By Marie Mulvenna

Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan issued a strong statement denouncing a United Nations committee resolution which would link Zionism with racism. Keynoting the two-day Christian-Jewish conference held here last week to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Vatican II, the archbishop said the proposed resolution was "productive of much harm." He said, "anti-Semitism is evil and should be denounced and repudiated wherever it rears its head."

Addressing the local conference, the archbishop said he wished to take the occasion to express his regret at the U.N. membership committee recommending to the General Assembly that Zionism is a form of racism and social discrimination. The archbishop stated that the recommendation was not in accord with the facts and added that he was "proud that the U.S. delegation denounced this as an anti-Semitic and obscene action, and warned that the resolution places the work of the United Nations in jeopardy.

The debated resolution was adopted October 17 by the U.N. Social, Humanitarian and Cultural committee and was passed with a 70 for, 29 against and 27 abstaining vote.

Sharing the Vatican II observance program with the archbishop, Rabbi Marc H. Tannenbaum, national director of the Interreligious Affairs Department declared that the United Nations had become "the single greatest purveyor of 'verbal violence' not only against Israel but against the Jewish religion and the Jewish people as well." He added that unless seriously challenged and contained, such verbal rejection "threatens to lay the foundation for actual physical destruction."

Rabbi Tannenbaum called on Christian leadership not to stand by in silence but to identify actively and publicly with the Jewish people to turn back this "Nazi-like assault on the dignity and security of world Jewry." He asked that business leaders realize their obligations to combat actual and potential discrimination that, he said, is emerging from the Arab economic warfare against the Jewish people and Israel. The American Jewish Committee is a human relations organization, founded in 1906 with express aims to combat bigotry, protect the civil and religious rights of people here and abroad and to improve human relations.

Entitled "Vatican II: Ten Years Later," the two-day conference was co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the American Jewish committee on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of "Nostra Aetate," the decree, emanating from the Second Vatican Council, which stated the relationship of the Catholic Church to non-Christian religions.

The Atlanta program was designed to commemorate the historical event and to continue its impetus. Mrs. Helen Schellman, chairperson of the Archdiocesan Unity Commission and Miles Alexander of the American Jewish Committee, chaired the two-day sessions.

The conference got underway on October 22 at The Temple with Archbishop Donnellan and Rabbi Tannenbaum presenting keynote addresses. On October 23, the day-long session was entitled "A Working Celebration" and was held at Christ the King Cathedral. Taking part in the morning portion were Father John T. Pawlikowski, author of Catechetics and Prejudice and Rabbi Alvin Sugarman of The Temple. Father Pawlikowski, member of the Secretariat for Catholic-Jewish Relations, dealt with the image of the Jew in catechetical materials and the Jewish roots of Christianity. Rabbi Sugarman focused on the Jewish concept of Jesus and the impacts of Christianity on Judaism.

The afternoon portion of the two-day agenda concentrated on simultaneous round table offerings, including: Israel and Zionism -- it's Meaning to the world Community; Teachings of the Old and New Testament; Religion in the Public Schools; Morality and the Constitution; and Social Action -- to Whom Do We Owe Our First Allegiance?

A concluding public interfaith service was held at The Temple the evening of the 23rd. Planned by Father Robert Kinast of the Unity Commission and William Gralnick, director of the southeast area American Jewish Committee, the joint service was the effort of collaboration between several priests and rabbis. The specially prepared service was held at The Temple.