Page 27 - Issue 15

Habonim Newsletter – 21st June, 1956
NEWSLETTER AND THE SHICHVAH

“What this Veidah reaffirms that
Newsletter is the organ of Shichvat
Vatikim, and that every Vatik is obliged to
subscribe. It calls on Vatikim to contribute
to Newsletter to a greater extent than at
present”

When this resolution was proposed to the Veidah
last December by the commission on Shichvat
Vatikim, it evoked rather weary smiles on the faces
of some of the most senior chaverim. Surely the
same resolution had been passed at the last Veidah?
Why must we have purely formal resolutions? The
chaver who proposed the resolution troubled to
deny this latest accusation before it was voiced; he
pointed out that many vatikim today were new to
the Shichvah, and that it was necessary to remind
them of the place which Newsletter should occupy.

Now it seems that this argument was very valid. The
number of Vatikim who receive Newsletter is not a
large proportion of the shichvah. Perhaps because of
this, the number of contributions from the Shichvah
is small also. So Newsletter is not to any great extent
an expression of the Shichvah. Perhaps this inhibits
chaverim from writing their opinions? – or lack of
time? – or sheer mental laziness? Not long ago a
chaver was waxing indignant over certain aspects of
the Maccabiah held in London. He was disgusted, he
was angry, it was a disgrace! We suggested that
these feelings are worthy of notice by more than the