Bund Declaration in the temporary Bialystok community council. “For tens of years the Bund has been standing on the Jewish street, like a pillar of fire, and wrestling against the overpowering forces of darkness. For tens of years the Bund has been striving to free the Jew from his inner ghetto and lead him out into the sunlight, to the free, wide world [...].” “The revolution in Germany opens broad possibilities (perspektivn) also for the Jewish masses in Lithuania for a ree, unhindered national life [...].” “How should the Jewish community look, what should it deal with? / Not with mikvas, synagogues, cantors, rabbinic judges, ritual slaughterers etc. [...].” “On account of their special religious needs, the religious Jews can unite in a separate religious community, whose existence needs to be ensured in the limites of the general state laws.” The Bund is also against making the kehilah responsible for hospitals and general welfare institutions -- those are the responsibility of city and village autonomous authorities (zelbst-farvaltungen). Also opposed to any special function associated with helping Jews emigrate. “The Jewish community should build kindergartens and orphanages. It should build good secular elementary and secondary schools. It should build technical, professional, and evening schools, gymnasiums and universities, it should see to it that the masses have a cheap and good book. It should organize libraries, publishing houses, museums, theaters, it should concern itself with Jewish scholarship (yidishe visnshaft), with Yiddish literature, language and art. / In a word, the Jewish community unites into a central national organ, has the colossal task of building Jewish national culture in all its many-sided forms.” “The Bund is entering the Jewish community in order to accomplish that the national culture not become the property of a few, of individuals. The Bund will work in the Jewish community for Yiddish culture to be transformed into a powerful instrument which the Jewish masses will use in their cuntinuing fight for their final liberation -- for socialism.”