES THAT LIE AHEAD. OUR NATION IS UNDERGOING A VAST AND SWEEPING CHANGE IN ITS CULTURAL DIVERSITY, WITH NEW IMMIGRANT GROUPS TESTING THE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCY OF OUR SOCIAL FABRIC. FROM CENTRAL AMERICA, FROM MEXICO, FROM ASIA, NEW WAVES OF IMMIGRANTS COME SEEKING A BETTER WAY OF LIFE. TIRED AND POOR-HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO BREATHE FREE-THEY TOO OFTEN ARE MET WITH MISUNDERSTANDING, DISLIKE, AND FEAR.

THOSE CONLMLNITIES THAT ARE MOST AFFECTED BY THE NEW ININHGRATION MUST BE HELPED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IN DIVERSITY THERE IS STRENGTH, THAT DIFFERENCES ARE BUT SHADES OF SIMILARITY, THAT IMMIGRANTS DO NOT SUBTRACT FROM THE NATIONAL WEALTH BUT ADD TO IT.

THE STRAINS WE ARE NOW SEEING IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES BECAUSE OF THE NEW IMMIGRATION ARE TROUBLING. BUT HOW MUCH GREATER WILL THOSE STRAINS BE IF THE RISING TIDE OF ECONOMIC PROGRESS WE HAVE ENJOYED FOR SO LONG, BEGINS TO EBB? THEN THE DIFFICULTIES WOULD MULTIPLY, AND NCCJ MUST BE PREPARED TO BOTH INTENSIFY AND BROADEN ITS COMMUNITY RELATIONS ACTIVITIES.

INTERFAITH RELATIONS PRESENT ANOTHER CHALLENGE, AND AS AN ORGANIZATION WE RECENTLY TOOK THE HISTORIC STEP OF ELECTING THE FIRST MUSLIM, EGYPTIAN-BORN, TO THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD. THIS SYMBOLIC AND EFFECTIVE EMBRACING OF OUR ISLAMIC BROTHERS AND SISTERS REPRESENTS A MAJOR ADVANCE IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE ARE AS AN ORGANIZATION AND A MONUMENTAL BROADENING OF OUR SCOPE.

THIS PAST YEAR’S CONTROVERSIES OVER THE AUTHOR SAL IAN RUSHDIE AND THE CONVENT AT AUSCHWITZ ARE CLEAR SIGNS THAT INTERFAITH RELATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO REMAIN A MAJOR FOCUS OF OUR ENERGIES. AND THE CHALLENGE WILL GROW AS MORE ADHERENTS OF THE MAJOR EASTERN FAITHS COME TO THE UNITED STATES TO LIVE AND WORSHIP AS THEY CHOOSE.

BUT THE GREATEST CHALLENGE TO OUR USEFULNESS AND MEANING AS AN ORGANIZATION IS THE INCREASING OCCURRENCE OF ACTS OF BIGOTRY AND RACIAL HATRED. IT IS IRONIC AND A CAUSE OF WONDER THAT SO MUCH RACIAL TENSION EXISTS ON OUR COLLEGE CAMPUSES, WHEN WE KNOW THAT IT IS IGNORANCE THAT BREEDS PREJUDICE. AND IT IS IRONIC-AND A CAUSE FOR APPREHENSION-THAT THE SPIRALING HOPES FOR PEACEFUL, DEMOCRATIC CHANGE IN THE SOVIET BLOC COUNTRIES ARE MIXED WITH RENEWED AND VIRULENT ANTI-SEMITISM.

WHETHER IT IS THE RISE OF RABIDLY NATIONALISTIC GROUPS IN THE SOVIET BLOC, THE RESTRICTION ON THE NUMBER OF ASIAN STUDENTS IN OUR UNIVERSITIES, OR THE MURDER OF A BLACK IN HOWARD BEACH, THE IMPULSE IS THE SAME: TO EXCLUDE THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT. SUCH EXCLUSION- WHETHER IT LEADS TO OVERT VIOLENCE, LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY, LACK OF FREEDOM, OR ATTACKS UPON PERSONAL DIGNITY-MUST NOT BE MET WITH SILENCE. BECAUSE DOWN THAT PATH LIES AUSCHWITZ, BIRKENAU, AND DACHAU.

BETWEEN HERE AND THERE STANDS NCCJ, AND ALL MEN AND WOMEN OF GOOD WILL EVERYWHERE. AND LET US REMEMBER THAT ALTHOUGH THE HOLOCAUST CARRIES SPECIAL MEANING FOR JEWS, THEY WERE NOT THE ONLY VICTIMS. CATHOLICS, PROTESTANTS, GYPSIES, RUSSIANS, GAYS, THE OLD, THE INFIRM, THE HANDICAPPED, AND THE INSANE-ALL WHO THREATENED WHAT THE NAZIS THOUGHT THEY COULD PRESERVE THROUGH EXCLUSION WENT THROUGH THOSE GATES. AND THE WORLD WATCHED IN SILENCE.

IT IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION HOW SUCH A THING CAME TO PASS. IT MUST NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, IN ANY GUISE. AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN, IF WE AND THE WORLD REMEMBER THAT ALL FORMS OF EXCLUSION EXIST IN THE SHADOW OF THE HOLOCAUST, AND THAT SILENCE IS AN ALLY OF EVIL.