SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Wednesday, 9th April, 1941.

I want to ask that the question of an approach to the Jews as a religious community should he reconsidered. When the Ministry was originally planned it was decided that the Jews should he approached territorially as American Jews, or Rumanian Jews, and not as a community. No doubt the divisions among Jews religiously and politically were responsible for this decision and also fear of the Government taking sides in the Zionist controversy.

I suggest that it would be possible to secure religious propaganda among Jews without raising the Zionist issue and that the religious divisions among Jews are no more difficult than the denominational differences among Christians and can be similarly surmounted.

The Jews themselves have, of course, been emphasising the religious aspect of the present struggle in their own writings and speeches. The Chief Rabbi has spoken out on several occasions and the Jews have shared in the National Days of Prayer. It is also note-worthy that spontaneous cooperation has been given to the Religions Division by a number of Rabbis in this country and elsewhere who have been receiving at their own request copies of the Christian bulletin ‘The Spiritual Issues of the War’.

The influence of the Jewish community in many parts of the world, and especially perhaps in the United States, needs no emphasis.

If a suitable Jew were brought into the Ministry to direct and develop contacts of this kind, he would find plenty of scope for his energies. A wide circulation could probably be readily secured for a Bulletin and other literature. It might be wise to associate him with the existing Religions Division, as there is naturally a good deal of common ground between Christian and Jew in this matter.

It is suggested that someone might be authorised to sound certain Jewish religious leaders as to their attitude and to bring forward proposals.

1.4.41.

HUGH MARTIN.