Justice Joseph M. Proskauer and Nathan D. Shapiro, addressing the annual meeting of the Brooklyn Federation of Jewish Charities yesterday afternoon at the Union Temple, Brooklyn, described the proposed merger of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Federations, as the most important development in the field of American Jewish philanthropy in recent years, but warned that the project places an added responsibility upon the Jews of Brooklyn to support their Federation, since one of the conditions of the amalgamation is that “neither Federation shall have any deficit at the time that the merger becomes effective.”
Justice Proskauer praised “the distinguished record of achievement” of the Brooklyn Federation of Jewish Charities, while Mr. Shapiro, in his report as president of the organization, traced the growth and development of the Federation from the time of its organization in 1910, when it had a total budget of $90,000, to the present year, when the Federation spent $874,603.98 in carrying out its philanthropic work.
Mr. Shapiro, in describing the accomplishments of Federation in the past twelve months, pointed out that the membership had increased to 12,442, an increase of 3,000 members over 1928, and that the receipts from membership dues reached $692,185.15 during 1929, an increase of over $35,000 over the previous year. The allotments to the twenty-five societies affiliated with Federation mounted to $790,100 in 1929, an increase of almost $50,000 over 1928.
Mr. Shapiro then cited the following figures to show how the money collected by Federation in 1929 was spent: Relief of poor, sick, widow and aged, 29.2 percent; medical care, 26.2 percent; orphan and child care, 10.1 percent; Hebrew education, 7.5 percent; boys and girls delinquency work, 8.7 percent; immigrant aid and education, 1.5 percent; Y.M.H.A.’s, 8.3 percent; aged and incurables in institutions, 3 percent; Federation office, collection and administration expense, 6.5 percent; deficit campaign, 3.3 per cent, and interest on loans, 4 percent.
Among the new activities undertaken during the past year, Mr. Shapiro mentioned the Junior Federation, now having a membership of 1,350 young men and women; the Women’s Division, which was organized in May, 1929, and which already has a membership of 450; and the Children’s Federation, with a membership of over 300.
Calling attention to the fact that the Federation is entering the year of 1930 with a deficit of $130,078.53, Mr. Shapiro warned that unless this deficit is wiped off and the obligations of 1930 are fully met during the next fiscal year, the proposed merger will be imperiled.
Hugo H. Piesen, treasurer, reported total receipts of $844,525.45 for the year. Disbursements, $874,603.98; notes payable, $100,000; total deficit for the year, $130,078.53.
Brief addresses were also delivered by Justice Edward Lazansky, Nathan S. Jonas, founder and first president of the Brooklyn Federation; Major Benjamin H. Namm, Justice Mitchell May, Justice Harry E. Lewis, Dr. Samuel C. Kohs, executive director of the Federation; Joseph J. Baker, and Aaron L. Jacoby.
The following officers were elected for 1930: Nathan D. Shapiro, president; Walter N. Rothschild, first vice-president; Morris Salzman, second vice-president; Hon. Grover M. Moscowitz, third vice-president; Hugo H. Piesen, treasurer; Benjamin C. Ribman, assistant treasurer; Mrs. William Linder, secretary; Max Abelman, assistant secretary; Herbert Posner, assistant secretary. The fifteen members of the board of directors whose terms ex-pired yesterday, were all elected for next year. They are: Max Blumber, James J. Brooke, Hon. Emanuel Celler, Morris Dlugasch, Benjamin B. Englander, Adolph Feldblum, Herman Gabbe, Moses Ginsberg, Nathan S. Jonas, Hon. Edward Lazansky, Aaron William Levy, Hon. Harry E. Lewis, Alfred W. Norek, Nathan Strauss, and Hyman Zeitz.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
