Detroit Jewry Creates New Type of Jewish Welfare Federation

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

The establishment of a new type of Jewish Welfare Federation in this city was announced here today by Morris D. Waldman, director of the federation and well known social worker.

The federation, which consists of the United Jewish Charities, Jewish Social Service Bureau, Jewish Centers Association, Fresh Air Society, United Hebrew Schools, Hebrew Free Loan Association, North End Clinic, Y.W.H.A. and Detroit Service Group, is a direct result of the conditions created in this communoty where a General Community Chest is in operation.

When interviewed by the representative of the “Jewish Daily Bulletin” Mr. Waldman outlined in detail the plan which is of great interest to many communities throughout the country.

“This Federation is unique, differing in its form and content from all other Federations in this country,” he said. Mr. Waldman termed it a “double barrelled” Federation because of the two basic underlying factors in the organization, one being the Jewish contributing public and the other the Community Fund.

“Community Funds exist in more than two hundred cities in the United States, and in most of these cities Jewish charitable organizations are affiliated with the Fund or Chest. This is the case in Detroit. In Philadelphia and Baltimore, where Community Funds exist, the Jewish Charities are not associated with them. Under the Detroit plan the Federation assumes responsibility for the planning and development of social service, as Federations in other cities do, but does not finance the agencies which have been receiving appropriations from the Community Fund. The Federation assumes responsibility for financing everything else, however, including building funds for all Jewish organizations and also makes appropriations to agencies outside of Detroit, national and foreign,” Mr. Waldman stated.

“As a result of the establishment of the new Federation, the Detroit Jewish community is in a position, to a very large extent, to obviate the necessity of outside agencies independently canvassing in the city. Under this plan the Jewish public is called upon to contribute regularly to only two campaign funds, one the Community Fund, the other, the Federation. The only exception at present is the United Palestine Appeal. The whole scheme is based upon the premiss that Jewish group life can remain a unit in the city so far as its own philanthropic, cultural and educational needs are concerned. Under the new plan the relations of all the Jewish organizations with one another and with the Community Fund are clearly and satisfactorily defined,” he said.

When asked whether he considers it advisable for the Jewish Charities to affiliate themselves with Community Chests, he replied: “The Detroit plan will work out to the mutual advantage of both the Jewish community and the community at large. It is my opinion, however, that in cities where they have not yet joined the Community Chest, the Jewish agencies should refrain from doing so until they have reached the state where they are generously supported and have attained acceptable standards of social service. If they have been poorly financed and their service is below par it will be difficult for them to improve and expand because of the natural and perfectly proper tendency on the part of the Community Fund to maintain all of its affiliated agencies on a common level,” he stated.